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Babe (Styx song)

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"Babe"
Single by Styx
from the album Cornerstone
B-side"I'm O.K."
ReleasedSeptember 1979
Recorded1979
GenreSoft rock[1]
Length4:01 (single version)
4:25 (album version)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Dennis DeYoung
Producer(s)
Styx singles chronology
"Renegade"
(1979) 		"Babe"
(1979) 		"Why Me"
(1980)

"Babe" is a song by the American rock band Styx. It was the lead single from the band's 1979 triple-platinum album Cornerstone. The song was Styx's first, and only, US number-one single, spending two weeks at No. 1 in December 1979. "Babe" also went to No. 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[2] It additionally held the number-one spot for six weeks on the Canadian RPM national singles chart, charting in December 1979 and becoming the opening chart-topper of the 1980s. It was also the band's only UK Top 40 hit, peaking at No. 6. It also reached No. 1 in South Africa.[3]

Background and content

The song was written by member Dennis DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne. The finished track was recorded as a demo with just DeYoung and Styx members John Panozzo and Chuck Panozzo playing on the track, with DeYoung singing all of the harmonies himself.

The song was not originally intended to be a Styx track, but Styx members James "J.Y." Young and Tommy Shaw convinced DeYoung to put the song on Cornerstone. As a result, DeYoung's demo was placed on Cornerstone with Shaw overdubbing a guitar solo in the song's middle section. The track became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was their only major UK hit single, reaching No. 6. In 1999, "Babe" was included in the soundtrack to the movie Big Daddy, starring Adam Sandler, whose character is a huge fan of Styx.

The song was very popular in the Philippines in the 1980s and continues to be a favorite song up to this time.

Personnel

Chart history

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[22] Gold 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[24] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.


Caught in the Act version

"Babe"
Single by Caught in the Act
from the album Vibe
ReleasedSeptember 5, 1997
Recorded1997
GenrePop
Length4:28 (single version)
4:27 (album version)
LabelZYX
Songwriter(s)Dennis DeYoung
Producer(s)Phil Harding, Ian Curnow
Caught in the Act singles chronology
"Do It For Love"
(1997) 		"Babe"
(1997) 		"Baby Come Back"
(1998)

In 1997 Dutch boy band Caught in the Act covered "Babe" on their album Vibe. The song's success was modest.

Music video

In the music video, the band members play soldiers and perform the song both in a barracks and on patrol. They take a look at a waitress.[25]

Track listing

CD maxi

  1. "Babe" (Radio Mix) – 4:28
  2. "Babe" (Cloud 9 Mix) – 4:25
  3. "Babe" (Gee Extended Mix) – 6:42
  4. "Don't Just Leave Me Now" (Radio Version) – 4:46

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[26] 26
Germany (GfK)[27] 35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] 95

Other cover versions

Alexander O'Neal covered the song on his 2008 album, Alex Loves. Filipino singer April Boy Regino also covered the song on his 2000 album Super Idol. This song is also covered by Filipino singer and actor Piolo Pascual for the film Babe, I Love You from Star Cinema in the Philippines.

References

  1. ^ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. May 31, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 236.
  3. ^ "Springbok SA Top 20". Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 299. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "Styx – Babe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". 1979-12-29. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
  7. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Babe". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  8. ^ "Styx – Babe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  9. ^ "Styx – Babe". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "Springbok SA Top 20". Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Styx: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  12. ^ "Styx Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  13. ^ "Styx Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  14. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. ^ "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. December 22, 1979. Retrieved March 3, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  16. ^ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1979YESP.html Archived 2014-07-13 at the Wayback Machine Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1980
  17. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  19. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 19__/Top 100 Songs of 1980". musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  21. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  22. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Styx – Babe". Music Canada.
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Styx – Babe". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Babe in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  24. ^ "American single certifications – Styx – Babe". Recording Industry Association of America.
  25. ^ Music video on Youtube.de
  26. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  28. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
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