My Baby Just Cares for Me

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"My Baby Just Cares for Me" is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. Donaldson wrote music for Broadway shows and Hollywood movies. His first success on Broadway was a song he wrote for Al Jolson in the show Sinbad in 1918, My Mammy. He continued to write for Broadway revues for more than twenty-five years. A notable 1928 production, Whoopee, starring Eddie Cantor and Ruth Etting, was released as a filmed version in 1930. It was the first colour feature-length motion picture and marked choreographer Busby Berkeley's film debut. Whoopee produced three Donaldson hit songs, Makin' Whoopee, Love Me or Leave Me and My Baby Just Cares for Me.

[edit] Notable recordings

The song is best known as the signature tune of singer and pianist Nina Simone (1933-2003). It featured on her debut album Little Girl Blue (1958) and was unnoticed for many years. Then in the mid-1980s, the song gets used in a Chanel no.5 advertisement. It was released as a single, and became one of Simone's biggest hits, causing her comeback. The recordings by Nat "King" Cole and Mel Torme are also highly regarded. More recently, George Michael also arranged and recorded this song for his album Songs from the Last Century.

[edit] Trivia

In 1987 there was also a clay-mation music video made by Aardman Animations for Nina Simone's version of the song. The characters were all animals, and Simone was portrayed as a sensual cat. It was directed by Peter Lord.

[edit] Credits

• Based on a song written by: Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn
• Sung by: Nina Simone
• Original Bethlehem Recording Courtesy: Charly Records
• Sets: Michael Wright
• Editing: William Ennals
• Lighting Camera: David Sproxton
• Thanks to Pete Brandt, Martin Grivelle, Cullen Henshaw, David McCormick, Andy MacCormack, Dave Alex Riddett, Rod Howick, Steve Robshaw, Mark Taylor
• Directed by: Peter Lord