Baby I Need Your Loving

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"Baby I Need Your Loving"
Side-A label by Stateside Records
Side A of the Australian single
Single by Four Tops
from the album Four Tops
B-side"Call on Me"
ReleasedJuly 10, 1964 (1964-07-10)
RecordedJuly 8, 1964
StudioHitsville U.S.A. (Studio A)
GenrePop[1]
Length2:45
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier
Four Tops singles chronology
"Pennies from Heaven"
(1962)
"Baby I Need Your Loving"
(1964)
"Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)"
(1964)

"Baby I Need Your Loving" is a 1964 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland,[2] the song was the group's first Motown single and their first pop Top 20 hit, making it to number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada in the fall of 1964. It was also their first million-selling hit single.

Cash Box described it as "an intriguing rock-a-cha-cha beat pleader...that [the Four Tops] carve out with solid sales authority."[3] Rolling Stone ranked the Four Tops' original version of the song at No. 400 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[4]

Personnel[edit]

Johnny Rivers' version[edit]

"Baby I Need Your Lovin'"
side-A label by Imperial Records
Side A of the Canadian single
Single by Johnny Rivers
from the album Rewind
B-side"Gettin' Ready for Tomorrow"
Released1967 (1967)
Genre
Length3:08
LabelImperial
Songwriter(s)Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s)Lou Adler
Johnny Rivers singles chronology
"Poor Side of Town"
(1966)
"Baby I Need Your Lovin'"
(1967)
"The Tracks of My Tears"
(1967)

"Baby I Need Your Lovin'" was covered in 1967 by Johnny Rivers, reaching No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100, topping the original version in chart performance.[6] The song reached #1 in Canada.[7]

As with Rivers' precedent single: the No. 1 hit "Poor Side of Town", his "Baby I Need Your Loving" was performed in an orchestral pop style, being arranged by Marty Paich and featuring the LA Phil musicians who had performed on the Mamas and the Papas inaugural Top Ten hits. The second single from the track's parent album: Rewind, was also an orchestral pop version of a Motown classic, being Rivers' version of "The Tracks of My Tears".

Personnel

Cover versions[edit]

  • The Fourmost released their version of this song, reaching No. 24 in the UK in November 1964.[9]
  • O. C. Smith covered it and took it to No. 52 in 1970 (and No. 21 US AC).[10]
  • Eric Carmen took "Baby I Need Your Loving" to No. 62 in 1979 (Change of Heart, 1978).[11] His cover also reached the Top 10 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart (#8),[12] and No. 50 in the Top 100.[13]
  • Carl Carlton also covered the song in 1982 (The Bad C.C.), reaching No. 17 on the U.S. R&B charts,[citation needed] No. 12 in Australia in February 1983,[14] and No. 27 in Canada.[15]
  • Lisa Stansfield on the soundtrack album of the 1999 movie Swing, which was also sung in the movie.
  • Michael McDonald recorded "Baby I Need Your Loving" for his 2004 album Motown Two.
  • Harana covered this song for the movie You're My Boss in 2015.

References[edit]

  • Hits of the Sixties: The Million Sellers - By Demitri Coryton and Joseph Murrells, p. 100.
  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (July 30, 2018). "The Number Ones: The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 12, 2023. ...when the songwriting/production team Holland-Dozier-Holland convinced them to move from jazz to pop and gave them "Baby I Need Your Loving"...
  2. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 50 - The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 6] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  3. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 25, 1964. p. 28. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  4. ^ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  5. ^ Liner notes. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964, Hip-O Select – B0005946-02, USA, 24 Feb 2006
  6. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  7. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - March 18, 1967" (PDF).
  8. ^ Blaine, Hal, with David Goggin, Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, MixBooks, Emeryville, California, 1990
  9. ^ "FOURMOST | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  10. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  11. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  12. ^ "RPM Top 50 AC - April 7, 1979" (PDF).
  13. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - March 3, 1979" (PDF).
  14. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 55. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - December 4, 1982" (PDF).