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Released in 1979

Baby's Request

Written by Paul McCartney

Last updated on July 28, 2022

Album This song officially appears on the Back To The Egg Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1979

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:

From Beatles Bible:

McCartney wrote the song for The Mills Brothers, the American jazz and pop vocal quartet who rose to fame in the 1930s.

“That came about because we were on holiday in the south of France last summer, and we saw The Mills Brothers, the famous old Mills Brothers. Everyone thought that they were dead but they were in cabaret down there, and they were 73 years of age and rotund. They were great and sang exactly like they used to and they are still an amazing group. I went to see them backstage and one of them said, ‘Hey, Paul. How’s about writing The Mills Brothers a song?’ So I said, ‘Yeah, Herbie, OK.’” Paul McCartney

Baby’s Request was never originally intended to be recorded by McCartney or Wings. A demo was taped, but a misunderstanding with The Mills Brothers’ management meant it ended up being used on Back to The Egg.

“I went back to the hotel and spent the next day writing a song for them and when we got back to London we demoed it, sent it out to them and, unfortunately, there was a slight cock up on the management front. For some reason, their manager got the idea that we were going to pay them to record it. So they ended up not doing it, and we ended up doing it ourselves.” Paul McCartney

The demo recording was made in October 1978 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. It was a taped in just a few live takes, and was used on the album without being re-recorded properly.

[…]

McCartney was not normally in the habit of re-recording his earlier songs, with some exceptions including 1984’s Give My Regards To Broad Street. However, he made an exception for Kisses On The Bottom, his 2012 collection of American standards.

The basic edition of the album had 14 songs, two of which were new original compositions by McCartney. A deluxe edition, meanwhile, had two bonus tracks: Baby’s Request and another cover version, My One And Only Love. The inclusion of Baby’s Request brought the number of original compositions up to three.

“Before we started the album I played Tommy [LiPuma] a couple of songs that were written in the style of the album that we were about to make. And he said, ‘Oh, we should try that.’ That was originally written, very much in this style, for The Mills Brothers. I was hoping they would do it. Something happened and they never did. I’m not sure if they ever heard that I’d offered it to them.” Paul McCartney

In Oct ’78, we recorded it My Baby’s Request @ Abbey Road 1st as a demo & then we put the track on Back To The Egg. I played a Gibson 335, Denny-piano, w/Paul & Steve on bass & drums. Paul overdubbed the trombone-like Moog solo.

From Laurence Juber on Twitter, June 17, 2022

Lyrics

*When the moon lays

His head on a pillow

And the stars settle

Down for a rest,

Just do me one small favour

I beg you

Please play me

My baby's request

It's the song

That we heard

When we started.

Now the bird have all

Flown from our nest

**But you could bring back memories

Departed by playing

My baby's request

My baby said

That she knows

How it goes

But you're the one

That really knows

So go ahead

Just one more time and then

We'll go to bed

Repeat **

Repeat ***

Repeat *

Hmm play me baby's request

Please play me my baby's request

One more time

Officially appears on

Bootlegs

Related film

Live performances

Paul McCartney has never played this song in concert.

Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989

With 25 albums of pop music, 5 of classical – a total of around 500 songs – released over the course of more than half a century, Paul McCartney's career, on his own and with Wings, boasts an incredible catalogue that's always striving to free itself from the shadow of The Beatles. The stories behind the songs, demos and studio recordings, unreleased tracks, recording dates, musicians, live performances and tours, covers, events: Music Is Ideas Volume 1 traces McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1970 to 1989 in the form of 346 song sheets, filled with details of the recordings and stories behind the sessions. Accompanied by photos, and drawing on interviews and contemporary reviews, this reference book draws the portrait of a musical craftsman who has elevated popular song to an art-form.

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Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Sabreena Hunt • 2 months ago

Is this song appropriate for baby?

The PaulMcCartney Project • 1 month ago

Hi Sabreena, it's a gentle sweet song and melody.

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