Don't Make My Baby Blue

Last updated
"Don't Make My Baby Blue"
Frankie Laine Don't Make My Baby Blue.jpg
Single by Frankie Laine
B-side "The Moment of Truth"
ReleasedMarch 29, 1963 (1963-03-29)
Recorded4 March 1963
Studio CBS Columbia Square, Sunset Boulevard, California
Genre Pop
Length2:09
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Terry Melcher
Frankie Laine singles chronology
"A Wedded Man"
(1962)
"Don't Make My Baby Blue"
(1963)
"I'm Gonna Be Strong"
(1963)

"Don't Make My Baby Blue" is a song by Frankie Laine, released as a single in March 1963. It peaked at number 51 on Billboard Hot 100. [1] It was later covered by the Shadows, who had a hit with it in the UK. Laine also recorded the song in Spanish, Italian and German.

Contents

Release and reception

"Don't Make My Baby Blue" was recorded by Laine at the beginning of March 1963 at CBS Columbia Square Studios in Sunset Boulevard. It was produced by Terry Melcher and features an orchestra arranged and conducted by Jack Nitzsche. It was released as a single at the end of March with the B-side "The Moment of Truth", a song written by Laine, Nell Western and Fred Katz that appeared on his 1963 album Wanderlust. [2]

Reviewed in Billboard , it was described as Laine's "best record in a long, long time" with "a multi-tracked contemporary sound that's bound to rocket the vet singer to hitland". [3] In Cash Box , it was described as being Laine's "strongest bid for teen-market acceptance" and has "over-dubbed against a first-rate Nashville-styled ork-chorus backdrop". [4]

Track listing

7": Columbia / 4-42767

  1. "Don't Make My Baby Blue" – 2:09
  2. "The Moment of Truth" – 2:40

Charts

Chart (1963)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 76
US Billboard Hot 100 [1] 51
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [6] 17

The Shadows version

"Don't Make My Baby Blue"
The Shadows Don't Make My Baby Blue.jpg
Cover of the single released in Germany
Single by The Shadows
B-side "My Grandfather's Clock"
Released30 July 1965 (1965-07-30) [7]
Recorded1965 [8]
Studio
Genre Pop
Length2:13
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Norrie Paramor
The Shadows singles chronology
"Stingray"
(1965)
"Don't Make My Baby Blue"
(1965)
"The War Lord"
(1965)

In July 1965, British group the Shadows released a cover of the song as a single. It peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming their last top-ten hit until "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" in 1978. [9]

Release and reception

The basic track was recorded in May 1965 at the Estúdios Valentim de Carvalho in Lisbon; however, the vocal overdubs were recorded at EMI Studios in London, though the precise date is unknown. [8] It was released with the B-side "My Grandfather's Clock", a standard written in the late 1800s. [10]

Reviewed in Record Mirror , it was described as having "a solid, heavy sound", "with some atmospheric old rock style guitar work backing things up. Ultra-commercial, usual pop format, but well produced and presented. A lot better than most vocal group discs". [7] For New Musical Express , Derek Johnson described the song as "a melodic rockaballad, with a hummable, easy-to-remember tune, it has a thumping beat, some resonant Marvin guitar work, and added piano. Extremely good of its kind, and quite unlike anything the Shads have done before". [11]

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 7650

  1. "Don't Make My Baby Blue" – 2:13
  2. "My Grandfather's Clock" – 2:41

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1965–66)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [5] 39
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [12] 34
New Zealand ( Listener ) [13] 12
UK Singles (OCC) [9] 10

Other versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Four Seasons (band)</span> American rock band

The Four Seasons is an American vocal quartet formed in 1960 in Newark, New Jersey. Since 1970, they have also been known at times as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The band evolved out of a previous band called The Four Lovers, with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Nick Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals. On nearly all of their 1960s hits, they were credited as The 4 Seasons. The band had two distinct lineups that achieved widespread success: the original featuring Valli, Gaudio, DeVito, and Massi that recorded hits throughout the 1960s, and a 1970s quintet consisting of Valli, Lee Shapiro, Gerry Polci, Don Ciccone and John Paiva, with Gaudio and Long providing studio support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Conniff</span> American bandleader (1916–2002)

Joseph Raymond Conniff was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back in My Arms Again</span> 1965 single by The Supremes

"Back in My Arms Again" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Girl (The Temptations song)</span> 1964 single by the Temptations

"My Girl" is a soul music song recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) record label. Written and produced by the Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, it became the Temptations' first U.S. number 1 single, and is currently their signature song. Robinson's inspiration for writing "My Girl" was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was included on the Temptations 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey. In 2017, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Be Doggone</span> 1965 single by Marvin Gaye

"I'll Be Doggone" is a 1965 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye and released on the Tamla label. The song talks about how a man tells his woman that he'll be "doggone" about simple things but if she did him wrong that he'd be "long gone". The song was written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore and Marv Tarplin, initially for The Temptations, who rejected the song.

"Answer Me" is a popular song, originally titled "Mütterlein", with German lyrics by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. "Mütterlein" was published on 19 April 1952. English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman, and the song was published as "Answer Me" in New York on 13 October 1953. Contemporary recordings of the English lyric by Frankie Laine and David Whitfield both topped the UK Singles Chart in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denny Laine</span> British rock musician (1944–2023)

Brian Frederick Hines, known professionally as Denny Laine, was an English musician who co-founded two major rock bands: the Moody Blues and Wings. Laine played guitar in the Moody Blues from 1964 to 1966, and he sang their hit cover version of “Go Now”. While the Moody Blues were on tour with the Beatles in 1965, Laine befriended Paul McCartney, who later asked him to join his band Wings.

"Pretend" is a popular song, written in 1952 by Dan Belloc, Lew Douglas, Cliff Parman and Frank Levere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jezebel (Frankie Laine song)</span> 1951 single by Frankie Laine

"Jezebel" is a 1951 popular song written by American songwriter Wayne Shanklin. It was recorded by Frankie Laine with the Norman Luboff Choir and Mitch Miller and his orchestra on April 4, 1951 and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 39367. The record reached number 2 on the Billboard chart and was a million seller. The B-side, "Rose, Rose, I Love You", was a hit too and reached number 3.

"Come Softly to Me" is a popular song recorded by The Fleetwoods, composed of Gretchen Christopher, Barbara Ellis, and Gary Troxel, who also wrote it. The original title was "Come Softly", but was changed en route to its becoming a hit. Bob Reisdorf, the owner of Dolphin Records, which in 1960 changed to Dolton Records, was responsible for the title change. He thought that "Come Softly" might be too obvious and considered risqué, so he had it changed to "Come Softly to Me." The title phrase never appears in the song's lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria (Them song)</span> 1964 rock song

"Gloria" is a rock song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, and originally recorded by Morrison's band Them in 1964. It was released as the B-side of "Baby, Please Don't Go". The song became a garage rock staple and a part of many rock bands' repertoires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Take My Eyes Off You</span> 1967 song recorded by Frankie Valli

"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, and first recorded and released as a single by Gaudio's Four Seasons bandmate Frankie Valli. The song was among his biggest hits, earning a gold record and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week, making it Valli's biggest solo hit until he hit No. 1 in 1975 with "My Eyes Adored You".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)</span> 1928 popular song

"I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)" is a popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Roy Turk that was published in 1928. Versions by Nick Lucas, Aileen Stanley and, most successfully, Ruth Etting, all charted in America in 1929.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartbeat (Buddy Holly song)</span> Song by Buddy Holly

"Heartbeat" is a rockabilly song originally recorded by Bob Montgomery and credited to Norman Petty. It was recorded most famously by Buddy Holly in 1958. The B-side of the single was "Well... All Right". "Heartbeat" reached the UK top 10 twice: once in 1975 for Showaddywaddy at number seven and again in 1992 for Nick Berry, recorded as the theme to the television series Heartbeat, which reached number two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Now</span> 1964 single by Bessie Banks

"Go Now" is a song composed by Larry Banks and Milton Bennett and first recorded by Bessie Banks, released as a single in January 1964. The best-known version was recorded by the Moody Blues and released the same year.

<i>Elvis Gold Records Volume 4</i> 1968 greatest hits album by Elvis Presley

Elvis' Gold Records Volume 4 is a greatest hits album by American rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, issued by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 3921, in January 1968, with recording sessions taking place over an eight-year span at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, and at RCA Studios and Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It is a compilation of hit singles released between 1961 and 1967, peaking at number 33 on the Billboard 200. It was certified Gold on March 27, 1992, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"That's My Desire" is a 1931 popular song with music by Helmy Kresa and lyrics by Carroll Loveday.

The following is a discography of singles and albums recorded by American singer Frankie Laine.

<i>Blue Kentucky Girl</i> (Loretta Lynn album) 1965 studio album by Loretta Lynn

Blue Kentucky Girl is the fourth studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on June 14, 1965, by Decca Records.

This is the discography for American rock duo Jan and Dean.

References

  1. 1 2 "Frankie Laine Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  2. "Frankie Laine – Don't Make My Baby Blue / The Moment Of Truth (1963, Bridgeport Pressing, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1963. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  3. "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . 13 April 1963. p. 34. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  4. "Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box . 13 April 1963. p. 10. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN   0-646-44439-5.
  6. "Frankie Laine Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  7. 1 2 "Record Mirror" (PDF). Record Mirror . 24 July 1965. p. 5, 9. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 Koers, Ivo. "Instrumentation On Shadows Recordings II: The Primary Singles" (PDF). malcolmcampbell.me.uk. p. 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Shadows: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  10. "The Shadows - Don't Make My Baby Blue". 45cat. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  11. "Singles" (PDF). New Musical Express . 23 July 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  12. van Slooten, Johan (2005). Top 40 Hitdossier 1965-2005 (inclusief alle 'prehistorische' hits van 1956 to 1965)" (in Dutch) (9th ed.). Haarlem: J.H. Gottmer / H.J.W. Becht BV. ISBN   90-230-1144-9.
  13. "flavour of new zealand – search listener". flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2021-09-02. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  14. "Lonnie Mack - Don't Make My Baby Blue". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  15. "Teddy Robin & The Playboys – Memories (1968, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1968. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  16. "The Move – Shazam (1970, Vinyl)". Discogs. March 1970. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  17. "Keld Heick – Time Machine (2010, CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-12-01.