Ruby Baby

"Ruby Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by the Drifters. Their version was released on a single by Atlantic Records as catalog number 45 1089 in 1956.^[1]

Columbia Records released a remake by Dion on a single recorded in 1962, as catalogue number 4 42662.^[2] It reached No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 (behind "Hey Paula" by Paul & Paula), giving him a major worldwide success.

Covers

The song has been recorded by several artists, including:

• The Beach Boys. Their version was released on the band's 1993 box set Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys as an outtake from the 1965 Beach Boys' Party! album. There was also a version recorded for their 1976 "comeback" album, 15 Big Ones which can be found on various bootlegs of that era.
• Korean singer BoA uses elements of this song in her single, "Rock with You".
• Canadian band Wednesday scored a hit in Canada with a rock version in 1976.
• BWB performed an instrumental cover of the song on their album Groovin' .
• Billy "Crash" Craddock who had a number one country hit.^[3] This version was included the album Rub It In in 1974. It was also released on his 2009 live album Live -N- Kickin'.
• Bobby Darin. Released on the LP 15 Yellow Roses & 11 Other Hits by Capitol Records as catalog number ST 1942 in 1963.^[4]
• Donald Fagen, of Steely Dan, also recorded a version on his 1982 solo album, The Nightfly.
• Björk Guðmundsdóttir & Tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar
• Ronnie Hawkins. Recorded on April 13, 1959. It was released on the LP Ronnie Hawkins by Roulette Records as catalog number SR 25078 in August 1959.^[5]
• A young Miguel Ríos recorded a version on his fifth EP (1963).
• Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser covered a version of the song called "Rudy" available only on his Archive set of CDs.
• Del Shannon. Released on the LP Handy Man by Amy Records as catalog numbers 8003-M (mono) and 8003-S (stereo) in 1964.^[6]
• Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers.
• Bobby Rydell - The top hits of 1963 sung by Bobby Rydell.
• Mitch Ryder - Sings the Hits (1968)
• John Woolley and Just Born - Recorded August 1969, 13 weeks in Belgium hit parade in 1970

Advertising

Apple Inc. used the Dion cover of the song during its ad campaign for the new "Ruby" color of its July 19, 2000, revision of the iMac G3.

In popular culture

• The song was included in the musical revue Smokey Joe's Cafe. Instrumental parts of the Donald Fagen version from The Nightfly were used as background music during the party scene in the Sandra Bullock romantic comedy movie Love Potion No. 9.

References