Rock Your Baby

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"Rock Your Baby"
File:Rock Your Baby.jpg
Single by George McCrae
from the album Rock Your Baby
B-side "Rock Your Baby (Part 2)"
Released June 1974
Recorded 1973
Genre Disco, Memphis soul
Length 3:14 (7" version)
6:24 (album version)
Label TK Records, Jay Boy (UK)[1]
Songwriter(s) Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch
Producer(s) Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Rock Your Baby"
(1974)		 "I Can't Leave You Alone"
(1974)

"Rock Your Baby" is the debut single by George McCrae. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" was one of the landmark recordings of early disco music. A massive international hit, the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the United States, spending two weeks at the top in July 1974, number one on the R&B singles chart,[2] and repeating the feat on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top of the chart in July 1974.[3][4] Having sold 11 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 40 all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide.[5][6]

The backing track for the record was recorded in 45 minutes as a demo and featured guitarist Jerome Smith of KC and the Sunshine Band, with Casey on keyboards and Finch on bass and drums.[7] It was also one of the first records to use a drum machine,[8] an early Roland rhythm machine.[9] The track was not originally intended for McCrae but he happened to be in the studio, added a vocal and the resulting combination of infectious rhythm and falsetto vocals made it a hit. Music critic Robert Christgau has described the song as "irresistibly Memphis-cum-disco-with-a-hook".[10]

The chord progression of John Lennon's number-one single "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", released a few months later, bears a great resemblance to the one found in "Rock Your Baby".[citation needed] Lennon later admitted to using the song as an inspiration.[11] ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have also cited the song as an inspiration for the backing track of their 1976 smash hit "Dancing Queen". The song was covered by indie rock band The House of Love for the 1992 compilation album Ruby Trax.[12] In the same year, the British dance group KWS' cover of "Rock Your Baby" reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart.

Chart performance

Answer song

George's wife, Gwen McCrae, recorded an answer song to "Rock Your Baby", released just less than a year later. "Rockin' Chair" reached number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1975. "Rockin' Chair' also reached number one R&B. George provided backing vocals on the song.

Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)

"Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)"
Single by George McCrae
from the album I Feel Love for You
Released January 1, 1987
Recorded 1986
Genre Disco, Dance, Synth-pop
Length 5:25
Label Ariola Records
Songwriter(s) Harry Wayne Casey, Richard Finch
Producer(s) Siegfried Ipach, Mane Bock
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Let's Dance / Never Forgot Your Eyes"
(1985)		 "Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)"
(1987)		 "That's Love"
(1987)

In 1987, a remix version was released, which was mixed by Paul Hardcastle. Compared to the original, this remix is adapted to the 1980s.[citation needed] This version is also included in the compilation Super Power Hit Sensation.

Track listing

12" Maxi

  1. Rock Your Baby [Frankfurt Mix] - 5:25
  2. Ooh Baby - 3:57

Charts

Chart (1987) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 92
German Singles Chart[35] 42

KWS version

"Rock Your Baby"
Single by KWS
from the album KWS
Released August 22, 1992
Genre Dance, house
Label Network Records
Songwriter(s) Harry Wayne Casey / Richard Finch
Producer(s) Chris King, Winnie Williams, Mark Gamble
Script error: The function "ucfirst" does not exist. singles chronology
"Please Don't Go"
(1992)		 "Rock Your Baby"
(1992)		 "Hold Back the Night"
(1992)

In 1992, KWS released their version of the song that appeared on the album KWS. In English-speaking countries, their version was successful.

Track listing

CD Maxi

  1. Rock Your Baby (Boogaloo Investigator Mix) - 3:29
  2. Rock Your Baby (Thumb A Ride Mix) - 5:19
  3. A Different Man (Bubblegum Breakthrough Mix) - 3:42
  4. Game Boy (Rhythmatic Remix) - 5:37

Charts

Chart (1992) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart[36] 8
Irish Singles Chart 6
Australian Singles Chart[37] 38
New Zealand Singles Chart[38] 32

See also

References

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  8. ↑ Martin Russ (2012), Sound Synthesis and Sampling, page 83, CRC Press
  9. ↑ Mike Collins (2014), In the Box Music Production: Advanced Tools and Techniques for Pro Tools, page 320, CRC Press
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  18. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rock Your Baby". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  33. ↑ "Top Pop Singles" Billboard December 28, 1974: Talent in Action-8
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