Ooh Baby Baby – Linda Ronstadt | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Peak #7 Pop and #2 Adult Contemporary; 1979
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
The classic pop/soul sound of Motown leant itself well to non-R&B interpretations. In 1975, Linda Ronstadt, fresh off hit remakes of tracks originally recorded by The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Everly Brothers, dipped into the Motown catalog for Martha & The Vandellas’ rave-up Heat Wave.
She followed it up with her own take on The Miracles’ Tracks Of My Tears, then proceeded to release songs by Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Warren Zevon, The Rolling Stones, and Chuck Berry. How long could this rejuvenation of jukebox classics continue?! Undaunted, Linda moved into the Top 10 again with another Miracles’ oldie, Ooh Baby Baby (#16, 1965) featuring David Sanborn on sax.
She finally wrapped up her run of remakes with covers of songs originally sung by Doris Troy, Little Anthony And The Imperials, and Billy Joe Royal.
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Produced by:
- Peter Asher
Lyrics Written by:
- Smokey Robinson
- Pete Moore
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).