Baby Can I Hold You

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Charts

"Baby Can I Hold You"
Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You.jpg
Single by Tracy Chapman
from the album Tracy Chapman
B-side
  • "Across the Lines"
  • "If Not Now..."
  • "Mountains o' Things" (live)
ReleasedOctober 1, 1988
Studio Powertrax Studios (Hollywood, CA) [1]
Genre
Length3:14
Label Elektra, Asylum
Songwriter(s) Tracy Chapman
Producer(s) David Kershenbaum
Tracy Chapman singles chronology
"Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"
(1988)
"Baby Can I Hold You"
(1988)
"Crossroads"
(1989)

"Wedding Song"
(2000)

"Baby Can I Hold You"
(2001)

"You're the One"
(2002)

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [45] Platinum600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Ronan Keating version

"Baby Can I Hold You"
Ronanbaby.jpg
Single by Ronan Keating
from the album 10 Years of Hits
ReleasedJuly 6, 2005
Recorded2004
Genre Pop
Length3:14
Label Polydor Records
Songwriter(s) Tracy Chapman
Producer(s) Steve Mac
Ronan Keating singles chronology
"Father and Son"
(2004)
"Baby Can I Hold You"
(2005)
"All Over Again"
(2006)

In 2005, Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating released his own cover of "Baby Can I Hold You" as the third and final single from his greatest hits compilation, 10 Years of Hits . It became the second song that he originally recorded with Boyzone to be re-released for his own solo career. In the United Kingdom, the single was only released via digital download and thus it failed to chart. In Germany, the single received a full-scale release and peaked at number 42 on the German Singles Chart.

Track listings

Digital download

  1. "Baby Can I Hold You" – 3:14

German CD single [46]

  1. "Baby Can I Hold You" (German Radio Mix) – 3:10
  2. "Baby Can I Hold You" (Live & Acoustic) – 3:09
  3. "This Is Your Song" (Live At Wembley Arena) – 4:38
  4. "Life Is A Rollercoaster" (Live & Acoustic) – 3:47

Charts

Chart (2005)Peak
position
Germany (GfK) [47] 42

The song created buzz in popular media in 2018, when Nicki Minaj used an interpolation of "Baby Can I Hold You" in her song "Sorry" featuring Nas. Minaj had used the sample believing it was from the song "Sorry" by Shelly Thunder, unaware that song was actually a cover of "Baby Can I Hold You". [48] Minaj left the song off her fourth studio album due to clearance issues, but the song was leaked to Funkmaster Flex shortly after the album's release in August. [49] In October that year, Chapman sued Minaj for copyright infringement, claiming that Minaj leaked the song to Flex after Chapman denied her team's request for clearance of the song multiple times beginning in June. [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] In September 2020, District Court judge Virginia A. Phillips ruled in favor of Minaj stating that Minaj's experimentation with Chapman's song constitutes fair use rather than copyright infringement. [56] In January 2021, the dispute was settled when Minaj paid Chapman $450,000 to avoid a pending trial. [57]

Cover versions

Neil Diamond covered the song on his 1988 album, The Best Years of Our Lives .

In 1995, british popstar George Michael made a live cover of this song.

In 2021, singer-songwriter Drew Pizzulo released a holiday version of the song entitled "Baby Can I Hold You Tonight, Christmastime" which topped the Christmas Chart, peaked at #2 in Pop and #6 in the Cover Charts on Soundclick.com. [58]

References

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