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JEFF PHILLIPS
Baby It's You (Burt Bacharach - Barney Williams - Mack David) Australia 1968 #21 Melbourne #11 Brisbane #34 Perth The first and most successful of eighteen singles released 1968-1981 by Jeff Phillips, a singer and TV personality from Western Australia who compered a number of TV shows in the 60s and 70s (Club 17, Sounds Like Us, Happening '71). He released some singles on Philips and United Artists in the UK from 1973, and went to Los Angeles for a time before returning to Australia in the 80s and appearing in the musical Cats. In the early 90s he compered Star Search on the 10 Network. References: Terry Stacey's research; Ian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop. Further reading: Wikipedia article on Jeff Phillips. 
THE BEATLES
Baby It's You (Burt Bacharach - Barney Williams - Mack David) UK 1963 Influential version On The Beatles' first album Please Please Me (UK, 1963) and on Introducing The Beatles (USA, 1963) In 1995, a live radio version of Baby It's You, recorded in 1963, charted as a track from the 1994 CD Live At The BBC (#7 UK #26 Melbourne #28 Brisbane #13 Adelaide #26 Perth). Reference: Baby It's You page and discographies at Dimitry Murashev's excellent DM's Beatles Site.
THE SHIRELLES
Baby It's You (Burt Bacharach - Barney Williams - Mack David) USA 1961 Original version #8 USA #36 Melbourne Single on Scepter, arranged by composer Burt Bacharach, produced by Luther Dixon. The lyricists were Mack David - brother of longtime Bacharach collaborator Hal David - and Barney Williams, a promo man at the record company. One of the earliest and most representative examples of what would become known as the Girl Group sound of the pre-Beatles 60s, The Shirelles had a string of hits 1960-1963, including Goffin & King's Will You Love Me Tomorrow (#1 USA 1960), the Five Royales revival Dedicated To The One I Love (#3 USA 1961) and Soldier Boy (#2 USA, 1962). Essential reading: The detailed commentary on Baby It's You by Mick Patrick and Malcolm Baumgart, reprinted at Spectropop, from their notes to the CD reissue of The Sound Of Bacharach (1965) Further reading: For the full extent of the Bacharach oeuvre see, for example, the list of hit recordings and discography at BacharachOnline.com. See also: Noeleen Batley - Forgive Me (1963) at this site.
SMITH
Baby It's You (Burt Bacharach - Barney Williams - Mack David) USA 1969 #5 USA #39 Sydney As Richie Unterberger puts it, this was a drastically revised version by a mainstream pop/rock band with hard rock and soul-influenced arrangements. (All Music Guide)
PROMISES
Baby It's You (Leslie Knauer - Benny Knauer) USA 1979 Red herring #2 Sydney #2 Melbourne #2 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #2 Perth #1 NZ Same title but not the same song as 'Baby It's You' by Jeff Phillips. Single by siblings Leslie, Jed & Benny Knauer, popular mainly in Europe and Australia. Reference: Wikipedia article on Promises.
JOJO FEAT. BOW WOW
Baby It's You (Dawkins - Dixon - Mason - Thomas - Underdogs) USA 2004 Red herring #22 USA #8 Perth Same title but not the same song as 'Baby It's You' by Jeff Phillips. 'Kid rapper' Bow Wow joins young R&B singer JoJo (b. 1990), a graduate of America's Most Talented Kids. Single from JoJo's self-titled debut album.
DAVY JONES
Baby It's Me (Mark Anthony) USA 1965 Red herring #27 Melbourne #30 Brisbane Not to be confused with 'Baby It's You'... although at least one standard reference does just that. Track on pre-Monkees self-titled album on Colpix. Charted in 1967. Corrections or comments? Contact the writer. |