She's My Baby (Wings song)
"She's My Baby" | |
---|---|
Song by Wings | |
from the album Wings at the Speed of Sound | |
Published | McCartney Music Ltd. |
Released | 25 March 1976 |
Recorded | 7 January 1976 |
Genre | Pop |
Length | 3:06 |
Label | MPL Communications (UK) MPL Communications/Capitol (US) |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Paul McCartney |
Wings at the Speed of Sound track listing | |
11 tracks
|
"She's My Baby" is a song credited to Paul and Linda McCartney that was first released by Wings on their 1976 album Wings at the Speed of Sound. It is a love song sung by Paul directed at Linda. Critical opinion of the song has ranged from a description as Paul McCartney's "sweetest, daftest love song" to a suggestion that it deserves an "honor for sheer awfulness." In 1998, after Linda's death, Paul McCartney rearranged the song for string quartet to be played at memorial concerts for his late wife. This version was included on the 1999 album Working Classical.
Lyrics and music
"She's My Baby" is a love song inspired by Linda.[1][2] Paul McCartney sings the lead vocal.[1] In each of the verses, the song describes characteristics of the singer's "baby."[2] Some of these have been criticized as being trite; for example, the woman is described as gravy to be mopped up by the singer:[2]
- Like gravy, down to the last drop
- I keep mopping her up
- Oh yeah, she's my baby
The verses are in the key of C major.[2] The bridge begins in the key of F major, which is the subdominant key to the verses, and ends on a dominant seventh chord on G major, which is the dominant of C, facilitating the transition back to the verse.[2] Like the hit singles from Wings at the Speed of Sound, "Let 'Em In" and "Silly Love Songs," the bass guitar is prominent in the mix.[1] This was done intentionally to make the song more danceable.[1] Paul McCartney has stated that "That is the bass in your face. And that was really because we were making a dance record."[1]
Personnel
- Paul McCartney - vocals, electric piano, keyboards, possible bass, possible electric guitar
- Joe English - drums
- Linda McCartney - backing vocals
- Denny Laine - backing vocals, possible bass
- Jimmy McCulloch - electric guitar
Critical reception
Critical reaction to "She's My Baby" has been very mixed. The Rough Guide to the Beatles author Chris Ingham calls "She's My Baby" McCartney's "sweetest, daftest love song."
Other critics are less kind. Reviewing Wings at the Speed of Sound,
String quartet version
In 1998, after Linda McCartney's death, Paul McCartney rearranged the song for string quartet to be played at memorial concerts for his late wife.[1][4][8] The Brodsky Quartet performed the song at memorial services in London, and the Loma Mar Quartet performed the song at memorial services in New York.[1][4] The Loma Mar Quartet also recorded the string quartet version of the song for the 1999 album Working Classical.[1][2][4][9]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-906002-02-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-34969-0.
- ISBN 978-1-4053-8445-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-615-11724-4.
- ^ Christgau, R. "Robert Christgau: Wings". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-87930-968-8.
- ISBN 978-1-84195-796-8.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 22 November 2011.