Hey! Baby

"Hey! Baby"
Single by Bruce Channel
from the album Hey! Baby
B-side	"Dream Girl"
Released	December 1961
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	2:27
Label	LeCam / Smash
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Bruce Channel Major Bill Smith
Bruce Channel singles chronology
"Now or Never" (1960) "Hey! Baby" (1961) "Run Romance Run" (1962)
"Now or Never" (1960) "Hey! Baby" (1961) "Run Romance Run" (1962)

"Hey! Baby" is a song written by Margaret Cobb and Bruce Channel, and recorded by Channel in 1961, first released on LeCam Records, a local Fort Worth, Texas label. After it hit, it was released on Smash Records for national distribution. He co-produced the song with Major Bill Smith (owner of LeCam) and released it on Mercury Records' Smash label. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, starting the week ending March 10, 1962.

The song features a prominent riff from well-known harmonica player Delbert McClinton, and drums played by Ray Torres. Other musicians on the record included Bob Jones and Billy Sanders on Guitar and Jim Rogers on bass. According to a CNN article^[2] from 2002, while touring the UK in 1962 with The Beatles, McClinton met John Lennon and gave him some harmonica tips. Lennon put the lessons to use right away on "Love Me Do" and later "Please Please Me". Lennon included the song in his jukebox, and it is also featured on the related compilation album.

The song was used in the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing in the scene where Johnny and Baby dance on top of a tree's log.

Chart performance

Anne Murray version

"Hey! Baby!"
Single by Anne Murray
from the album The Hottest Night of the Year
B-side	"Song for the Mira"
Released	May 1982
Genre	Country
Length	2:47
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb, Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Jim Ed Norman
Anne Murray singles chronology
"Another Sleepless Night" (1982) "Hey! Baby!" (1982) "Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye" (1982)
"Another Sleepless Night" (1982) "Hey! Baby" (1982) "Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye" (1982)

Canadian country pop singer Anne Murray covered the song in 1982, reaching number 7 on the US Country Singles chart and number 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Murray also reached number-one on the RPM country and adult contemporary charts in Canada.

Peak positions

DJ Ötzi version

"Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)"
Single by DJ Ötzi
from the album Love, Peace & Vollgas
Released	31 July 2000
Format	CD single
Genre	Eurodance
Length	3:37
Label	Hit Galaxy, EMI Electrola
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb, Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Christian Seitz, Claus Marcus, Klaus Biedermann, Mark Duran
DJ Ötzi singles chronology
"Gemma Bier trinken" (2000) "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)" (2000) "Doh Wah Diddy" (2001)
"Gemma Bier trinken" (2000) "Hey! Baby" (2000) "Doh Wah Diddy" (2001)

Austrian artist DJ Ötzi recorded a cover version titled "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)". It was released in July 2000 as the lead single from his debut solo album, Love, Peace & Vollgas. In 2002, it was re-released when it became the unofficial theme song for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.^[6] It reached number-one in the United Kingdom,^[7] Ireland, Australia, and Japan. Darts player Tony O'Shea uses the song as his walk-on song.^[8]

Music video

The official music video features large groups of people singing along to the song in a taxi at different times, interspersed with DJ Ötzi singing on a TV screen.

Track listings

CD Maxi-single (Europe, 2000)

1. "Hey Baby" (Uhh, Ahh) (Radio Mix) - 3:36
2. "Hey Baby" (Uhh, Ahh) (Club Mix) - 4:15
3. "Uh! Ah!" - 3:38

Charts and certifications

Other versions

• Alabama covered the song on their 1997 album Dancin' on the Boulevard w/guest vocals by Bruce Channel
• Arthur Alexander covered the song on his 1962 album You Better Move On.
• Johnny Hallyday covered the song arranged in French on his 1962 10" record Madison Twist.
• Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the song in 1967 for his album Soul My Way.
• NRBQ covered the song on their 1969 self-titled debut album for Columbia Records.
• Paul and Paula covered the song on their 1964 album Paul and Paula Sing For Young Lovers.
• Don Partridge covered the song on his 1973 album Don Partridge and Friends.^[17]
• Ringo Starr released the song as a single, backed with "Lady Gaye", from his Ringo's Rotogravure album, on 22 November 1976 in the US^{[nb 1][18]} (reaching number 74 US Pop), and on 26 November in the UK.^{[nb 2][19]} He had also sampled it in his previous chart hit, "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" (reaching number 26 US Pop).
• Juice Newton covered the song on her 1978 album Well Kept Secret.
• Bobby G. Rice released a cover version in 1970, which reached number 35 on the country music charts.^[20]
• Conway Twitty covered the song on his 1970 album Fifteen Years Ago.
• Cooldown Café, a Dutch band, covered it in 2000; it was top-5 hit in the Netherlands.
• Crazy Frog covered the song on his hit follow up 2006 album More Crazy Hits.
• Fans of WWE wrestler Bayley sing the first two lines of the DJ Otzi version song when she is in the ring. This was first done by the crowd at NXT TakeOver: London.

References

Footnotes

Citations

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics