Baby I Love You (Aretha Franklin song)

"Baby I Love You"
Single by Aretha Franklin
from the album Aretha Arrives
B-side"Goin' Down Slow"
ReleasedJuly 1, 1967
Genre
Length2:44
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Ronnie Shannon
Producer(s)Jerry Wexler
Aretha Franklin singles chronology
"Respect"
(1967) 		"Baby I Love You"
(1967) 		"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
(1967)

"Baby I Love You" is a popular song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin.[3] The only single release from her Aretha Arrives album in 1967, the song was a huge hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spending two weeks at number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. In the UK, the song rose to number 39 in August 1967, spending four weeks on the chart.[4] It was featured in Martin Scorsese's 1990 film Goodfellas.[5] A live performance appears on the album Aretha in Paris (1968).

Georgian songwriter Ronnie Shannon, newly arrived in Detroit, met Franklin's husband and manager Ted White by chance at a barbershop.[6] White requested Shannon write some songs specifically for Franklin. Shannon delivered "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" and "Baby I Love You"—two tremendous successes.[7]

Billboard described the single as a "driving rocker" that is "brought to life in this electric performance by Miss Franklin."[1]

Chart positions

Charts Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 4
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 1

Covers

"Baby I Love You" has been covered by others, including Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.

References

  1. ^ a b "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. July 15, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  2. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 313. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  3. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 52 – The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 8] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries. Track 2.
  4. ^ "Baby i love you | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 215.
  6. ^ "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You : The Birth of Aretha Franklin's Career". 19 August 2018.
  7. ^ "Ronnie Shannon Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.