"Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" Joan Baez Roots of Led Zeppelin (Mojo)
"Babopbyeya" Janelle Monae The Archandroid
"Baby" Bebel Gilberto Bebel Gilberto
"Baby" The Bird and The Bee Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future
"Baby" Cecilia Stalin/Koop Waltz For Koop
"Baby's Arms" Kurt Vile Smoke Ring For My Halo
"Baby's Coming Back To Me" Jarvis Cocker Love Will Tear You Apart (Mojo)
"Baby's On Fire" Brian Eno Here Come The Warm Jets
"Baby Baby" The Vibrators No Thanks! The 70s Punk Rebellion (Rhino)
"Baby Birch" Joanna Newsom Have One On Me
No, apparently Joanna Newsom does not have some sort of palsy - she just does that when she sings.
In fact, there is kind of a lot of theatrics in this set. Janelle Monae contributes a show tune. The Bird & The Bee are prone to hyperbole . . . really any time you say "baby" you are probably heading into dangerous territory lyrically. You say "baby baby baby" and you may as well go ahead with the spoken word interlude about coming "to you out of the mist or into the fire" because it isn't getting any sappier (ditto for you Bebel - if you stick to Portuguese, we don't notice the treacle as much). Eno sets that baby on fire (actually it is Fripp's guitar that reduces things to a pile of awesome ashes).
But let's about the Vibrators. The lyrics are cliched and horrible enough (again "baby" x3 - I am declaring it a rule. Much like shots, more than 2 'babies' and you are going to look stupid). I am shocked the song isn't a stadium rock anthem. That isn't the important thing though. The important thing is . . . these Germans covered it! That is 1991, btw. Apparently reunification meant unprecedented, and revelatory, access to Cars videos.
James Brown should get a pass for "baby baby bay-beh."
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