My Baby Left Me

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"My Baby Left Me" is a rhythm and blues song written by blues singer Arthur Crudup.

Original recording[]

It was first recorded by Crudup in Chicago on November 8, 1950, with Ransom Knowling on bass and on drums, and was released as a single on RCA Victor 22-0109.[1]

Later versions[]

It gained further exposure in covers by Elvis Presley, who placed his version on the B-side to his 1956 single "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"; by Wanda Jackson who often shared the same bill as Presley; by Creedence Clearwater Revival, who recorded it as a track on their 1970 album, Cosmo's Factory; and by John Lennon (incorrectly titled "Since My Baby Left Me"), recorded during the Rock 'n' Roll sessions in 1973, but first released posthumously on Menlove Ave. in 1986. It was included as a bonus track (still incorrectly titled) on the 2004 CD version of Rock 'n' Roll. It was also a # 37 UK Singles Chart hit in 1964 for Dave Berry and the Cruisers. Elton John used a snippet of "My Baby Left Me" as part of a medley (along with a snippet of the Beatles' "Get Back") during his concert performance of "Burn Down the Mission" on his 17-11-70 live album.

Slade version[]

"My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama"
Sladesingle-mybabyleftme.jpg
Single by Slade
B-side"O.H.M.S."
Released14 October 1977[2]
Recorded1977
GenreRock
Length2:24
LabelBarn Records
Songwriter(s)Arthur Crudup
Producer(s)Chas Chandler
Slade singles chronology
"Burning in the Heat of Love"
(1977) 		"My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama"
(1977) 		"Give Us a Goal"
(1978)

"My Baby Left Me" was covered by the British rock band Slade in 1977 and released as a non-album single as a tribute to Elvis Presley, who died in August of that year. The Slade version merged "My Baby Left Me" with "That's All Right", another Crudup-penned track. "My Baby Left Me But That's Alright Mama" reached No. 32 in the UK and remained in the charts for four weeks.[3]

Background[]

Returning to the UK from the United States in August 1976, Slade found themselves out-of-favour at the time of the UK's Punk rock explosion. The band's 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade proved a commercial failure while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues. Although their April 1977 single "Burning in the Heat of Love" also failed to chart, the band returned to the Top 40 with "My Baby Left Me".[4] Released in November 1977, it reached No. 32 and would be the band's last Top 40 single until 1981's "We'll Bring the House Down".[3]

"My Baby Left Me" was recorded in August at Advision Studios in London.[5] The band decided to record the song as a tribute to Elvis Presley following his death earlier that month. As guitarist Dave Hill was busy doing interviews in northern England, bassist Jim Lea played guitar on the recording.[6] "My Baby Left Me" was released on 7" vinyl by Barn Records in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, France and Germany.[7][8] The B-side, "O.H.M.S.", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides.

A music video was filmed to promote the single, featuring the band performing on a stage. In the UK, the band performed the song on the music show Top of the Pops. In Germany, it was performed on the TV shows Disco and Rund.[9]

Critical reception[]

Upon release, Record Mirror described the song as "real pleasant", but added: "I can remember a time when Slade records were vixen fearsome rather than pleasant".[10] Sounds rated the single as the "Best Comeback Single", describing it as a "fabulous treatment" of the "bouncy, struttin' 12-bar blues number".[11]

Track listing[]

7" Single
  1. "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama" - 2:23
  2. "O.H.M.S." - 2:41

Chart performance[]

Chart (1977) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[3] 32

Personnel[]

Slade
Additional personnel

References[]

  1. ^ Stefan Wirz, Illustrated Arthur Crudup Discography, Retrieved October 15, 2013
  2. ^ "Slade - My Baby Left Me / That's All Right / O.H.M.S. - Barn - UK - 2014 114". 45cat. October 27, 1977. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  4. ^ Whatever Happened to Slade - 2007 Salvo remaster booklet liner notes
  5. ^ "Don's 1977 Diary - Don Powell Official Website". Donpowellofficial.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  6. ^ Slade International Fan Club newsletter June - July - August 1986
  7. ^ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Slade - My Baby Left Me / That's All Right at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "SLADE @ www.slayed.co.uk". Crazeeworld.plus.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  10. ^ Record Mirror, 15 October 1977
  11. ^ "1977 Press Cuttings". Slade Scrapbook. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
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