Rock Your Baby

Last updated

"Rock Your Baby"
Rock Your Baby single art.jpg
Single by George McCrae
from the album Rock Your Baby
B-side "Rock Your Baby (Part 2)"
ReleasedMay 1974 [1] [2]
Recorded1973
Genre
Length
  • 3:14 (7" version)
  • 6:24 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Harry Wayne Casey
  • Richard Finch
George McCrae singles chronology
"Rock Your Baby"
(1974)		"I Can't Leave You Alone"
(1974)
Music video
"Rock Your Baby" (TopPop) on YouTube

"Rock Your Baby" is the debut single by American singer George McCrae. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" was one of the landmark recordings of early disco music. A massive international hit, the song reached number one on the Hot 100 in the United States, spending two weeks there in July 1974; number one on the R&B chart; [5] and number one on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top in July 1974. [6] [7] Having sold 11 million copies, it is one of fewer than 40 all-time singles to have sold 10 million physical copies worldwide. [8] [9]

Contents

The backing track was recorded in 45 minutes as a demo and featured guitarist Jerome Smith of KC and the Sunshine Band, with Casey on keyboards and Finch on bass and drums. [10] It was also one of the first records to use a drum machine, [11] an early Roland rhythm machine. [12] The track was not originally intended for McCrae but he happened to be in the studio and added a vocal; the resulting combination of infectious rhythm and falsetto vocals made it a hit. Music critic Robert Christgau has described the song as "irresistibly Memphis-cum-disco-with-a-hook." [13]

The chord progression of John Lennon's number-one single "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", released a few months later, bears a great resemblance to the one found in "Rock Your Baby".[ citation needed ] Lennon later admitted to using the song as an inspiration, and said of it in a 1975 interview: "I'd give my eyetooth to have written that." [14] [15] ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have also cited the song as an inspiration for the backing track of their 1976 smash hit "Dancing Queen". It was covered by indie rock band the House of Love for the 1992 compilation album Ruby Trax . [16] In the same year, British dance group KWS's cover of "Rock Your Baby" reached number eight in the UK.

Chart performance

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Rock Your Baby"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI) [41] Gold500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Answer song

George's wife, Gwen McCrae, recorded an answer song to "Rock Your Baby", released just less than a year later: "Rockin' Chair" reached number nine on the Hot 100 in mid-1975. "Rockin' Chair" reached number one R&B. George provided backing vocals.

Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)

"Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)"
Single by George McCrae
from the album I Feel Love for You
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1987
Recorded1986
Genre Disco, dance, synth-pop
Length5:25
Label Ariola Records
Songwriter(s) Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch
Producer(s) Siegfried Ipach, Mane Bock
George McCrae singles chronology
"Let's Dance / Never Forgot Your Eyes"
(1985)		"Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)"
(1987)		"That's Love"
(1987)

In 1987, a remix version was released, with mixing by Paul Hardcastle. It was adapted to suit the decade.[ citation needed ] This version is also included in the compilation Super Power Hit Sensation.

Track listing

12" Maxi

  1. Rock Your Baby [Frankfurt Mix] - 5:25
  2. Ooh Baby - 3:57

Charts

Chart (1987)Peak
position
UK Singles Chart92
German Singles Chart [43] 42

KWS version

"Rock Your Baby"
Single by KWS
from the album KWS
ReleasedAugust 10, 1992 (1992-08-10) [44]
Length5:14
Label Network
Songwriter(s) Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch
Producer(s) Chris King, Winnie Williams, Mark Gamble
KWS singles chronology
"Please Don't Go"
(1992)		"Rock Your Baby"
(1992)		"Hold Back the Night"
(1992)

In August 1992, British dance music act KWS released their take on the song. It appeared on the album KWS. Their version charted within the top 10 in Ireland and the United Kingdom, peaking at number six and eight, respectively. In Australia and New Zealand, the single entered the top 40.

Track listing

CD maxi

  1. "Rock Your Baby" (Boogaloo Investigator mix) – 3:29
  2. "Rock Your Baby" (Thumb A Ride mix) – 5:19
  3. "A Different Man" (Bubblegum Breakthrough mix) – 3:42
  4. "Game Boy" (Rhythmatic remix) – 5:37

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [45] 38
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [46] 22
Ireland (IRMA) [47] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [48] 32
UK Singles (OCC) [49] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)Position
UK Singles (OCC) [50] 100

See also

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References

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  2. ↑ Bronson, Fred (April 16, 2024). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN   978-0-8230-7677-2.
  3. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (November 15, 2022). "George McCrae - "Rock Your Baby". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York: Hachette Book Group. pp. 103–104.
  4. ↑ "Rock Your Baby". 45cat.com. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 389.
  6. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 303. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  7. 1 2 "George McCrae - UK Chart". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  8. ↑ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2, illustrated ed.). Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN   0-214-20480-4. Biggest selling singles discs.
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  11. ↑ Martin Russ (2012), Sound Synthesis and Sampling, page 83, CRC Press
  12. ↑ Mike Collins (2014), In the Box Music Production: Advanced Tools and Techniques for Pro Tools, page 320, CRC Press
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  15. ↑ Schoenberger, Francis (October 9, 2019). "He Said, She Said: An Interview With John Lennon". Spin .
  16. ↑ Carlson, Dean. "Ruby Trax: The NME's Roaring 40". AllMusic . Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "National Top 100 Singles for 1974". Kent Music Report. December 30, 1974. Retrieved January 15, 2022– via Imgur.
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  39. ↑ "Top Pop Singles" Billboard December 28, 1974: Talent in Action-8
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  43. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Caught In The Act - Babe". Hitparade.ch.
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  46. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 37. September 12, 1992. p. 15.
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