Have You Seen My Baby?

"Have You Seen My Baby?"
Single by Randy Newman
from the album 12 Songs
Released	May 1970 [1]
Genre	Rock and roll [2] R&B [2]
Length	2:32
Label	Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Randy Newman
Producer(s)	Lenny Waronker

"Have You Seen My Baby?" is a song written by American pianist and singer-songwriter Randy Newman and recorded by American pianist Fats Domino as the B-side to Domino's "Make Me Belong to You", later recorded by its original songwriter Newman for his 1970 album 12 Songs . In 1973, Ringo Starr covered it for his album Ringo . ^{[nb 1]}

Background

"Have You Seen My Baby?" was originally released by American pianist Fats Domino, but was covered by Randy Newman as a tribute to Domino. ^{[4] [5]}

Reception

AllMusic critic Matthew Greenwald stated for a review of Newman's version of the song that "Drawing on his love of Fats Domino and other New Orleans-based rhythm & blues music, Newman's song sounds like an outtake from a mid-'50s Domino session." praising it for being a "simple torch rocker and shows Newman's versatility of different musical forms." ^[5]

Ringo Starr version

"Have You Seen My Baby"
Song by Ringo Starr
from the album Ringo
Released	November 2, 1973 (1973-11-02)
Genre	Rock
Length	3:44
Label	Apple
Songwriter(s)	Randy Newman
Producer(s)	Richard Perry

In 1973, English drummer and Beatles drummer Ringo Starr recorded a cover version for his album Ringo , ^[6] released as the second track on the album.

Recording

The recording of Starr's version commenced on March 5, 1973, when the backing track was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders. The last known date for recording sessions concluded on July 11. ^[7]

Personnel

Randy Newman version

According to the song's YouTube video: ^[8]

• Randy Newman – piano, vocals
• Al McKibbon – bass
• Clarence White – guitar
• Gene Parsons – drums
• Jim Gordon – drums
• Lyle Ritz – bass
• Milt Holland – percussion
• Ron Elliott – guitar
• Roy Harte – percussion
• Ry Cooder – slide guitar

Ringo Starr recording

According to Bruce Spizer: ^[9]

• Ringo Starr – vocals, drums
• Marc Bolan – guitar
• James Booker – piano
• Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Milt Holland – percussion
• Tom Scott – horns

References

Notes

1. Sometimes titled "Hold On". ^[3]

Citations

1. Strong 2004, pp. 1077–78.
2. Perone 2012, p. 57.
3. Harry 2004, p. 213.
4. Courrier 2005, p. 98.
5. Matthew, Greenwald, Have You Seen My Baby? by Randy Newman: Song Review on AllMusic , retrieved 2025-06-13
6. Ruhlmann, William. "Ringo – Ringo Starr". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
7. "Have You Seen My Baby". The Beatles Bible. 2025-05-24. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
8. Have You Seen My Baby?. 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2025-06-13– via YouTube.
9. Spizer 2005, p. 306.

Sources

• Courrier, Kevin (2005). Randy Newman: American Dreams. ECW Press. ISBN   1-55022-690-8.
• Harry, Bill (2004). The Ringo Starr Encyclopedia. London: Virgin Books. ISBN   978-0-7535-0843-5.
• Perone, James E. (October 31, 2012). The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   978-0313379062.
• Spizer, Bruce (2005). The Beatles Solo on Apple Records. New Orleans, LA: 498 Productions. ISBN   0-9662649-5-9.
• Strong, Martin C. (October 21, 2004). The Great Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track Recorded by More Than 1,200 Artists (7th ed.). Canongate U.S. ISBN   1841956155.