On this day before Valentine’s Day, our classic “love” song of the day is “Baby Love” by the Supremes. This tune, written and produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team, was released as a single in September of 1964. “Baby Love” went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (for four consecutive weeks!), the Cash Box Top 100, the Cash Box R&B, and the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles charts. It was a top ten hit in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, and the UK. The song was also nominated for the Best Rhythm & Blues Recording Grammy, but lost to Nancy Wilson’s “(You Don’t Know) How Glad I Am.”
H-D-H penned this one as a deliberate follow-up to “Where Did Our Love Go,” the Supremes’ first number-one hit. “Baby Love” incorporates a similar four-on-the-floor beat, complete with foot stomps, as the previous hit. Funk Brothers playing on this one included Earl Van Dyke on piano, Eddie Willis on guitar, Jack Ashford on vibes, James Jamerson on bass, and “Pistol” Allen on drums.
“Baby Love” is about a girl whose guy has left her, but she misses him and wants him back:
Instead of breaking up (Don’t throw our love away)
Let’s do some kissing and making up (Don’t throw our love away)
Don’t throw our love away
In my arms, why don’t you stay? (Baby, baby, baby, ooh)
Baby love, my baby love
Been missing you
Miss kissing you
And here’s something special, your daily bonus video of the day, the Supremes performing “Baby Love” live on the T.A.M.I. Show in 1964. Look closely and you’ll see Teri Garr as one of the backup dancers (she’s the one with the big target on her sweater)—and that’s Wrecking Crew legend Hal Blaine backing them up on the tubs!
