Hey! Baby

For other uses, see Hey Baby.

"Hey! Baby" is a song written by Margaret Cobb and Bruce Channel, recorded at Clifford Herring Studios in Ft. Worth, Texas, by Channel in 1961. First released on a local Fort Worth label, LeCam Records. After it hit, it was released on Smash Records for national distribution. Channel co-produced the song with Major Bill Smith (owner of LeCam)^{[citation needed]} and released it on Mercury Records' Smash label. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, starting the week ending March 10, 1962.

"Hey! Baby"
Side-A labels of the US single
Single by Bruce Channel
from the album Hey! Baby
B-side	"Dream Girl"
Released	December 1961
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	2:27
Label	LeCam, Smash, CBS (US)
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Bruce Channel Major Bill Smith
Bruce Channel singles chronology
"Now or Never" (1960) "Hey! Baby" (1961) "Run Romance Run" (1962)

The song features a prominent riff from well-known harmonica player Delbert McClinton, and drums played by Ray Torres. Other musicians on the record included Bob Jones and Billy Sanders on guitar and Jim Rogers on bass. According to a CNN article^[2] from 2002, while touring the UK in 1962 with the Beatles, McClinton met John Lennon and gave him some harmonica tips. Lennon put the lessons to use right away on "Love Me Do" and later "Please Please Me". Lennon included "Hey! Baby" in his jukebox, and it is also featured on the 2004 related compilation album John Lennon's Jukebox. In addition to this, a version of the song was recorded by Ringo Starr in 1976.

"Hey! Baby" was used in the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing in the scene in which Johnny and Baby dance on top of a log.

Charts

Chart (1962)	Peak position
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[3]	1
UK Singles Chart	2
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	1
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides	2

Anne Murray version

"Hey! Baby!"
Single by Anne Murray
from the album The Hottest Night of the Year
B-side	"Song for the Mira"
Released	May 1982
Genre	Country
Length	2:47
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Jim Ed Norman
Anne Murray singles chronology
"Another Sleepless Night" (1982) "Hey! Baby!" (1982) "Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye" (1982)

Canadian country pop singer Anne Murray covered the song in 1982, reaching number 7 on the US Country Singles chart and number 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Murray also reached number 1 on the RPM country and adult contemporary charts in Canada.

Charts

Chart (1982)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)	1
Canadian Adult Contemporary Tracks (RPM)	1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5]	7
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[6]	26

DJ Ötzi version

"Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)"
Single by DJ Ötzi
from the album Love, Peace & Vollgas
B-side	"Uh! Ah!"
Released	July 31, 2000 (2000-07-31)
Length	3:37
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Margaret Cobb Bruce Channel
Producer(s)	Christian Seitz Claus Marcus Klaus Biedermann Mark Duran
DJ Ötzi singles chronology
"Gemma Bier trinken" (2000) "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)" (2000) "Doh Wah Diddy" (2001)

Austrian artist DJ Ötzi recorded a cover version titled "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)". It was released in July 2000 as the lead single from his debut solo album, Love, Peace & Vollgas. This version reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. In 2002, it was re-released when it became the unofficial theme song for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.^[7] In the United States, the song was released to promote the 2003 buddy comedy film Kangaroo Jack.^[8]

Music video

The official music video features large groups of people singing along to the song in a taxi at different times, interspersed with DJ Ötzi singing on a TV screen. An animated music video was also produced featuring a cartoon version of DJ Ötzi performing with a band of robots while trying to woo a princess.

Track listings

Standard maxi-CD and cassette single^[9][10]

1. "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)" (radio mix) – 3:36
2. "Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)" (club mix) – 4:15
3. "Uh! Ah!" – 3:38

European CD single^[11]

1. "Hey Baby" (Radiomix) – 3:36
2. "Anton aus Tirol" – 3:47

US CD single^[8]

1. "Hey Baby" (radio edit) – 3:36
2. "Hey Baby" (Ooh Aah radio remix) – 3:36

Canadian maxi-CD single^[12]

1. "Hey Baby" (radio mix)
2. "Hey Baby" (French version)
3. "Uh! Ah!"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2000–2002)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[13]	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14]	4
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[15]	9
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[16]	50
Denmark (Tracklisten)[17]	2
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18]	8
Germany (GfK)[19]	11
Ireland (IRMA)[20]	1
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[21]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22]	8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23]	56
Norway (VG-lista)[24]	9
Scotland (OCC)[25]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26]	3
UK Singles (OCC)[27]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)	Position
Germany (Media Control)[28]	60

Chart (2001)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29]	17
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[30]	24
Germany (Media Control)[31]	56
Ireland (IRMA)[32]	4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[33]	56
Sweden (Hitlistan)[34]	9
UK Singles (OCC)[35]	5

Chart (2002)	Position
Australia (ARIA)[36]	14
Sweden (Hitlistan)[37]	92

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[38]	Platinum	70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[39]	Gold	20,000*
Germany (BVMI)[40]	Gold	250,000^
Sweden (GLF)[41]	Platinum	30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[42]	Platinum	776,000[43]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Version	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Europe	Original	July 31, 2000	CD	EMI	[19]
United Kingdom		September 10, 2001	CD cassette		[44]
New Zealand		October 22, 2001	CD	Shock	[45]
Australia		February 11, 2002			[46]
United Kingdom	World Cup mix	May 27, 2002	CD cassette	EMI Liberty	[47]

In popular culture

Darts player Tony O'Shea uses it as his walk-on song.^[48] In 2017 and 2018, Team Canada used the radio mix version of the hit as their goal song at the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.^[49] The song has become an icon in the WJC as the song was heard around 39 times in the tournament, as the Canadian juniors scored 39 goals.^[50] In 2021, the song returned in Edmonton at the 2022 World Juniors. However, three days after the tournament began, the 2022 edition of the WJC was cancelled due to multiple COVID-19 outbreaks within teams.^[51] WWE fans often chant the song at Bayley, substituting her name for the word "baby".

Other notable versions

• In 1963 David Box recorded his Version In Ben Hall's Studio in Big Spring
• New Zealand group the La De Da's covered it in 1967, making the song chart at number one in New Zealand twice.^{[citation needed]}
• Bobby G. Rice in 1970, which reached number 35 on the country music charts.^[52]
• Ringo Starr released the song as a single, backed with "Lady Gaye", from his Ringo's Rotogravure album, on November 22, 1976, in the US^{[nb 1][53]} (reaching number 74 US Pop), and on November 26 in the UK.^{[nb 2][54]} Record World said that it "should bring some good time sounds to the top of the charts and end the year on a spirited note."^[55] He had also sampled it in his previous chart hit, "A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll" (reaching number 26 US Pop).
• Cooldown Café, a Dutch band, covered it in 2000; it was top-5 hit in the Netherlands.^{[citation needed]}
• "Hey Baby" has become a popular terrace chant among football supporters, with the lyrics changed to refer to teams or individual players.^[56]
• DJ Ötzi's version of "Hey Baby" has been used by Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies at home games since the 2007 season, played during the seventh inning stretch.^[57] The Rockies won the National League pennant that year.^[58]

See also

• List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States