“Baby Love” Single by the Supremes from the album Where Did Our Love Go
B-side “Ask Any Girl”
Released September 17, 1964
Label Motown
SongwritersHolland–Dozier–Holland
Producers Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier
Charted No.1 in US, No.1 in UK, No.1 in new Zeeland, No.7 in Sweden, No.2 in Ireland, No.2 in Canada
The Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote this innocent song about teenage love, which was one of 14 US Top 10 hits for The Supremes.
Explaining how the trio wrote to NME in 1984, Lamont Dozier said: “I would collaborate with Eddie on lyrics and with Brian on melodies. Then Brian and I would go into the studio and produce the actual record although Eddie should have been put down as one of the producers because he helped teach the artists the tune when the lyric was finished.”
According to Lamont Dozier, this song was about “my first love who I never really got over.” Dozier says many of the songs he wrote with Motown were inspired by her.
“Baby Love” topped the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States from October 25, 1964, through November 21, 1964, and in the United Kingdom pop singles chart concurrently. Beginning with “Baby Love”, the Supremes became the first Motown act to have more than one American number-one single, and by the end of the decade, would have more singles hitting the top slot than any other Motown act (or American pop music group) with 12, a record they continue to hold.
It was nominated for the 1965 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, losing to Nancy Wilson’s “How Glad I Am”. It is considered one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century; “Baby Love” was ranked number 324 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It dropped to number 499 on the 2021 update of the list. The BBC ranked “Baby Love” at number 23 on The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all time UK downloads and streams.
When this song went to #1 in the US, The Supremes became the first Motown act with two #1 hits.
