Today’s classic song of the day is a classic piece of Philly Soul with a lyrical nod to that rock ‘n’ roll music. The song is “Rockin’ Roll Baby” by the Stylistics; released as a single on Avco Records in October of 1973, this track went to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on Billboard’s R&B chart.
“Rockin’ Roll Baby” was written by Philly Soul legends Thom Bell and Linda Creed, and produced by Mr. Bell. The song is about a musician whose son is a child musical prodigy:
Little Joe never sings out of tune
Always in key, he’s a soulful little rockin’ roll baby
Papa loves the way you do
Never heard a boy sing the way my little Joey do
He was born in a theater in Bluefield, West Virginia
His ma and I were travelin’ on the road
I worked hard all that summer as a fill-in for the drummer
One-night stands weren’t easy for little Joe
The Stylistics were Airrion Love, Herb Murrell, Russell Thompkins Jr., James Dunn, and James Smith, Philadelphia boys all. Thompkins sang lead on “Rockin’ Roll Baby” and the normal Philly studio cats provided the instrumental backing—Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitars, Thom Bell himself on keyboards, Ronnie Baker on bass, and Earl Young on drums.
And for today’s daily bonus video of the day, we go back in time to April 13, 1974, and turn the television dial to whichever local station was playing Soul Train. Look—it’s the Stylistics, lip-synching “Rockin’ Roll Baby,” in some classy matching duds. Let’s hear it for Little Joe!
