"Missing My Baby" is a song released by American singer

Selena Selena Quintanilla Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), known mononymously as Selena, was an American Tejano singer. Called the " Queen of Tejano music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mex ...

on her third studio album ''

Entre a Mi Mundo ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' ( en, italic=yes, Enter My World) is the third studio album by American singer Selena, released on May 6, 1992, by EMI Latin. In his recording debut with Selena y Los Dinos, guitarist Chris Pérez had fallen in love with Selen ...

'' (1992). It was composed by

A.B. Quintanilla Abraham Quintanilla III (born December 13, 1963), known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician, and the older brother of singer Selena, known as " The Queen of Tejano ...

—her brother and principal record producer, whose intention was to showcase Selena's diverse musical abilities. Selena included it on the album to help her cross over into the English-speaking market. Critics praised her emotive enunciation in the song. After Selena was murdered in 1995, a remix version by R&B group

Full Force Full Force is an American music group of hip hop and R&B singers and producers from Brooklyn, New York. Members *B-Fine (Brian George) - drums and drum programming, backing vocals *Shy Shy (Hugh Junior Clark) - bass guitar, backing vocals ...

appeared on her fifth studio album '' Dreaming of You'', which was originally intended to be her full-length English-language debut album. A posthumous music video made for VH1 was released to promote the triple box-set ''

Anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...

'' (1998). "Missing My Baby" is a mid-tempo R&B

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

influenced by

urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

and

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became po ...

. The lyrics describe the love felt by the narrator, who reminisces of rhapsodic events she has shared with her lover. In some parts of the song, the narrator experiences loneliness and anguish because of the absence of her boyfriend. Although never intended to be released as a single, the track peaked at number 22 on the US

Rhythmic Top 40 The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...

chart in 1995 after Selena's death.

Background and development

"Missing My Baby" was written by

's brother and the song's principal record producer

A.B. Quintanilla III Abraham Quintanilla III (born December 13, 1963), known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician, and the older brother of singer Selena, known as " The Queen of Tejano ...

, who wrote it in a week, and three weeks later, in late 1991, it was recorded at Sun Valley,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. It was created for Selena's 1992 album ''

'', to showcase her diverse musical abilities and to add to the album's variety of musical styles, which include

Mexican pop Mexican pop is a music genre produced in Mexico, particularly intended for teenagers and young adults. Mexico is the country that exports the most entertainment in Spanish language. Mexican pop was limited to Latin America until the mid-1990s, w ...

and traditional Mexican songs, whereas "Missing My Baby" is in the style of

contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...

. After the release of Selena's full-length Spanish albums ''

'' (1989) and '' Ven Conmigo'' (1990), which included

Tejano Tejanos (, ; singular: ''Tejano/a''; Spanish for "Texan", originally borrowed from the Caddo ''tayshas'') are the residents of the state of Texas who are culturally descended from the Mexican population of Tejas and Coahuila that lived in the ...

and other Mexican pop styles, she decided that her next recording would feature an English-language song. She believed that such a song would convince

EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...

' chairman

Charles Koppelman Charles Koppelman (March 30, 1940 – November 25, 2022) was an American musician, music producer, and businessman. He held executive positions at EMI and Steve Madden, and he was Chairman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. At the time of his ...

that she was ready to release a

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...

album. EMI had wanted her to acquire a larger fan base before launching her crossover career. In spite of this, Selena included the song on ''Entre a Mi Mundo''. In 1995, during the recording sessions for '' Dreaming of You'', which was intended to be Selena's full-length English-language debut album,

EMI Latin Capitol Latin (formerly EMI Latin) is a brand of Universal Music Latin Entertainment, a division of Universal Music Group. Previously, it was a subsidiary of EMI. History In 1989, José Behar, the former head of CBS Discos, signed Selena to E ...

wanted R&B group

to perform a remixed version of the song for the album after the group saw a video of Selena's live performance and expressed interest in working with her.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
EMI then flew Quintanilla III and Selena out to meet with the group at their Brooklyn recording studio. Full Force agreed to add backing vocals, which they recorded the majority of in two days to replace Selena's backing vocals. Selena also re-recorded her lead vocals on the final verse and choruses for a new key change on the remix version, which EMI approved for the album. After Selena was

murdered Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the c ...

Yolanda Saldívar Yolanda Saldívar (; born September 19, 1960) is an American former nurse who was convicted of the Murder of Selena, murder of singer Selena in 1995. Saldívar had been the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques, but she ...

on March 31, 1995, Full Force agreed to complete their production on the remix version, including singing the remaining backing vocal parts that had originally been intended for Selena to record. The group invited the Quintanilla family to hear the finished result in the studio, which left them in tears.

Composition

"Missing My Baby" is a mid-tempo R&B ballad with influences of

and

. It is in the

key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

D major D major (or the key of D) is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor. The D major scale is: : Ch ...

, at 144

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...

common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...

. The recording incorporates

melisma Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referr ...

, with

sung poetry Sung poetry is a broad and imprecise music genre widespread in European countries, such as Poland and the Baltic States, to describe songs consisting of a poem (most often a ballad) and music written specially for that text. The compositions usu ...

during the downtempo part of the song. The melody is accompanied by backing vocals, and instrumentation is provided by an electric piano, drums, a keyboard, a synthesizer and strings. Contemporary music critics praised Selena's emotive enunciation, which emphasized the song's title and central theme. R&B group Full Force were the backing vocalists for the remix version of "Missing My Baby". J.R. Reynolds, formerly of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', called "Missing My Baby" a "dreamy ballad" with an "R&B-styled melody under Selena's pop vocals". Ramiro Burr of the ''

Austin American-Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of Texas. It is owned by Gannett. The paper prints Associated Press, ''New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and ''Los Angeles Times'' internation ...

'' described it as a soul ballad. Jerry Johnston of the ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'' thought that Selena displayed a " baby-voice" in "Missing My Baby" and that she "displays a wonderful suppleness in her voice". ''

The Virginian-Pilot ''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virginia ...

'' said that the song was built on hooks that recall Diana Ross's " Missing You", which is a tribute to

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

, and the Beach Boys' "

Good to My Baby "Good to My Baby" is a song composed by Brian Wilson with words by Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. Composition Author Philip Lambert wrote that the song "has all the earmarks of a classic feel-good Beach Boys song: powerful ...

". The song begins with a drum solo before the other instruments enter to form the musical foundation. Selena sings to her absent lover about how much she misses him, saying that he is "always on ermind" and that she feels lonely when he is not with her. Three times she sings, "I often think of the happy times we spent together/And I just can't wait to tell you that I love you". In the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

, she sings of wanting to hold him tight and feel his heartbeat.

Critical reception and legacy

"Missing My Baby" received positive reviews from critics. ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...

'' magazine reported that Full Force was awarded gold and platinum discs for "Missing My Baby" and "

Techno Cumbia "Techno Cumbia" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her fourth studio album, ''Amor Prohibido'' (1994). It was posthumously released as the b-side track to " Dreaming of You" through EMI Latin on August 14, 1995. Techno Cumbia wou ...

", and described "Missing My Baby" as giving a "hint of her aspirations". After the remix version appeared on the 1995 album '' Dreaming of You'', the ''Hi XD'' said that it was the best English-language song on the album. Chris Riemenschneider and John T. Davis of the ''Austin American-Statesman'' wrote that "Missing My Baby can sound as fluffy as the Big M's "Crazy for You". Cary Clack of the ''

San Antonio Express-News The ''San Antonio Express-News'' is a daily newspaper in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation and has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The ''Express-News'' is the third largest newspaper in the state of Texas, with ...

'' wrote that "Missing My Baby" was played on non-Tejano radio stations and that he thought it might become a posthumous hit, while commenting that the recording "displays elena'swonderful vocal and emotional range". However, Mario Tarradell of ''

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...

'' believed that "Missing My Baby" and other tracks were added to ''Entre a Mi Mundo'' "for good measure". "Missing My Baby" was one of the first Selena songs to be played on radio stations after she was

, her friend and former manager of her

Selena Etc. Selena Etc. was a South Texas-based boutique and beauty salon, which was founded and owned by the late American singer, Selena. Selena Etc. finished its building on January 27, 1994, in Corpus Christi, Texas, which was the headquarters buildi ...

boutiques. A music video of the song, incorporating footage from Selena's personal home videos, was released for VH1 in 1998 to promote the triple box-set ''

''. ''Billboard'' reported that the video was the 47th most played music video for that channel in the week ending 5 April 1998.

Chart performance

Personnel

Credits from the album's liner notes: *

– lead vocals, backing vocals *

– remix and additional production, backing vocals *

Ricky Vela Ricardo Vela is an American musician and songwriter who was the keyboardist for the band Selena y Los Dinos from 1984 to 1995. Works Vela has either written or co-written the following songs that topped on ''Billboard'' 200, ''Billboard'' Latin ...

– keyboards *

Suzette Quintanilla Selena y Los Dinos ( en, Selena and the Guys, Selena And the Dinos=Selena And The Dinos) was an American Tejano band formed in 1981 by Tejano singer Selena and her father Abraham Quintanilla. The band remained together until the murder of Sel ...

– drums * A.B. Quinatnilla – writing, production

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Missing My Baby 1990s ballads 1992 songs Contemporary R&B ballads Selena songs Songs written by A. B. Quintanilla