"Hey! Baby" is a song written by Margaret Cobb and Bruce Channel, and recorded by Channel in 1961, first released on LeCam Records, a local Fort Worth, Texas label. After it hit, it was released on Smash Records for national distribution. Channel co-produced the song with Major Bill Smith (owner of LeCam) and released it on Mercury Records' Smash label. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, starting the week ending March 10, 1962.
The song features a prominent riff from well-known harmonica player Delbert McClinton, and drums played by Ray Torres. Other musicians on the record included Bob Jones and Billy Sanders on guitar and Jim Rogers on bass. According to a CNN article[2] from 2002, while touring the UK in 1962 with The Beatles, McClinton met John Lennon and gave him some harmonica tips. Lennon put the lessons to use right away on "Love Me Do" and later "Please Please Me". Lennon included the song in his jukebox, and it is also featured on the 2004 related compilation album John Lennon's Jukebox.
"Hey! Baby" was used in the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing in the scene in which Johnny and Baby dance on top of a log.
Canadian country pop singer Anne Murray covered the song in 1982, reaching number 7 on the US Country Singles chart and number 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Murray also reached number 1 on the RPM country and adult contemporary charts in Canada.
Austrian artist DJ Ötzi recorded a cover version titled "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)". It was released in July 2000 as the lead single from his debut solo album, Love, Peace & Vollgas. In 2002, it was re-released when it became the unofficial theme song for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[7] It reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. Darts player Tony O'Shea uses it as his walk-on song.[8]
Music video[]
The official music video features large groups of people singing along to the song in a taxi at different times, interspersed with DJ Ötzi singing on a TV screen. An animated music video was also produced featuring a cartoon version of DJ Ötzi performing with a band of robots while trying to woo a princess.
Ringo Starr released the song as a single, backed with "Lady Gaye", from his Ringo's Rotogravure album, on November 22, 1976, in the US[nb 1][44] (reaching number 74 US Pop), and on November 26 in the UK.[nb 2][45] He had also sampled it in his previous chart hit, "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" (reaching number 26 US Pop).
Cooldown Café, a Dutch band, covered it in 2000; it was top-5 hit in the Netherlands.
Crazy Frog on his hit follow up 2006 album More Crazy Hits.
Canadian band Crowbar, in 1972, on their album Heavy Duty.
"Hey Baby" has become a popular terrace chant among football supporters, with the lyrics changed to refer to teams or individual players.[46]
"Hey Baby" was used by fans of professional wrestlerBayley, who chanted it as "Hey Bayley, I wanna know, will you be my girl?"
"Hey Baby" is used by fans of the New York Islanders hockey team, singing "Hey Josh Bailey," followed by either "I wanna know, will you score a goal?" or, after he has scored a goal, "what do you know, you scored a goal!"[47] DJ Ötzi's version of the song is played at Islanders games when Bailey scores. [48]
See also[]
List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States