Baby It’s You: Introduction
“Baby It’s You” is a Beatles song that comes from their 1963 album, “Please Please Me.” However, there is another version on their Live at the BBC album from 1994.
In Detail
- Release Date: March 22, 1963
- Recorded: February 11 and 20, 1963
- Studio: EMI Studios
- Genre: Merseybeat
- Track Duration: 2:24
- Record Label: Parlophone
- Songwriters: Burt Bacharach, Mack David and Barney Williams
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Norman Smith
Performers And Instruments
- John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
- Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass
- George Harrison: backing vocals, lead guitar
- Ringo Starr: drums
- George Martin: celesta
Where To Find This Track
You can still buy this track on the following albums:
Baby It’s You: The Song
During 1961 in America, girl band The Shirelles released the single “Baby It’s You,” and it made the top ten. The Beatles were big fans of The Shirelles, of course. So, they recorded their version of the song.
In fact, they recorded their other song, “Boys” for the same album, “Please Please Me”. Not only that, but John Lennon once said of Paul McCartney’s “PS I Love You,” “He was trying to write a Soldier Boy like The Shirelles.” Therefore, the American girl band must have influenced the Fab Four in their early days.
On Merseyside in the UK, many bands in the early 1960s would often sing cover songs, including The Quarrymen, aka The Beatles. The Fab Four would regularly sing “Baby It’s You” during their live act, including at the Cavern Club and other venues in Liverpool.
The Beatles admired the vocal arrangements on The Shirelles’ version, in particular its minor-to-major key chord changes in the verses. So they didn’t try to change it too much.
Recording Baby It’s You
The Beatles began recording “Baby It’s You” on February 11, 1963, in Studio Two at the EMI Studios in London, during which they recorded 9 other songs. The band recorded 3 takes on this day, when they practically recorded the whole of the “Please Please Me” album between 10am and 10.45 pm.
George Martin then overdubbed his celesta piece on February 20, 1963, to complete the song. On the “Please Please Me” album, this song is track 3 on side 2, just before “Do You Want To Know A Secret.”
In the early 1960s, The Beatles would also make many appearances on BBC Radio. Many radio programmes featured the band, and they sang this song for one of those shows too.
They recorded the song on June 1, 1963, for airing on “Pop Go The Beatles” on June 11, 1963. As a result, this version appears on their 1994 album, “Live At The BBC.” There it sits on disc 1 as track 14, just before “That’s All Right (Mama).” Track 13 (Sha La La La La!) is a spoken word introduction track with The Beatles having fun with presenter Brian Matthew.
Take A Listen
Give us your thoughts below once you listen to the song.
