Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
| "Baby" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "I Do" |
"Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" is a 1950's song written by Clyde Otis, Murray Stein and Brook Benton.
Originally titled "You've Got What It Takes", the song was first recorded by Benton's sister,[1] Dorothy Pay, in 1958, as the B-side of her single "Strollin' with My Baby" on Mercury 71277.[2][3] It was then recorded more successfully as a duet by Dinah Washington and Brook Benton, in their first collaboration. The single was very successful on both the pop and R&B charts. "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B sides chart for ten weeks,[4] becoming one of the most successful R&B singles of the 1960s. The single, with the song title styled "BABY (You've Got What It Takes)", included orchestra arranged and conducted by Belford Hendricks.
Charts
Dinah Washington and Brook Benton
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B Sides | 1 |
Covers
- Jerry Lee Lewis released a version with Linda Gail Lewis on his 1985 album, I'm on Fire.[5]
- Kevin Mahogany included it as a duet with Jeanie Bryson in his 1995 album You Got What It Takes.
- Martha Davis and Ivan Neville recorded a version in 1996 for the film A Smile Like Yours, starring Greg Kinnear and Joan Cusack.
- The song was performed by Van Morrison and Linda Gail Lewis on their album You Win Again in 2000.
- Nellie McKay's version with Taj Mahal in the soundtrack of the 2005 movie Rumor Has It....
- Charlie Louvin and Melba Montgomery released a country-leaning version on their 1971 album "Baby, You've Got What It Takes."
- Michael Bublé's recording (featuring Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings) from his 2009 album, Crazy Love was featured during season 6 (week 4) of So You Think You Can Dance.
References
- ^ "Team effort of Benton and Otis spawns string of hits", Ebony, May 1963, p.46
- ^ "You've Got What It Takes", Secondhand Songs. Retrieved 12 January 2018
- ^ Singles Discography for Mercury Records - 71000 series, Global Dog Productions. Retrieved 12 January 2018
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 54.
- ^ Jerry Lee Lewis, I'm on Fire Retrieved March 17, 2012.
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- 1960 singles
- Songs written by Brook Benton
- Brook Benton songs
- Dinah Washington songs
- Anne Murray songs
- Jerry Lee Lewis songs
- Linda Gail Lewis songs
- Van Morrison songs
- Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles
- Vocal duets
- 1958 songs
- Songs written by Clyde Otis
- Mercury Records singles
- 1950s rhythm and blues song stubs
- 1950s pop song stubs