I Got to Find My Baby

"Gotta Find My Baby" was composed by blues singer Peter Clayton,^[1] who recorded it under the name "Doctor Clayton' in Chicago on 11 November 1941 for Bluebird Records (released as Bluebird B8901). Some of Clayton's recordings were reissued on the album Pearl Harbor Blues (RCA International LP1176) in 1970, but "Gotta Find My Baby" was excluded; it is currently available on Doctor Clayton - His Complete Recorded Works (Document CD DOCD 5179). The song was later recorded by other Rhythm & Blues artists in the 1950s as "I Got To Find My Baby", including Little Walter and Chuck Berry, who is often credited with the song as his own. It has also been covered by The Beatles, which appears on album Live at the BBC.

History

Chuck Berry first released the song as a single in August 1960 in the USA, although it did not appear as a single in the U.K. The b-side was called "Mad Lad". It failed to chart in the U.S. In the U.K. "Mad Lad" was issued as the b-side of "Bye Bye Johnny".^[2]

The Beatles first recorded the song on 1 June 1963, at the BBC Paris Studio, London. The group recorded two versions of the song as "I Got to Find My Baby" (and credited to Berry). The song was first broadcast on 11 June of that year and then was introduced to the album Live at the BBC.^[3]

The Beatles had already performed several songs written by Chuck Berry. John Lennon sang lead vocal and played harmonica, as he did on most of their covers of Berry's songs.

They returned to performance the song on the Saturday Club programme on 24 June 1963. It was taped at the Playhouse Theatre in London, and was first broadcast five days later.

The song was also recorded by bluesman and harmonica player Little Walter, for Chess, which was also Chuck Berry's recording company.

Personnel

• John Lennon - vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar
• Paul McCartney - bass
• George Harrison - lead guitar
• Ringo Starr - drums

Notes