Give It To Me Baby – Rick James | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop(#40) & R&B (#1 for 5 weeks); 1981
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Rick James’ second stint with Motown – he had earlier recorded an unreleased album as part of the Mynah Birds with Neil Young and Bruce Palmer – took off like a rocket with two hit crossover singles and a gold-selling album.
The next three albums, though respectable enough, found Rick experimenting with various R&B and funk styles. With Street Songs, he hit his stride big-time.
Give It To Me Baby‘s lyrics about an insistent lover lacked subtlety, yet, in this era of nightlife excess a low profile was not a plus. In fact, Rick wrote Give It To Me after his own true life experience of failed lust.
The many who identified with Rick’s woes drove his tale to #1 on the R&B chart where it stayed for five weeks.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Rick James
Lyrics Written by:
- Rick James
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).