Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2014) |
"Bye, Bye, Baby" | |
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Song | |
B-side | "Searching Wind (from the album Born To Wander)" |
"Bye, Bye, Baby" | |
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Song |
"Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)" is a popular song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, a member of The Four Seasons whose version of the song made it to No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1965.[1] On the original issue of the single, the title was "Bye Bye Baby"; on The 4 Seasons Entertain You album (and later issues of the song), the name was changed to the longer, more familiar name. The song is about saying goodbye, not because the person is unloved, but rather the relationship is adulterous ("there's a wedding ring on my finger").[citation needed]
After a winding seven-bar introduction in B minor, the song settles into a triplet-swing beat and thereafter alternates between two keys, F-sharp major (in the chorus) and A major (in the verse and final chorus), bridging the gap with a five-step chromatic pivot-modulation (D-D♯-E-F-F♯ over the line "She's got me and I'm not free").[citation needed]
The Symbols version
A cover version by British group The Symbols reached No. 44 in the UK Singles Chart in 1967.[2]
Bay City Rollers version
A cover of the song by the Bay City Rollers sold a million copies and hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for six weeks from March 1975.[3] It ended the year as the UK's top selling single. The Four Seasons' version is quite sparse in instrumental backing, instead carried by the vocals, while the Bay City Rollers' version is faster and has a fuller backing sound. Played a full tone lower, it includes an eight-bar guitar solo by Eric Faulkner, which is not present in the original.[citation needed]
Chart position
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Australia | 1 |
Ireland | 1 |
United Kingdom | 1 |
Italy | 3 |
Norway | 7 |
Germany | 10 |
Netherlands | 11 |
Austria | 13 |
Belgium | 15 |
New Zealand | 32 |
Cultural references
In the film Love Actually, the song is played by Daniel (Liam Neeson) at his wife's funeral, and by the DJ (Junior Simpson) at Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Peter's (Chiwetel Ejiofor) wedding reception.
The anime Magical Hat uses a Japanese language variation of the song as ending theme.
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 238.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 544. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 311–2. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- 1965 singles
- 1975 singles
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
- The Four Seasons (band) songs
- Songs written by Bob Crewe
- Songs written by Bob Gaudio
- Bay City Rollers songs
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- Song recordings produced by Bob Crewe
- Song recordings produced by Phil Wainman
- 1965 songs
- Philips Records singles
- 1970s single stubs