| Baby Baby | |
| Cover: | Baby_baby.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Corona |
| Album: | The Rhythm of the Night |
| Released: | 27 February 1995 |
| Studio: | Casablanca, Italy |
| Genre: | Eurodance |
| Length: | 3:45 |
| Label: | ZYX |
| Producer: |
|
| Prev Title: | The Rhythm of the Night |
| Prev Year: | 1993 |
| Next Title: | Try Me Out |
| Next Year: | 1995 |
"Baby Baby" is a song by Italian band Corona, released in February 1995 by ZYX Music as the second single from their debut album, The Rhythm of the Night (1995). The song, written by Francesco Bontempi and Antonia Bottari, was originally a hit in 1991 for Italian project Joy & Joyce as "Babe Babe". Both tracks were produced by Bontempi under his Lee Marrow guise.[1] It was very successful on the singles charts around the world, peaking at number-one in Italy, and on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada. In the UK, it peaked at number five for two weeks. Two different music videos were produced for the song.
The lyrics and melody are interpolation of Alisha Warren's 1989 song "Touch Me" (which was similarly sampled in the 1989 italo house hit "Touch Me" by the 49ers) combined with 1988'sK.I.S.S.I.N.G. by Siedah Garrett. [2]
In 2007, the Swedish dance group Sunblock made a cover of the song, which peaked at number one in Spain and number four in Finland.
AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis described the song as the "aggressive" follow-up to "The Rhythm of the Night", naming it one of the standout tracks on the album.[3] On Attitudes list of "The Top 10 Dance Tunes of the '90s" in 2016, it was ranked number six.[4] Upon the release, Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that it "steamrolls down a similar Euro-NRG dance/pop path." He added, "Although the airwaves are now flooded with similarly giddy fare, this jampacks a chorus that is insistently contagious—and it is voiced with a fullthrottle diva energy. To that end, both radio and club tastemakers should climb aboard early."[5]
Swedish Expressen said that it is "at least as good" as their first single.[6] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report noted that "it took awhile for some to come to the party on "The Rhythm of the Night", but they were happy with the results. This pumpin', thumpin' follow-up will keep 'em dancing and create the same excitement."[7] Alan Jones from Music Week described "Baby Baby" as "a storming house/Nu-NRG track that has already soared to the apex of RMs On a Pop Tip chart. If it charts lower than top five, I'll be very surprised."[8] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update declared it as "more squawking simple Italo catchiness".[9] In an retrospective review, Pop Rescue complimented it as "an absolute feel-good euro belter".[10]
"Baby Baby" peaked at number one in Italy in April 1995, as well as on the European Dance Radio Chart. It entered the top 10 in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, it peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. On the UK Dance Chart, the song reached number four, while peaking at number one on the UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart. Additionally, it was a top-20 hit in Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it peaked at number five. Outside Europe, "Baby Baby" reached number one on the Canadian RPM Dance chart, number seven in Australia and number 22 in New Zealand. In the US, "Baby Baby" peaked at number 39 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, the song reached number five.
Two different music videos were made for "Baby Baby"; a European version and an US version. One of them was directed by Mark Humphrey.[11] The first video features frontwoman Olga de Souza attending a party in the disused Aldwych tube station in London.[12] In the second video, an overweight man is watching TV and switching from one channel to another with a remote control. Suddenly Olga appears on the screen, singing the chorus. When the music starts, he suddenly finds himself lying on a big bed with her. It has a headboard shaped as giant lips and she crawls on the bed, singing to him. Apparently frightened by this, he looks for an exit and tries to escape through a closed door. But behind the door, two women are standing. He is then placed in a chair, while the women are teasing and trying to seduce him. In the end, the man is seen smiling, with lipstick kiss-marks all over his head.[13] A re-edited version of this video omits all footage of the man.[14]
Corona version
| Chart (1995) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[15] | 7 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 13 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 46 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) | 23 | |
| Denmark (IFPI) | 4 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 5 | |
| Europe (European Dance Radio)[16] | 1 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] | 6 | |
| France (SNEP) | 16 | |
| Germany (Media Control Charts) | 41 | |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18] | 10 | |
| Ireland (IRMA)[19] | 8 | |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[20] | 1 | |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 22 | |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 7 | |
| Scotland (OCC)[21] | 3 | |
| Spain (AFYVE)[22] | accessdate=26 January 2011--> | 2 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 10 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 11 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[23] | 5 | |
| UK Dance (OCC)[24] | 4 | |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week)[25] | 29 | |
| UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart (Music Week)[26] | 1 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[27] | 39 |
Sunblock version
| Chart (2007) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] | 4 | |
| Netherlands (Mega Top 100) | 99 | |
| Spain (Spanish Singles Chart) | 1 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 13 | |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 16 |
Corona version
| Chart (1995) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[29] | 44 | |
| Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[30] | 3 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[31] | 46 | |
| France (SNEP)[32] | 77 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[33] | 165 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] | 100 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] | 33 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[36] | 84 |
