Ooo Baby Baby

"Ooo Baby Baby"
Single by The Miracles
from the album Going to a Go-Go
B-side	"All That's Good"
Released	March 5, 1965
Format	7" vinyl
Recorded	Hitsville U.S.A. (Studio A); 1965
Genre	Soul
Length	2:48
Label	Tamla / T 54113
Writer(s)	Smokey Robinson Pete Moore
Producer	Smokey Robinson
The Miracles singles chronology
"Come On Do The Jerk" 1964 "Ooo Baby Baby" 1965 "The Tracks of My Tears" 1965

"Ooh Baby Baby"
Single by Linda Ronstadt
from the album Living in the USA
B-side	"Blowing Away"
Released	December 1978
Format	7" vinyl
Genre	Rock, pop
Length	3:18
Label	Asylum
Writer(s)	Smokey Robinson Pete Moore
Producer	Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"Back in the U.S.A." (1978) "Ooh Baby Baby" (1978) "Just One Look" (1979)

"Ooo Baby Baby" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label, today considered the group's signature song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #262 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.^[1]

A slow, remorseful number, "Ooo Baby Baby" features Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson lamenting the fact that he cheated on his woman, and begging for her to overlook his mistakes and please forgive him. The song's highly emotional feel is supported by the Miracles' tight background harmonies, arranged by Miracles member and song co-author Pete Moore, and a lush orchestral arrangement that accents The Funk Brothers band's instrumental track.

On the 2006 Motown DVD The Miracles' Definitive Performances, Pete comments on the song's creation: " In the songs that Smokey and I wrote together,Smokey and Berry kinda left the background vocals to me. And this song "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)", which was one of The Imperials' bigger hits.... When I heard that song,as far as the background (harmonies) were concerned and how (they were structured),I wanted to get the same kind of feeling with Smokey's vocal.So I called Bobby, Ronnie, and Claudette over, and we did the backgrounds for it.I kinda had that particular song in mind...so I wanted to get the same kind of feeling with 'Ooo Baby Baby'."

Written by Robinson and fellow Miracle Pete Moore and produced by Robinson, "Ooo Baby Baby" was a #4 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[2] The song is one of the Miracles' most-covered tunes, having achieved its greatest commercial success when Linda Ronstadt included it in her double-platinum album Living in the USA, with the single reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.^[3]

Personnel

The Miracles

• William "Smokey" Robinson – writer, producer, lead vocals
• Pete Moore – writer, vocal arrangements, background vocals
• Claudette Rogers Robinson – background vocals
• Ronnie White – background vocals
• Bobby Rogers – background vocals
• Marv Tarplin – guitar

Other

• Detroit Symphony Orchestra – strings
• The Funk Brothers – other instruments, featuring Jack Ashford on vibraphone

Cover versions

• The Five Stairsteps (1967)
• Ella Fitzgerald (1969)
• Todd Rundgren on A Wizard, a True Star (1973)
• Shalamar on Uptown Festival (1977)
• Linda Ronstadt, titled "Ooh Baby Baby", on Living in the USA (1978), also released as a single (1979)
• Sylvester on Too Hot to Sleep (1981)
• Zapp, titled "Ooh Baby Baby", on Zapp Vibe (1989), also released as a single
• Laura Nyro (recorded 1994/95) released on Angel in the Dark in 2001
• LaToya London (2004) on American Idol during Motown Week
• Musiq on Luvanmusiq (2007, bonus track)
• Anoop Desai (2009) on American Idol during Motown Week
• Marianne Faithfull featuring Antony Hegarty (2009) released on Easy Come, Easy Go

References

1. ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/500songs/page/3. Retrieved February 16, 2010 (2010-02-16). 
2. ^ "The Miracles > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p24593/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved February 16, 2010 (2010-02-16). 
3. ^ "Linda Ronstadt > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5302/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved February 16, 2010 (2010-02-16).