Baby I'm Yours (Barbara Lewis song)

"Baby I'm Yours" is a song written by Van McCoy, which was a hit in 1965 for Barbara Lewis, the original recording. The song was featured in the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County and was included on the soundtrack album. It was also featured in the TV-films The Midnight Hour (1985) and An American Crime (2007).

Composition and original recording

Barbara Lewis first recorded "Baby I'm Yours" in a January 8, 1965 Atlantic Recording Studios (NYC) session directed by Bert Berns with the producer credit assigned to Lewis's manager Ollie McLaughlin. The session for the track featured George "Teacho" Wiltshire conducting his orchestra, whose personnel included Clark Terry and Dud Bascomb (trumpets), Jimmy Cleveland and Tony Studd (trombones), Frank Haywood Henry (baritone sax), Charlie Brown (tenor sax), Paul Griffin (piano), Bill Suyker (guitar), Jimmy Lewis (bass), Gary Chester (drums), and Artie Butler (percussion/ handclaps); the harmony background vocals on the track were provided by the song's composer, Van McCoy, singing with Kendra Spotswood ^[1]

Barbara Lewis has stated that Van McCoy wrote "Baby I'm Yours" specifically for her. When she first heard the demo for "Baby I'm Yours" Lewis disliked the song — she has suggested that she actually was daunted by the high quality of the vocal, by McCoy himself, on the demo ^[2] — and at the original session "I didn't really put 100% into my vocal performance" hoping that Atlantic would shelve the track as sub-par. "Ollie [McLaughlin] told me 'Barbara, we're gonna have to go back to Detroit and dub you in. We gotta do your vocals over. You're just not giving like you should on the song.' We did several takes [in Detroit] and he was wondering 'How am I going to get this girl to give? She's so hard-headed.' He said 'You know, Barbara, Karen can sing that song better than you.' That was his little daughter. And it pissed me off. I did one more take, and that was the take that they selected." ^[3] It has also been reported that Lewis dubbed her vocal in a Chicago studio. ^[4]

Commercial performance

Released in April 1965, Lewis' "Baby I'm Yours" enjoyed staggered regional success exemplified by the single reaching #1 in Detroit as early as June 1965 and peaking at #4 in Chicago that August: the national peak of the single was #11 achieved on the Hot 100 in Billboard dated August 21, 1965. "Baby I'm Yours" afforded Lewis a #5 R&B chart hit.

Charts

Chart (1965)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	11
U.S. Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles	5
Canada RPM Top Singles	7

The Parmounts/ Peter and Gordon versions

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Peter and Gordon

from the album Lady Godiva

B-side

"When The Black Of Your Eyes Turns To Grey"

Released

1965

Recorded

Abbey Road Studios

Genre

Pop

Length

2:39

Peter and Gordon singles chronology

"To Know You is to Love You"
(1965)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1965)

"Woman"
(1966)

A version by Peter and Gordon was released on 1965 by Columbia: the track would be included on the duo's 1966 Lady Godiva album.

Development

The first UK recording of "Baby I'm Yours" was made by the Paramounts at Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1965; however the track went unreleased until their 1998 compilation release The Paramounts at Abbey Road 1963 to 1970. A higher-profile act also on the Columbia [UK] roster, Peter and Gordon, had the UK hit version of the song, released October 15, 1965 to reach #19 UK. The Peter and Gordon version was recorded in an Abbey Road session produced by Norman Newell and featuring Big Jim Sullivan on guitar.^[5] Peter Asher — who was partnered with Gordon Waller as Peter and Gordon — would recall: "We did 'Baby I’m Yours' because I loved the original Barbara Lewis record."^[6]

Commercial performance

"Baby I'm Yours" is unique among Peter and Gordon singles as their sole collaboration with arranger Tony Osborne, who took over from the duo's original regular collaborator Geoff Love (subsequent to "Baby I'm Yours" Peter and Gordon regularly collaborated with arranger/conductor Bob Leaper). Also in deference to the US success of the Barbara Lewis version, Capitol Records (Peter and Gordon's US label of release) did not issue the duo's "Baby I'm Yours" single; the Peter and Gordon US single release concurrent with their UK "Baby I'm Yours" single release was "Don't Pity Me", a composition by the duo which peaked at #83. "Baby I'm Yours" was the first Peter and Gordon UK single not be released concurrently in the US.

Charts

Chart (1965)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	19

Jody Miller version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Jody Miller

from the album He's So Fine

B-side

"Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)"

Released

September 1, 1971

Format

45 rpm record

Recorded

June 16, 1971

Genre

Countrypolitan

Length

3:09

Jody Miller singles chronology

"He's So Fine"
(1971)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1971)

"Be My Baby"
(1972)

Jody Miller recorded "Baby I'm Yours" with producer Billy Sherrill¹ in a June 16, 1971 session at the Columbia studio in Nashville for inclusion on the album He's So Fine, entitled for Miller's current Top Ten C&W remake of the Chiffons' 1963 #1 hit.

Development

Miller's recording of "Baby I'm Yours" featured the Jordanaires chorale. Impressed by the 1968 Tammy Wynette hit "Stand by Your Man", Miller had contacted that track's producer Billy Sherrill in the hopes of reviving her own flagging recording career. After Look at Mine — Miller's first album in Sherrill's charge — generated two Top Twenty C&W hits in 1970, Sherrill opted for a new musical direction for Miller, who recalls: "He said I didn't phrase my words like a country singer, so we took some old, sexy pop songs and put in a little boppy steel guitar."^[7] Issued September 1, 1971 as the second single off He's So Fine, "Baby I'm Yours" reached #5 C&W and #21 Adult Contemporary and afforded Miller her fifth and final Hot 100 showing with a Hot 100 peak of #91.

Charts

Chart (1971)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	91
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	5
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening	21
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	8
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks	25

Cass Elliot version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Cass Elliot

from the album Cass Elliot

B-side

"Cherries Jubilee"

Released

February 1972

Recorded

1971

Genre

Pop

Length

2:28

RCA

Cass Elliot singles chronology

"Too Much Truth, Too Much Love"
(1971)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1972)

"That Song"
(1972)

Cass Elliot's remake of "Baby I'm Yours" was released in February 1972 at the same time as its parent album Cass Elliot.

Development

Elliot's version was produced by Lewis Merenstein and arranged/conducted by Benny Golson. The album was Elliot's debut for RCA Victor who insisted on "Baby I'm Yours" release as the lead single over Elliott and Merenstein's choice: "That Song", a new song by Bill Dean, which would be given single release in April 1972.^[8] Neither "Baby I'm Yours" or "That Song" afforded Elliot an appearance on a Billboard chart. Elliot's "Baby I'm Yours" charted on the Canadian Adult Contemporary hitlist, peaking at #18.^[9]

Track list

CD single

"Baby I'm Yours"
"Cherries Jubilee"

Charts

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks	18

Linda Lewis version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Linda Lewis

Released

March 19, 1976

Genre

Disco

Length

3:37

Bert DeCoteaux, Tony Silvester

Linda Lewis singles chronology

"Rock and Roller Coaster"
(1975)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1976)

"This Time I'll Be Sweeter"
(1976)

In May 1976, a disco remake of "Baby I'm Yours" was released by Linda Lewis, who in 1967 had chosen Lewis as her professional surname in honor of Barbara Lewis, the original singer of "Baby I'm Yours".^[10]

Development

Recorded subsequent to Lewis' 1975 album Not a Little Girl Anymore, and not included on her next album release Woman Overboard (1977), "Baby I'm Yours" was included as a bonus track on the 2001 CD release of Not a Little Girl Anymore. The song reached #33 in United Kingdom charts.

Track list

CD single

"Baby I'm Yours"
"The Other Side"

Charts

Chart	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	33

Debby Boone version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Debby Boone

from the album You Light Up My Life

B-side

"God Knows"

Released

May 1978

Format

45 rpm record

Recorded

1977

Genre

Easy listening

Length

3:09

Michael Lloyd, Mike Curb

Debby Boone singles chronology

"California"
(1978)

"Baby I'm Yours"/"God Knows"
(1978)

"When You're Loved"
(1978)

Debby Boone recorded "Baby I'm Yours" in the summer of 1977 with the track included on Boone's album You Light Up My Life

Development

The song was issued as a single in March 1978 with "God Knows", a track from Boone's Midstream album, as its flip side. Peter Noone, the co-writer of "God Knows", has alleged "['God Knows'] was originally intended to be the A-side. But the record company chickened out and went with [the] cover of 'Baby I'm Yours' instead."^[11] Boone's "Baby I'm Yours" peaked at #33 C&W while on the Hot 100 the track peaked at #74 and on the Easy Listening it reached #14, both in a tandem ranking with "God Knows".

Track list

CD single

"Baby I'm Yours"
"God Knows"

Charts

Chart (1978)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	74
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening	18
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	33

Tanya Tucker version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Tanya Tucker

from the album Changes

Released

July 1983

Format

45 rpm record

Genre

Countrypolitan

Length

3:31

Tanya Tucker singles chronology

"Changes"
(1982)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1983)

"One Love at a Time"
(1986)

Tanya Tucker recorded "Baby I'm Yours" for her sole Arista album release Changes, from which the song was issued as the third single in July 1983, peaking at C&W #22.

Track list

CD single 1

"Baby I'm Yours"
"I Don't Want You to Go"

CD single 2

"Baby I'm Yours"
"Baby I'm Yours" (Radio edit)
"Baby I'm Yours" (Remix)
"I Don't Want You to Go"

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[12]	22

Cher version

"Baby I'm Yours"

Single by Cher

from the album Mermaids Soundtrack

B-side

Hard Enough Getting Over You

Released

October 1990

Recorded

1990

Genre

Pop rock

Length

3:19

Cher singles chronology

"You Wouldn't Know Love"
(1990)

"Baby I'm Yours"
(1990)

"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"
(1990)

Background

Cher remade "Baby I'm Yours" for the soundtrack of her 1990 film vehicle Mermaids. Cher's version was arranged to replicate Barbara Lewis' hit, and was produced by Peter Asher, who as a member of Peter and Gordon had had the UK hit of "Baby I'm Yours". The song was not featured in the film but was selected as the lead single from the soundtrack for release in the UK and Europe after the US single release "The Shoop Shoop Song" — which as remade by Cher had played under the film's closing credits — fell short of the Billboard Top Thirty. "Baby I'm Yours" failed as a single; its only apparent charting was in the UK at #89 and its estimated global sales tally is 100,000 units^[13] "The Shoop Shoop Song" was released in the spring of 1991 with "Baby I'm Yours" as the B-side, and spent five weeks at #1 in the UK and achieved Top Ten status in several European countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. (Coincidentally the precedent charting single to the Linda Lewis 1976 UK hit remake of "Baby I'm Yours" had been the first major UK hit version of "The Shoop Shoop Song", entitled "It's in His Kiss".)

Formats and track listings

"Baby I'm Yours" European CD single

Baby I'm Yours
Hard Enough Getting Over You
Just Like Jesse James

"Baby I'm Yours" European 7" single

A: Baby I'm Yours
B: Hard Enough Getting Over You

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[14]	89

Other versions

B-side of Arctic Monkeys' 2006 UK hit "Leave Before the Lights Come On" (#4); that version featured the 747s with shared vocals by Arctic Monkeys' lead singer Alex Turner and the 747s' lead singer Oisin Leech.
The song's composer Van McCoy produced a recording of the song by Chris Bartley, which was a non-charting 1968 single release.
Cilla Black (album Cilla Sings a Rainbow, 1966)
Petula Clark (album Now¹, 1972)
Donny Gerrard (album The Romantic, 1999)
Jack Jones (album For The "In" Crowd, 1966)
The Jones Girls (album On Target, 1983)
June Lodge (album Someone Loves You Honey, 1980)
KC and the Sunshine Band (album The Painter, 1981)
Diane Marino (featuring Houston Person (album Just Groovin', 2008)
Maureen McGovern (album Baby I'm Yours, 1992)

Nilsson (in medley with "Just One Look", a duet with Lynda Laurence, on the album ...That's the Way It Is, 1976)
Dianne Steinberg (album Universal Child, 1977)
Bobby Vee (in medley with "Make It Easy on Yourself", on the album 30 Big Hits of the '60's, Vol. 2, 1966)
Bobby Vinton (album My Elusive Dreams², 1970)
Kim Weston (album It Should Have Been Me, 1998)
Phoebe Snow and Avenue Blue (featuring Jeff Golub) (album Naked City, 1996)
A French-language rendering of "Baby I'm Yours" entitled "Je T'appartiens" was a 1965 single release by Pierre Lalonde and was included on Lalonde's 1966 album release Louise. (This is an exceptional use of the title "Je T'appartiens" which is generally understood to refer to the French-language original of "Let It Be Me".)

In the 1999 film The Other Sister, "Baby I'm Yours" is performed at an engagement party by a cappella group Double Dare featuring Mary Lou Metzger.^[15] In the episode of the NBC-TV series American Dreams entitled "And Promises to Keep", Barbara Lewis — portrayed by Vanessa Soul — is seen rehearsing "Baby I'm Yours" for an American Bandstand performance. In the 2009 film Last Chance Harvey, "Baby I'm Yours" is apparently performed live at a wedding reception, although the track was in fact recorded by a session group credited as Loser's Lounge, none of whose members appear in the film; the track was produced and arranged by Joe McGinty, heard on piano, while the vocalist is Connie Petruk.^[16]

References

↑ Selvin, Joel (2014). Here Comes the Night: the dark soul of Bert Berns & the dirty business of rhythm & blues. Berkeley CA: Counterpoint. p. 391. ISBN 978-1619025417.
↑ Lewis, Barbara (August 2007). "interview, Barbara Lewis". Ronnie Allen Show (Interview). Interview with Ronnie Allen. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
↑ "Liner Notes for Barbara Lewis's The Complete Atlantic Singles". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
↑ Selvin, Joel (2014). Here Comes the Night: the dark soul of Bert Berns & the dirty business of rhythm & blues. Berkeley CA: Counterpoint. p. 280. ISBN 978-1619025417.
↑ "Big Jim Sullivan - The Hits". Overzeal.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
↑ "Peter Asher Interview". PennyBlackMusic.co.uk. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
↑ "Blanchard's Jody Miller Prepares to Hit the Road With Daughter". News.OK.com. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
↑ Fiegel, Eddi (2005). Dream a Little Dream of Me: the life of "Mama" Cass Elliot. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. p. 336. ISBN 0-283-07331-4.
↑ http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7715&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7715.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7715
↑ Lewis, Linda (July 3, 2007). "Baby I'm Yours". Big Al Unleashed (Interview). Interview with Alex Dyke. Isle of Wight Radio. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
↑ "Peter Noone - Peacemaking (article)/ Blitz (magazine) Sept/Oct 1986". For NoOne. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
↑ "Tanya Tucker – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Tanya Tucker.
↑ Larocque, Jason (2013). Cher: You Haven't Seen the Last of Me. Charlotte NC: Baker & Taylor Publishing Group. p. 202. ISBN 978-1435135550.
↑ "Cher: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
↑ "MARY LOU METZGER BIOGRAPHY" (DOC). Retrieved November 22, 2016.
↑ "JoeMcGinty.com: "Baby I'm Yours"-Last Chance Harvey". Joemcginty.typepad.com. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2016-09-28.

External links

Official Cher site

Cher

Albums Singles Filmography Tours Videography Awards

Studio albums	All I Really Want to Do The Sonny Side of Chér Chér With Love, Chér Backstage 3614 Jackson Highway Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves Foxy Lady Bittersweet White Light Half-Breed Dark Lady Stars I'd Rather Believe in You Cherished Take Me Home Prisoner I Paralyze Cher Heart of Stone Love Hurts It's a Man's World Believe not.com.mercial Living Proof Closer to the Truth

Compilations	Golden Greats Superpack Vol. 1 and 2 Greatest Hits Greatest Hits: 1965–1992 If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits The Greatest Hits The Very Best of Cher Gold

Soundtracks	Chastity Mermaids Burlesque

Music video releases	The Video Collection The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection

Live releases	Extravaganza: Live at the Mirage Live in Concert Live! The Farewell Tour The Farewell Tour Live at the Mirage

Other video releases	CherFitness: A New Attitude CherFitness: Body Confidence

Tours and residency shows	Cher 1979–1982 World Tour Heart of Stone Tour Love Hurts Tour Do You Believe? Living Proof: The Farewell Tour Cher Dressed to Kill Tour

Television	The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour Cher Cher... Special Super Bowl XXXIII Dear Mom, Love Cher

Books	The Ugly Duckling (audiobook)

Related music	Sonny Bono Sonny & Cher discography Gregg Allman "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" "Be My Baby" Two the Hard Way Black Rose The Beavis and Butt-head Experience The Glory of Gershwin "Love Can Build a Bridge"

Related tours	Two the Hard Way Tour The Black Rose Show

Related soundtracks	Foxes

Related articles	Cher as a gay icon Chaz Bono Elijah Blue Allman Mego Sonny & Cher Toys Uninhibited

Book Category Portal

Cher singles

1960s	"All I Really Want to Do" "Where Do You Go" "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" "Alfie" "I Feel Something in the Air" "Sunny" "Hey Joe" "You Better Sit Down Kids" "For What It's Worth"

1970s	"Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" "The Way of Love" "Living in a House Divided" "Don't Hide Your Love" "Am I Blue" "Half-Breed" "Dark Lady" "Train of Thought" "Take Me Home" "Wasn't It Good" "Hell on Wheels"

1980s	"Rudy" "I Paralyze" "I Found Someone" "We All Sleep Alone" "Skin Deep" "Bang Bang" "Main Man" "After All" "If I Could Turn Back Time" "Just Like Jesse James"

1990s	"Heart of Stone" "You Wouldn't Know Love" "Baby I'm Yours" "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" "Love and Understanding" "Save Up All Your Tears" "Love Hurts" "Could've Been You" "When Lovers Become Strangers" "Oh No Not My Baby" "Whenever You're Near" "Many Rivers to Cross" "Walking in Memphis" "One by One" "Not Enough Love in the World" "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" "Paradise Is Here" "Believe" "Strong Enough" "All or Nothing" "Dov'è l'amore"

2000s	"The Music's No Good Without You" "Song for the Lonely" "Alive Again" "A Different Kind of Love Song" "When the Money's Gone" "Love One Another"

2010s	"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" "Woman's World" "I Hope You Find It" "Take It Like a Man" "I Walk Alone"

Guest singles	"A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" "Dead Ringer for Love" "I Got You Babe" "It Ain't Necessarily So" "Love Can Build a Bridge" "Più che puoi" "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"

Book Category Portal

Tanya Tucker

Studio albums	Delta Dawn What's Your Mama's Name Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone) Tanya Tucker Lovin' and Learnin' Here's Some Love Ridin' Rainbows You Are So Beautiful TNT Tear Me Apart Dreamlovers Should I Do It Changes Girls Like Me Love Me Like You Used To Strong Enough to Bend Tennessee Woman What Do I Do with Me Can't Run from Yourself Soon Fire to Fire Complicated Tanya My Turn

Compilation and live albums	Tanya Tucker's Greatest Hits The Best of Tanya Tucker Live Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Encore Greatest Hits 1990–1992 Love Songs 20 Greatest Hits 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection Live at Billy Bob's Texas 16 Biggest Hits The Definitive Collection

Notable singles	"Delta Dawn" "Love's the Answer" "What's Your Mama's Name" "Blood Red and Goin' Down" "Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)" "The Man That Turned My Mama On" "Lizzie and the Rainman" "San Antonio Stroll" "Don't Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You" "You've Got Me to Hold On To" "Here's Some Love" "It's a Cowboy Lovin' Night" "You Are So Beautiful" "Texas (When I Die)" "Pecos Promenade" "Dream Lover" "Can I See You Tonight" "Feel Right" "Baby I'm Yours" "One Love at a Time" "Just Another Love" "I'll Come Back as Another Woman" "It's Only Over for You" "Love Me Like You Used To" "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love" (with Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet) "If It Don't Come Easy" "Strong Enough to Bend" "Highway Robbery" "Call on Me" "My Arms Stay Open All Night" "Walking Shoes" "Don't Go Out" (with T. Graham Brown) "It Won't Be Me" "Oh What It Did to Me" "Down to My Last Teardrop" "(Without You) What Do I Do with Me" "Some Kind of Trouble" "If Your Heart Ain't Busy Tonight" "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane" "It's a Little Too Late" "Tell Me About It" "Soon" "We Don't Have to Do This" "Hangin' In" "You Just Watch Me" "Between the Two of Them" "Find Out What's Happenin'" "Little Things" "A Memory Like I'm Gonna Be"

Related articles	Albums discography Singles discography Columbia Records MCA Records Capitol Records Liberty Records LaCosta "Leave Them Boys Alone"

Debby Boone

Studio albums	You Light Up My Life Midstream Debby Boone Love Has No Reason With My Song Savin' It Up Surrender Choose Life Friends for Life Be Thou My Vision Home for Christmas Reflections of Rosemary

Compilations	The Best of Debby Boone Love Put a Song in My Heart Reflections

Singles	"You Light Up My Life" "Baby I'm Yours" "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" "See You In September" "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" "Are You on the Road to Lovin' Me Again"

Related articles	Discography

Linda Lewis

Studio albums	Say No More (1971) Lark (1972) Fathoms Deep (1973) Not a Little Girl Anymore (1975) Woman Overboard (1977) Hacienda View (1979) A Tear And A Smile (1983)

Live albums	Born Performer: Live in Japan (1996) Live in Old Smokey (2006)

Compilation albums	Heart Strings (1974)

Singles	"Rock-a-Doodle-Doo" "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" "Baby I'm Yours" "This Time I'll Be Sweeter"

Related articles	Jim Cregan

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