My Baby Left Me
"My Baby Left Me" is a rhythm and blues song written by blues singer Arthur Crudup.
Original recording
The song was first recorded by Crudup in Chicago on November 8, 1950, with Ransom Knowling on bass and Judge Riley 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 put 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; by Buffy Sainte-Marie on her 1972 album Moonshot; 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 No. 37 UK Singles Chart hit in 1964 for Dave Berry. 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. Loggins and Messina also covered this song on their 1975 album, So Fine.
Slade version
"My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama" | ||||
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Single by Slade | ||||
B-side | "O.H.M.S." | |||
Released | 14 October 1977[2] | |||
Recorded | 1977 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 2:24 | |||
Label | Barn Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Arthur Crudup | |||
Producer(s) | Chas Chandler | |||
Slade singles chronology | ||||
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"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 its release, Tony Mitchell of Sounds picked "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama" as "Best Comeback Single" and described it as a "fabulous treatment of this old Arthur Crudup number" which "could easily see Slade back in the charts". He continued, "It's a bouncy, struttin' 12-bar blues quite unlike most of the band's earlier hit singles and it could just be the right thing to get them back into favour at the current time." He also noted the "remarkable similarity" between Slade's treatment of the song and that of the "old blues numbers" covered by Johnny Winter.[10] Ken Lawrence of the Sports Argus praised it as a "fine rocker", with Slade "back in the old routine [with] a surefire hit".[11] Barry Cain of Record Mirror described Slade's version as "real pleasant", but added, "I can remember a time when Slade records were vixen fearsome rather than pleasant. Fearsome on their own songs, not some cruising rocker from what back. Get out while the going's bad, 'cos it's only going to get hideous."[12]
Track listing
- 7" single
- "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama" - 2:23
- "O.H.M.S." - 2:41
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder – lead vocals, guitar
- Jim Lea – guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell – drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler – producer
- Gered Mankowitz – sleeve photography
- Jo Mirowski – sleeve design
Charts
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles Chart[3] | 32 |
References
- ^ Stefan Wirz, Illustrated Arthur Crudup Discography, Retrieved October 15, 2013
- ^ "Releases: Listings" (PDF). Music Week. October 15, 1977. p. 58. ISSN 0265-1548. Retrieved August 19, 2024 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b c "slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ Whatever Happened to Slade - 2007 Salvo remaster booklet liner notes
- ^ "Don's 1977 Diary - Don Powell Official Website". Donpowellofficial.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ Slade International Fan Club newsletter June - July - August 1986
- ^ "ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk". Collectadisc.co.uk. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ "Slade - My Baby Left Me / That's All Right at Discogs". Discogs.com. 1977. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ "SLADE @ www.slayed.co.uk". Crazeeworld.plus.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
- ^ Mitchell, Tony (October 15, 1977). "Singles". Sounds. p. 32. ISSN 0144-5774.
- ^ Lawrence, Ken (October 22, 1977). "POPeye: Stand by for Crosby rush". Sports Argus. p. 11. Retrieved February 25, 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Cain, Barry (October 15, 1977). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 10. ISSN 0144-5804.
- v
- t
- e
- Dave Hill
- Don Powell
- Noddy Holder
- Jim Lea
- John Berry
- Russell Keefe
- Steve Whalley
- Steve Makin
- Craig Fenney
- Trevor Holliday
- Dave Glover
- Mal McNulty
- Beginnings (Ambrose Slade, 1969)
- Play It Loud (1970)
- Slayed? (1972)
- Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
- Slade in Flame (1974)
- Nobody's Fools (1976)
- Whatever Happened to Slade (1977)
- Return to Base (1979)
- We'll Bring the House Down (1981)
- Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981)
- The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983)
- Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (1984)
- Rogues Gallery (1985)
- Crackers (1985)
- You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)
- Slade Alive! (1972)
- Slade Alive, Vol. 2 (1978)
- Slade on Stage (1982)
- Coz I Luv You (1972)
- Sladest (1973)
- Slade Smashes! (1980)
- Slades Greats (1984)
- The Slade Collection 81–87 (1991)
- Wall of Hits (1991)
- The Slade Collection Vol. 2, 79–87 (1993)
- The Genesis of Slade (1996)
- Feel the Noize – Greatest Hits (1997)
- Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade (2004)
- The Very Best of Slade (2005)
- Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology (2006)
- B-Sides (2007)
- Rockers (2007)
- In for a Penny: Raves & Faves (2007)
- Live at the BBC (2009)
- Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits (2009)
- Cum On Feel the Hitz: The Best of Slade (2020)
- The Slade Box (2006)
- When Slade Rocked the World (2015)
- Six of the Best
- Alive at Reading
- Xmas Ear Bender
- "You Better Run" (The N' Betweens)
- "Wild Winds Are Blowing"
- "Shape of Things to Come"
- "Know Who You Are"
- "Get Down and Get with It"
- "Coz I Luv You"
- "Look Wot You Dun"
- "Take Me Bak 'Ome"
- "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
- "Gudbuy T'Jane"
- "Cum On Feel the Noize"
- "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me"
- "My Friend Stan"
- "Merry Xmas Everybody"
- "Everyday"
- "When the Lights Are Out"
- "The Bangin' Man"
- "Far Far Away"
- "How Does It Feel"
- "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)"
- "In for a Penny"
- "Let's Call It Quits"
- "Nobody's Fool"
- "Gypsy Roadhog"
- "Burning in the Heat of Love"
- "My Baby Left Me - That's All Right"
- "Give Us a Goal"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero"
- "Ginny, Ginny"
- "Sign of the Times"
- "Okey Cokey"
- "We'll Bring the House Down"
- "Wheels Ain't Coming Down"
- "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy"
- "Lock Up Your Daughters"
- "Ruby Red"
- "Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I'm on Fire)"
- "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie"
- "My Oh My"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Slam the Hammer Down"
- "All Join Hands"
- "7 Year Bitch"
- "Myzsterious Mizster Jones"
- "Little Sheila"
- "Do You Believe in Miracles"
- "Still the Same"
- "That's What Friends Are For"
- "You Boyz Make Big Noize"
- "Ooh La La in L.A."
- "We Won't Give In"
- "Let's Dance '88"
- "Radio Wall of Sound"
- "Universe"
- Slade in Flame
- Wall of Hits
- Discography
- List of songs recorded by Slade
- The Dummies
- A Day in the Life of the Dummies
- "Shooting Me Down"
- Keep On Rockin' (Slade II album)
- Therapy (James Whild Lea album)