"Make Me Your Baby" is a song written by

Helen Miller Helen Miller may refer to: * Helen Miller (cricketer) (1915–1972), New Zealand cricketer * Helen Miller (politician) (born 1945), American politician * Helen Miller (songwriter) (1925–2006), American songwriter * Helen Hill Miller (1899–1995), ...

and Roger Atkins. The most successful recording was a hit for

Barbara Lewis Barbara Ann Lewis (born February 9, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues. Career Lewis was born in Salem, Michigan, United States. She was writing and recording by her teens with record ...

in 1965.

Background

The

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

for "Make Me Your Baby" was cut by journeyman session singer Jean Thomas on 22 January 1965 at the behest of Atlantic Records president Jerry Wexler, who wanted to offer the song to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, then a Cameo-Parkway act Wexler was hoping to woo over to Atlantic. Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles did eventually sign to Atlantic, but only after protracted negotiations (their debut label session being on October 7, 1965), which meant "Make Me Your Baby" was still unrecorded in the summer of 1965 when the success of " Baby I'm Yours" alerted Wexler to the suitability of "Make Me Your Baby" as a vehicle for the singer of "Baby I'm Yours," Barbara Lewis. "Make Me Your Baby" was recorded by Lewis in a July 1, 1965, session at Atlantic Records Recording Studios (NYC) in which Lewis also recorded the B-side "Love to Be Loved" and a third track, "I'm So Afraid." ¹ Like "Baby I'm Yours," "Make Me Your Baby" was produced by Ollie McLaughlin and

Bert Berns Bertrand Russell Berns (November 8, 1929 – December 30, 1967), also known as Bert Russell and (occasionally) Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s. His songwriting credits include " Twist and Shout", " Piec ...

, being described as "An Ollie McLaughlin production directed by Bert Berns." The arranger and conductor for the session was Artie Butler, with featured personnel on the session being Patti Brown (piano),

Vinnie Bell Vincent Edward Gambella (July 28, 1932 – October 3, 2019), known as Vinnie Bell, was an American session guitarist, instrument designer and pioneer of electronic effects in pop music. Life and career He was born in Brooklyn">p> Life and car ...

Al Gorgoni Al Gorgoni (born 1939) is an American guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer, known for his work as a studio musician during the 1960s and 1970s. Biography Growing up in Philadelphia, his family moved to The Bronx where he took up the guit ...

Trade Martin Trade Martin is an American musician, songwriter and producer. Martin worked with Johnny Power in the late 1950s, recording as Johnny & the Jokers and together launching the label Rome Records, active from 1960 to 1962. The label signed the ...

(guitar), Bob Bushnell (electric bass), Gary Chester (drums), Ted Sommer, Alvin Rogers (chimes, tambourine). Prior to the release of the Barbara Lewis version, the song had been recorded by

the Pixies Three The Pixies Three is an American teenage vocal girl group best known for their hits “Birthday Party” and “442 Glenwood Avenue”. History Having performed in local shows since 1957, the Hanover, Pennsylvania trio of Midge Bollinger (lea ...

, whose version had successfully been pitched to Cameo Parkway. However, before the relevant contract had been finalized, the Barbara Lewis single had begun to break, causing Cameo Parkway to opt out. The Pixies Three consequently disbanded.

Chart performance

"Make Me Your Baby" was released as a single in September 1965 and that November matched the No.11 peak of her preceding hit, "Baby I'm Yours", as well as reaching No.9 on the Top Rhythm & Blues Singles chart.

Other cover versions

*Barbara Lewis' "Make Me Your Baby" had an unsuccessful September 1965 release in the UK, where a local cover was cut by producer

Shel Talmy Sheldon Talmy (born August 11, 1937) is an American record producer, songwriter and arranger, best known for his work in the UK in the 1960s with the Who, the Kinks and many others. Talmy arranged and produced hits such as "You Really Got Me" ...

with vocalist Liz Shelley. Released 10 September 1965 on Brunswick, this version also failed to chart, but, despite the advance of Lewis' version on the US charts, Shelley's single was given an American release by Decca Records. *

Bobby Vinton Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is a American former singer and occasional actor, who also hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid trib ...

remade the song as "I'll Make You My Baby".

Billy Sherrill Billy Norris Sherrill (November 5, 1936 – August 4, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger best known for his association with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Gl ...

produced the track which, as the lead single for the '' Ev'ry Day of My Life'', reached No.30 on the Easy Listening chart in '' Billboard'' in April 1971, just missing the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 by peaking at No.101 on the

Bubbling Under Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

chart. *"Make Me Your Baby" was covered in late 1975 in a disco style by

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

singer

Suzanne Stevens Suzanne (Denise) Stevens (born 1950) is a Canadian singer, based in Montreal and active during the 1970s and 1980s. She won the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year in 1975. Her best-known song is a disco-styled remake of t ...

. Her version reached No.23 on Canada's ''RPM'' singles chart in December, 1975. Lewis' version had reached the top 10 in Canada in late 1965. *Lewis's original version appeared on the soundtrack of

Michael Apted Michael David Apted, (10 February 1941 – 7 January 2021) was a British television and film director and producer. Apted began working in television and directed the '' Up'' documentary series (1964–2019). He later directed '' Coal Miner's ...

's '' Stardust''. * ¹ Lewis' recording of this

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

composition remains unreleased.

References

{{authority control 1965 singles 1975 singles Barbara Lewis songs Songs written by Helen Miller (songwriter) 1965 songs Atlantic Records singles Song recordings produced by Bert Berns Songs written by Roger Atkins