"Babe"
Single by Styx
from the album Cornerstone
B-side"I'm O.K."
ReleasedSeptember 14, 1979
Recorded1979
GenreSoft rock[1]
Length4:01 (single version)
4:25 (album version)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Dennis DeYoung
Producer(s)
Styx singles chronology
"Renegade"
(1979) 		"Babe"
(1979) 		"Why Me"
(1980)
Music video
"Babe" by Styx on YouTube

"Babe" is a song by the American rock band Styx. It was the lead single from the band's 1979 triple-platinum album Cornerstone. The song was Styx's first, and only, US number-one single, spending two weeks at No. 1 in December 1979, serving as the penultimate number-one single of the 1970s (the ultimate number-one single of the 70's was Another Brick in the Wall, by Pink Floyd). "Babe" also went to No. 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[2] It additionally held the number-one spot for six weeks on the Canadian RPM national singles chart, charting in December 1979 and becoming the opening chart-topper of the 1980s. It was also the band's only UK Top 40 hit, peaking at No. 6. It also reached No. 1 in South Africa.[3]

Background and content

The song was written by member Dennis DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne. The theme of the song is "the separation of two people."[4] DeYoung stated of it that "If they've figured out what's more important than a relationship between two people, I don't know what it is.[4] The finished track was recorded as a demo with just DeYoung and Styx members John Panozzo and Chuck Panozzo playing on the track, with DeYoung singing all of the harmonies himself.

The song was not originally intended to be a Styx track, but Styx members James "J.Y." Young and Tommy Shaw convinced DeYoung to put the song on Cornerstone. As a result, DeYoung's demo was placed on Cornerstone with Shaw overdubbing a guitar solo in the song's middle section.

Reception

Cash Box said it has "crystalline singing and airy electric piano leads" but that the "high harmonies are the highlight."[5] Billboard called it a "melodic pop number" that should break the band into adult contemporary playlists.[6] Record World highlighted the "playful keyboards", "youthful lead vocal", "full harmony chorus and ascending lead guitar runs."[7]

Eric Hegedus of The Morning Call considered it one of the best examples of Styx's "newfound mastery of the techniques needed to perform slow love songs" and highlighted the "deceptively simple lyrics."[8] Rolling Stone critic David Fricke described it as a lush ballad.[9]

The track became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was their only major UK hit single, reaching No. 6. The song also won a People's Choice Award as the best song in 1980.[10][11][12]

In popular culture

In 1999, "Babe" was included in the soundtrack to the film Big Daddy, starring Adam Sandler, whose character is a huge fan of Styx.[citation needed]

Personnel

Chart history

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Gold 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Caught in the Act version

"Babe"
Single by Caught in the Act
from the album Vibe
ReleasedJuly 28, 1997
Recorded1997
GenrePop
Length4:28 (single version)
4:27 (album version)
LabelZYX
Songwriter(s)Dennis DeYoung
Producer(s)Phil Harding, Ian Curnow
Caught in the Act singles chronology
"Do It For Love"
(1997) 		"Babe"
(1997) 		"Baby Come Back"
(1998)

In 1997 Dutch boy band Caught in the Act covered "Babe" on their album Vibe. The song's success was modest.

Music video

In the music video, the band members play soldiers and perform the song both in a barracks and on patrol. They take a look at a waitress.[34]

Track listing

CD maxi

  1. "Babe" (Radio Mix) – 4:28
  2. "Babe" (Cloud 9 Mix) – 4:25
  3. "Babe" (Gee Extended Mix) – 6:42
  4. "Don't Just Leave Me Now" (Radio Version) – 4:46

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[35] 26
Germany (Official German Charts)[36] 35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 95

References

  1. ^ "VH1's 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs". Stereogum. May 31, 2007. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 236.
  3. ^ "Springbok SA Top 20". Archived from the original on November 8, 2003. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Miller, Patrick (June 27, 1981). "Styx". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-13 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 29, 1979. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  6. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. September 29, 1979. p. 71. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  7. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 29, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  8. ^ Hegedus, Eric (November 24, 1979). "Styx: Cornerstone". The Morning Call. p. 51. Archived from the original on 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-13 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Fricke, David (December 13, 1979). "Cornerstone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  10. ^ Panozzo, Chuck; Skettino, Michelle (2007). The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx. AMACOM. p. 104. ISBN 9780814400807.
  11. ^ Cain, Scott (January 25, 1981). "Styx is bringing lavish trappings for Omni concert". Atlanta Constitution. p. 5E. Archived from the original on 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-13 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Bishop, Pete (February 5, 1980). "Rousing Styx Concert Shows Why Band is 'People's Choice'". The Pittsburgh Press. p. A-8. Archived from the original on 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-14 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 299. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ^ "Styx – Babe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  15. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". December 29, 1979. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  16. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Babe". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  17. ^ "Styx – Babe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  18. ^ "Styx – Babe". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  19. ^ "Springbok SA Top 20". Archived from the original on November 8, 2003. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "Styx: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  21. ^ "Styx Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "Styx Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  23. ^ "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  24. ^ "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. December 22, 1979. Retrieved March 3, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  25. ^ http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1979YESP.html Archived July 13, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1980
  26. ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. January 5, 1981. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Imgur.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  28. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Archived from the original on January 16, 2004. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  29. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 19__/Top 100 Songs of 1980". musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  30. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  31. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Styx – Babe". Music Canada.
  32. ^ "British single certifications – Styx – Babe". British Phonographic Industry.
  33. ^ "American single certifications – Styx – Babe". Recording Industry Association of America.
  34. ^ "Music video on Youtube.de". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-04-11. Retrieved 2019-06-29.
  35. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  36. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  37. ^ "Caught in the Act – Babe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
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