Written by: Margaret Cobb, Bruce Channel
Recorded: 4 June; August; September 1976
Producer: Arif Mardin
Released: 17 September 1976 (UK), 27 September 1976 (US)
Available on:
Ringo’s Rotogravure
Personnel
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums
Lon Van Eaton: electric guitar
John Jarvis: keyboards
Michael Brecker, George Young: tenor saxophone
Lewis Delgatto: baritone saxophone
Randy Brecker, Alan Young: trumpet
Cooker Lo Presti: bass guitar
Jim Keltner: drums
The Mad Mauries: vocals, handclaps
‘Hey! Baby’ is the second song on Ringo Starr’s 1976 album Ringo’s Rotogravure.
The song was originally recorded by Bruce Channel in 1961. Channel co-wrote the song with Margaret Cobb, and it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and reached number two on the UK singles chart. The Beatles performed it live in 1962, with Paul McCartney singing.
The band’s manager Brian Epstein booked Channel to headline the Tower Ballroom in New Brighton on 21 June 1962. The Beatles were also on the bill, and Channel’s harmonica player, Delbert McLinton, inspired John Lennon’s playing on some of the band’s early songs.
There were lots of kids there, a whole sea of people, and I said to Delbert, ‘They can’t all have come to see us,’ and we soon found out that The Beatles were very popular. Delbert was in the [Cavern] dressing room with John Lennon who was very interested in his harp. Delbert played something for him and evidently John kept the idea and used it for the sound on ‘Love Me Do’. We had heard the harmonica on blues records by Jimmy Reed and people like that, and that influenced Hey! Baby. It’s a great thrill to know that our record influenced The Beatles and that our music was appreciated by a group of that stature.
The Cavern, Spencer Leigh
‘Hey! Baby’ was suggested to Starr by the Ringo’s Rotogravure producer Arif Mardin.
I think Arif Mardin who was producing that album made the call about covering the old Bruce Channel hit. Arif had a difficult time with me because I was difficult at that period of my life. He and Ahmet were two of the best people in the music business ever. Arif was such a gentle man and there are not enough of them in the world. I can’t really even tell you if it was a great experience because a lot of it is… gone. The proof is we’ve got the record – and that’s about it.
Photograph – The Very Best Of Ringo Starr
‘Hey! Baby’ was the second single released from Ringo’s Rotogravure, with ‘Lady Gaye’ on the b-side. It was released on 22 November in the US, where it reached number 74 on the US Pop chart.
The single was also issued on 26 November in the UK, but failed to chart.
