My Baby Left Me/That's All Right (1977)
My Baby Left Me/That's All Right is a non-album single, released by Barn Records on 14 October 1977. It reached No. 32 in the UK and remained in the charts for four weeks. The song was released as a tribute to Elvis Presley, who died in August of that year. The Slade version merged "My Baby Left Me" with "That's All Right", both of which were written by Arthur Crudup and had been covered by Presley. Slade's version was produced by Chas Chandler.
Background
After their return to the UK from the United States in 1976, Slade found themselves out-of-favour at the time of the UK's punk rock explosion. The band's 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade proved a commercial failure, as did the non-album single "Burning in the Heat of Love", while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues.
Later in the year, the band decided to record a version of "My Baby Left Me" as a tribute to Elvis Presley following his death in mid-August. The band had already played the song live at their American concerts in 1976. "My Baby Left Me" was recorded on 31 August at Advision Studios in London. As Dave Hill was busy doing interviews in northern England, Jim Lea played guitar on the recording.
Released in October 1977, Noddy Holder told the London Evening News: "We all really need this one to be a hit. We want to keep our stature as a world-class band - and you need top-ten records to do that." "My Baby Left Me" provided the band with a brief comeback, reaching No. 32, however it would be the band's last Top 40 single until 1981's "We'll Bring the House Down".
Release
"My Baby Left Me" was released on 7" vinyl by Barn Records in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany and Australia.
The B-side, "O.H.M.S.", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides. In a 1977 interview, Holder mentioned song to Record Mirror while speaking of the band's income tax situation: "The system here is crazy. We work for the taxman, getting 17p in the pound. In the States the top rate in income tax is 50 per cent. If they made it like that here all the exiles would come back and think of all the dollars that would come into the country. The Government, the country, everybody would be better off. Listen to the B-side of our current single - it says it all about the tax system and the homesick exiles."
Promotion
A music video was filmed to promote the single. It featured the band performing the song on a stage. In the UK, the band performed the song on the music show Top of the Pops. In Germany, it was performed on the TV shows Disco and Rund.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Chart performance
UK Singles Chart: #32
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Background
After their return to the UK from the United States in 1976, Slade found themselves out-of-favour at the time of the UK's punk rock explosion. The band's 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade proved a commercial failure, as did the non-album single "Burning in the Heat of Love", while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues.
Later in the year, the band decided to record a version of "My Baby Left Me" as a tribute to Elvis Presley following his death in mid-August. The band had already played the song live at their American concerts in 1976. "My Baby Left Me" was recorded on 31 August at Advision Studios in London. As Dave Hill was busy doing interviews in northern England, Jim Lea played guitar on the recording.
Released in October 1977, Noddy Holder told the London Evening News: "We all really need this one to be a hit. We want to keep our stature as a world-class band - and you need top-ten records to do that." "My Baby Left Me" provided the band with a brief comeback, reaching No. 32, however it would be the band's last Top 40 single until 1981's "We'll Bring the House Down".
Release
"My Baby Left Me" was released on 7" vinyl by Barn Records in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany and Australia.
The B-side, "O.H.M.S.", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides. In a 1977 interview, Holder mentioned song to Record Mirror while speaking of the band's income tax situation: "The system here is crazy. We work for the taxman, getting 17p in the pound. In the States the top rate in income tax is 50 per cent. If they made it like that here all the exiles would come back and think of all the dollars that would come into the country. The Government, the country, everybody would be better off. Listen to the B-side of our current single - it says it all about the tax system and the homesick exiles."
Promotion
A music video was filmed to promote the single. It featured the band performing the song on a stage. In the UK, the band performed the song on the music show Top of the Pops. In Germany, it was performed on the TV shows Disco and Rund.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Record Mirror said: "A Slade slug at a Crudup past. Real pleasant it is too. But I can remember a time when Slade records were vixen fearsome rather than pleasant. Fearsome on their own songs, not some cruising rocker from way back. Get out while the going's bad. 'Cos it's only going to get hideous."
- Sounds rated the single as the "Best Comeback Single", writing: "Fabulous treatment of this old Arthur Crudup number could easily see Slade back in the charts. It's a bouncy, struttin' 12-bar blues number quite unlike most of the band's earlier hit singles and it could just be the right thing to get them back into favour at the current time. On the other hand it could be that its remarkable similarity to the treatments of old blues numbers by a certain Johnny Winter Esq is clouding my judgement. We'll have to wait and see."
- Sports Argus commented: "Another big name back on the scene are local lads Slade with a fine rocker, rehashing "My Baby Left Me" and "That's Alright Mama". Back in the old routine and a surefire hit."
Chart performance
UK Singles Chart: #32
Formats
7" single
- "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama" - 2:23
- "O.H.M.S." - 2:41
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Jim Lea - guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer
- Gered Mankowitz - sleeve photography
- Jo Mirowski - sleeve design