Hidden Treasures - The Babys

[Scott]

So out of 150+ playlists, I got TageRyche to like 2!!! I'm thinking my streak is ending this week. Because I really feel compelled to post this band, so compelled I may extened this into next week as well... We shall see. Ladies and gentlemen...

THE BABYS

Founding member Mike Corby places the origin of the idea for the band at Smalls Café on the Fulham Road in London in 1973, during a chance meeting with manager the late Adrian Millar. An agreement was signed between Corby and Millar on 4 September 1974, and auditions were held to fill out the remaining members.  In their search for a drummer Waite and Corby found Tony Brock who was playing with a group called Strider. Brock was having some financial difficulties with that group and decided to take a chance with this group instead. The last member to join the line-up was Walt Stocker.

 

In 1977 they purchased a 24 track mobile unit with which to record their music. They went to a ranch house in the Malibu mountains and put down the tracks in six weeks. The influences of the songs came about from their first year in Los Angeles and the culture shock of their relocation there.

 

The names "Cry Babys" and "Big Babys" were also proposed with Millar ultimately deciding on "The Babys."  In a 1979 Hit Parader magazine interview, Waite stated,

"The name was meant to be a joke. We took the name simply because the record companies wouldn't listen to any bands they thought were rock & roll. I mean, they wanted sure-fire teen bands, pre-teen bands. We couldn't get anybody down to hear us to get a record deal, so we called ourselves The Babys. We thought we'd keep the name just for two weeks. Then, the word got around in London that there was a band playing rock & roll called The Babys and it seemed so off the wall, so completely crazy, that it was worth taking a shot with. It really appealed to everyone's sense of humor."

 

PLAYLIST --> http://snack.to/a71igmjk

 

	The Babys 1977 1 - Dying Man The Babys eponymous first album (highlighted by the single "If You've Got The Time"), was recorded in Toronto, Canada with producers Brian Christian and Bob Ezrin and released in January 1977, although it appears that Millar and Corby were unhappy with the production.
	Broken Heart 1977 2 - Give Me Your Love Some critics felt the teen-friendly packaging on their second album, Broken Heart, may have affected the group's appeal to wider audiences, although it is claimed that it was part of an experiment by Corby with group members looking like characters from the film A Clockwork Orange. As far as record sales were concerned, The Babys seemed to live in the shadow of other Chrysalis artists Blondie, Pat Benatar, and Leo Sayer. The Babys second album, Broken Heart, (released in September 1977) produced a Top 20 U.S. hit, "Isn't It Time" (written by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy), that peaked at #13 on the Billboard chart.
	Head First 1978 3 - Please Don't Leave Me Here Interestingly, lead single status was afforded to "Every Time I Think of You," a track completed without Corby, who was friends with the tune's composers, Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, the team responsible for the Babys' previous Top 40 hit "Isn't It Time." "Every Time I Think of You" matched the Billboard Hot 100 #13 peak of "Isn't It Time" in April 1979, the same month that Head First became the Babys' highest charting album with a #22 peak on the Billboard albums chart. After serving as the B-side for "Every Time I Think of You," the title track "Head First" was issued as the A-side of the follow-up single with another album track, "California" as B-side; this single reached #77 on the Hot 100.

Next Week, one of 1980's absolute best!!

[Jon]

That first song is almost prog! It's pretty good.

Umm...Clockwork Orange? Doesn't remind me of Clockwork Orange at all. Pretty bad that they were living in the shadow of Pat Benatar back in '77 considering her first album came out in '79. Just stating a fact! I have this song on the only Baby's album I own.....their greatest hits! Whoo hoo!

Actually, the band name is too much of a teenybopper name. That's why I could have cared less about them back then. Now that I'm smarter, I realize the errors of my ways, kinda maybe.

I like that album cover for "Head First". It's funny. Song isn't too bad either.

I liked this, especially the first song. THis makes me cherish my greatest hits disc that much more!

[Mike Pell]

I threw the Babys out with the Bathwater, lol!

[RJhog (Admin)]

I own a greatest hits disc called Anthology and the vinyl for Broken Heart.  Here's my take on these three:

Dying Man -  Definitely the best song here (none of them are bad, this is just the best).  However, the production leaves quite a lot to be desired.  With Ezrin on board, I wonder if that was done purposely.   But a cleaner sound seems needed to me.  The guitar work is stellar here.  Didn't know The Babys were known for that.  Not much here lyrically, but it's not a weakness for the track.  

Give Me Your Love - This has a real laid back vibe.  I like that a lot.  Waite's voice is suited so well for that sound.  The production is much better.   I like this track too.

Please Don't Leave Me Here - Another laid back vibe, quite similar to Give Me You Love.  I'll point to the guitar work again.  Sweet.  

I always liked that song Isn't It Time.  I even liked Every Time I Think Of You.  They are both great pop songs, but Isn't It Time has a little harder edge, more in the vein of this stuff here.  I'd have no problem with a continuation of this next week.  May even listen to the discs I have before then.