Rock Me Baby (album)

Last updated
Rock Me Baby
Rockmebaby.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1972
Studio Western Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre Rock, R&B, blue-eyed soul
Length37:09
Label Bell, re-released on Arista
Producer Wes Farrell
David Cassidy chronology
Cherish
(1972)
Rock Me Baby
(1972)
Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Rock Me Baby is the second solo album release from David Cassidy. It was produced by Wes Farrell for Bell Records, and released in 1972. The album introduced some rock, soul and R&B flavors in a calculated move by Cassidy to expand beyond his teen idol image. [2] AllMusic's Al Campbell wrote that the blue-eyed soul album was officially produced by Farrell, but the song selections and styles showed that Cassidy was also making decisions. [1]

Contents

Cassidy's cover of the Young Rascals song "How Can I Be Sure" was included in the album, having peaked at number 3 on the US Adult Contemporary chart in June 1972 and #25 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [3] It enjoyed greater success in the UK, holding number 1 status for two weeks in September. [4]

The album's title track gained US airplay in early September 1972, rising to number 38 in mid-October. [5] It was the album's high-energy opening track, a dip into brash glam rock. [1] Following on "Rock Me Baby"'s heels, the album climbed to number 41 in the US through November–December, [6] and then it entered the UK album charts very strongly at number 2 in late February 1973, starting a 17-week run for a total of 20 weeks on the chart. [7]

The album contains one song written by Cassidy called "Two Time Loser", and a song he co-wrote with Kim Carnes titled "Song for a Rainy Day". The song "Rock Me Baby" was recorded around the same time by UK group Brotherhood of Man, but they shelved their release when Cassidy had a hit with it. [8]

The album was reissued on Compact Disc by Arista Records in 2003.

Track listing

  1. "Rock Me Baby" (Johnny Cymbal, Peggy Clinger) 3:31
  2. "Lonely Too Long" (Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere) 3:24
  3. "Two Time Loser" (Cassidy) 3:18
  4. "Warm My Soul" (Joerey Ortiz) 3:00
  5. "Some Kind of a Summer" (Dave Ellingson) 3:42
  6. "(Oh No) No Way" (Peggy Clinger, Johnny Cymbal, Wes Farrell) 2:38
  7. "Song for a Rainy Day" (Kim Carnes, Cassidy) 4:05
  8. "Soft As a Summer Shower" (Adam Miller) 3:24
  9. "Go Now" (Larry Banks, Milton Bennett) 3:08
  10. "How Can I Be Sure" (Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere) 3:10
  11. "Song of Love" (Adam Miller) 3:34

Production

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1973)Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [9] 11

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rascals</span> American rock/blue-eyed soul band

The Rascals were an American rock band, formed in Garfield, New Jersey, United States, in 1965.

<i>The Partridge Family Album</i> 1970 studio album by The Partridge Family

The Partridge Family Album is the first of eight studio albums by The Partridge Family. The LP was released in October 1970, a month after the debut of the ABC-TV musical sitcom The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy, both of whom feature on the album, as do studio backing vocalists and session musicians. The success of the album – which in early January 1971 reached no. 4 on Billboard's Top LP's chart – was bolstered not only by the hit TV show but by the album's one single release, the massive hit "I Think I Love You", which for three weeks in November and December 1970 topped Billboard's Hot 100 and which NARM declared best-selling single of 1970.

<i>Up to Date</i> 1971 studio album by The Partridge Family

Up to Date is the second studio album by The Partridge Family. Released in February 1971, just four months after the group's debut LP, the album entered Billboard's Top LP's chart in early April, having been certified gold on 25 March 1971. In its fourth week on the Top 200, the album improved on its predecessor, reaching no. 3.

<i>Sound Magazine</i> 1971 studio album by The Partridge Family

The Partridge Family Sound Magazine is the third studio album by TV-linked pop project The Partridge Family. Released in August 1971 before the start of the second season of the US TV series, it was their third hit album in ten months. In late September 1971, in its fifth week on Billboard's Top LP's chart, the album reached its no. 9 chart peak. In that same week the album's one hit single release, "I Woke Up In Love This Morning", peaked at no. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100. The LP was certified gold that same month. Sound Magazine is nearly universally regarded – by both fans and critics – as the Partridge Family's consummate pop album.

<i>Shopping Bag</i> 1972 studio album by The Partridge Family

Shopping Bag is the fifth studio album by TV-linked pop project The Partridge Family. Released in March 1972, just as the second season of the TV series was finishing in North America, the album entered Billboard's Top LP's chart in late March, peaking at no. 18 in late April. The album remained in the Top 200 for 17 weeks and was certified gold. The vinyl release of the album contained a novelty plastic shopping bag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Carnes</span> American singer and songwriter

Kim Carnes is an American singer and songwriter born and raised in Los Angeles. She began her career as a songwriter in the 1960s, writing for other artists while performing in local clubs and working as a session background singer with the famed Water Sisters. After she signed her first publishing deal with Jimmy Bowen, she released her debut album Rest on Me in 1971. Carnes' self-titled second album primarily contained self-penned songs, including her first charting single "You're a Part of Me", which reached No. 35 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1975. In the following year, Carnes released Sailin', which featured "Love Comes from Unexpected Places". The song won the American Song Festival and the award for Best Composition at the Tokyo Song Festival in 1976.

<i>Cherish</i> (David Cassidy album) 1972 studio album by David Cassidy

Cherish is the debut solo album by American singer David Cassidy, produced by Wes Farrell and released by Bell Records in early 1972.

<i>Cassidy Live!</i> 1974 live album by David Cassidy

Cassidy Live! was David Cassidy's fourth solo album and final album released on Bell Records. It was released in 1974 and was recorded live in Britain. It was produced by Cassidy and Barry Ainsworth on Bell Records. The recording captures some of the mass hysteria that surrounded Cassidy's live performances at that time. The album peaked at #9 on the UK album charts.

<i>Romance Dance</i> 1980 studio album by Kim Carnes

Romance Dance is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes. It was released on June 2, 1980, by EMI America. It became Carnes' first charting album, peaking at no. 57 on the Billboard 200. Nine tracks were produced by George Tobin in association with Mike Piccirillo, and one track was produced by Daniel Moore, who worked with Carnes on her previous album, St. Vincent's Court.

<i>Freedom Suite</i> (The Rascals album) 1969 studio album by The Rascals

Freedom Suite is the fifth studio album by rock band The Rascals, released on March 17, 1969. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and also reached number 40 on the Billboard Black Albums chart, the last Rascals album to appear there.

<i>Peaceful World</i> (album) 1971 studio album by The Rascals

Peaceful World is the eighth studio album by rock band The Rascals, released on May 5, 1971. It peaked at number 122 on the Billboard 200 chart. In Canada, the album reached number 50. The single "Love Me" reached number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Can I Be Sure</span>

"How Can I Be Sure" is a popular song written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, and originally recorded by the Young Rascals for their 1967 album Groovin' with a single release in August 1967 affording the group their fourth Top 10 hit peaking at #4.

<i>Kim Carnes</i> (album) 1975 studio album by Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes is the second studio album by Kim Carnes, released in 1975.

<i>Superman</i> (Barbra Streisand album) 1977 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Superman (1977) is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. The lead single "My Heart Belongs to Me" became a hit in 1977, peaking at #4 on the US pop chart. The title track was released as a follow-up but did not chart as highly as its predecessor. The album peaked at number 3 on the Top 200 LP Billboard album chart and on the UK Albums Chart at number 32. It has sold 2 million copies in United States and was certified 2× Platinum. Streisand co-wrote two songs on the album - "Don't Believe What You Read" and "Answer Me". The latter is also featured on her 2023 compilation album Evergreens: Celebrating Six Decades.

<i>Once Upon a Dream</i> (The Rascals album) 1968 studio album by the Rascals

Once Upon a Dream is the fourth studio album by the rock band the Rascals, released February 19, 1968. The album rose to number 9 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 7 on the R&B chart.

<i>Born Late</i> 1977 studio album by Shaun Cassidy

Born Late is the second studio album by American singer Shaun Cassidy. The album was released in 1977 following the success of Cassidy's self-titled debut album.

<i>Lulu</i> (1973 album) 1973 album by Lulu on Chelsea Records

Lulu is a 1973 album by Scottish singer Lulu. It was her first album on Chelsea Records. Produced by American songwriter Wes Farrell, the lead single was "Make Believe World". It also included covers of "Groovin'", "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and David Cassidy's "Could it Be Forever". The album failed to chart, although Lulu came back to prominence a few months later with the release of the hit single "The Man Who Sold the World". The single reached No.3 in the UK and became one of the singer's biggest hits, but was not included on this album. Although the album met with little chart success, reviews were good, with Allmusic retrospectively calling it "top class".

<i>Andy</i> (1976 album) 1976 studio album by Andy Williams

Andy is the thirty-sixth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in the fall of 1976 by Columbia Records. Williams is not as focused on covering pop hits and standards on this album and instead relies mainly on original or lesser-known songs. In the liner notes for the album's 2002 CD release, writer Richard M. Erickson explains that the album "was recorded at six different studios to accommodate Andy's touring schedule. One recording session was at a portable studio set up at a Marriott hotel."

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (David Cassidy album) 1974 compilation album by David Cassidy

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by David Cassidy, initially released in 1974 by Bell Records.

"I've Been Lonely Too Long" is a song written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and performed by the Young Rascals. Released as a single in 1967, it reached #7 in Canada, while in the U.S. it reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, #17 on the Cashbox Top 100 chart, and #33 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. It was also featured on their 1967 album Collections, where the title is given as "Lonely Too Long".

References

  1. 1 2 3 allmusic review
  2. Dafydd Rees; Luke Crampton, eds. (1999). Rock Stars Encyclopedia. DK Pub. p. 181. ISBN   9780789446138.
  3. "David Cassidy". Billboard .
  4. "How can i be sure | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com .
  5. "David Cassidy". Billboard .
  6. "David Cassidy". Billboard .
  7. "rock me baby | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts .
  8. Brotherhood of Man Dutch website. "Biography - Release of "Rock Me Baby" pulled". Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  9. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1973. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.