THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

212-Supremes-Baby Love.

1964-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.06. Tamla Motown has become a legendary name in popular music because of their 1960’s output, but you will be probably surprised to learn that only three of their singles released in the 1960’s got to Number 1 in the UK in that decade. Can you name the other two? The answer is at the end of this piece.

The Supremes (see also best songs 1001-411 and 148) were formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1959 as ‘The Primettes,’ they became ‘Diana Ross & the Supremes’ in 1967, and when Diana Ross (see also best songs 900-519-183 and 28) left the band for a solo career in 1970, they reverted once again to ‘Supremes,’ through until the groups disbandment in 1977. When most people think of the Supremes they think of three female singers, but over the course of the 18 years there were 10 different vocalists.

‘Baby Love’ is one of the 12 tracks all recorded between 1963-1964 that made up the Supremes second studio Album ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ first issued in 1964. The song was written by the legendary song writing team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, (see also best songs 969-823-650-553-411 and 148) and produced Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier. The song spent four weeks at Number 1 on Billboard giving the Supremes their second chart topper, after ‘Where Did Our Love Go,’ they would eventually achieve 12 Billboard Number 1 singles, the most by any American group, and only second to the Beatles who had 20. ‘Baby Love’ also topped the chart in the UK, giving them their only Number 1 in that country.

‘Baby Love’ was performed by Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943-1976) and Mary Wilson, (1944-2021) who are the three who are considered to be the Supremes classic line up, the instrumentation was performed by the ‘Funk Brothers (see also best songs 948-650-569-414-382-148 and 28.) Mary Wilson has said,’Once ‘H-D-H’ found that formula for us, we had five consecutive [U.S.] number ones. Baby Love was our second hit, and our first UK Number one. Again, we initially felt that the song was a bit cute, but the upbeat feeling of the music is counterbalanced by the lyrics, someone pleading with a lover not to leave them. It’s the Motown way, the music is beautiful but the words are stories about life and hurt, which reflect the way life is.The combination of the two made the music last.’ Lamont Dozier has said that the song is about ‘My first love who I never really got over.’ Dozier has said that many of the songs he wrote while at Motown were inspired by her.

So what is baby love? It is the love that you feel for the first person you love, usually when you’re a teen, they can do no wrong, so you love them regardless of how they treat you. It’s an immature way of loving someone and it isn’t really love, it’s infatuation, that’s what the term “baby love” mean….probably.

The other two UK Motown Number 1 singles in the 1960’s are, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There,’ for the Four Tops in 1966, (see also best songs 650) and ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine,’ for Marvin Gaye in 1969.

‘All of my whole life through, I never love no one but you. Why you do me like you do, I guess it’s me, Ooh, need to hold you once again my love, feel your warm embrace my love.’