Reading Time: 13 min read

11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy (2024) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner; Wendel Natan from Pexels]11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy features songs by Chappell Roan, Donna Summer, Lil Nas X, NLE Choppa, and Tommy Richman.  

Babes, are you ready? Ready for what, you ask? Why, the unveiling of 11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy! The criterion is simple: each song must feature the word babe or baby in some form or fashion.  Naturally, many songs feature these nouns, so, 11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy will have a follow-up musical compendium.  Until then, letโ€™s dive into 11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy which features songs by Chappell Roan, Donna Summer, Lil Nas X, NLE Choppa, and Tommy Richman. Oh, baby, baby, baby!


~ Table of Contents ~ 

1. Chappell Roan, โ€œGood Luck, Babe!โ€

2. Tommy Richman, โ€œMILLION DOLLAR BABYโ€

3. Ava Max, โ€œMillion Dollar Babyโ€

4. Cigarettes After Sex, โ€œBaby Blue Movieโ€

5. George McCrae, โ€œRock Your Babyโ€

6. David Guetta, Anne-Marie, Coi Leray, โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€

7. Donna Summer, โ€œLove to Love You Babyโ€

8. NLE Choppa, โ€œLick Me Babyโ€

9. Patti Austin, โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€ (with James Ingram)

10. Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, โ€œINDUSTRY BABYโ€

11. Player, โ€œBaby Come Backโ€


1. Chappell Roan, โ€œGood Luck, Babe!โ€

โ€œGood Luck, Babe!โ€ // KRA International, Inc. / Island // 2024

Chappell Roan, Good Luck, Babe! [๐Ÿ“ท: KRA International, Inc. / Island]โ€œI donโ€™t wanna call it off / But you donโ€™t wanna call it love / You only wanna be the one that I call baby.โ€ Chappell Roan is comfortable with her sexuality in her thrilling, breakout hit, โ€œGood Luck, Babe!โ€.  Her girlfriend, however, is struggling with accepting her sexuality, complicating their relationship.  โ€œYou can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth,โ€ Roan asserts in the first verse, adding, โ€œAnd I guess Iโ€™m the fool.โ€ Being queer in a heteronormative world can be tough, and Roanโ€™s girlfriend didnโ€™t reach a level of comfort. Roan paints the picture of the end of this relationship because of these unfair, unfortunate circumstances (โ€œThink Iโ€™m gonna call it off / Even if you call it love / I just wanna love someone who calls me babyโ€). The damage has been done.  In the chorus, she wishes her luck suppressing her sexuality to fit the heterosexual narrative of the word:

โ€œYou can kiss a hundred boys in bars

Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling

โ€ฆ Make another excuse, another stupid reason

Good luck, babe (Well, good luck).โ€

Roan, Justin Tranter, and producer, Dan Nigro composed this colorful, dynamic, meaningful, and thoughtful song.  The sound is alternative pop with a standard rhythm section, programming, and strings.  Chappell is an awesome singer who shows off the versatility of her instrument.  Most importantly, the epic โ€œGood Luck, Babe!โ€ addresses a prevalent issue within the LGBTQ+  ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ community and how complicated same-sex relationships can be and dispels the myopic view/myth that queer relationships as merely sexual.

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป

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2. Tommy Richman, โ€œMILLION DOLLAR BABYโ€

โ€œMILLION DOLLAR BABYโ€ // ISO Supremacy / PULSE // 2024

Tommy Richman, MILLION DOLLAR BABY [๐Ÿ“ท: ISO Supremacy / PULSE]โ€œCause I wanna make it (so badly) / Iโ€™m a Million Dollar Baby (donโ€™t at me).โ€ WOO! โ€œMILLION DOLLAR BABYโ€ from Tommy Richman is a vibe from the opening tip.  The moment this sugar honey iced tea comes on, it is straight fire! It was produced by Max Vossberg, Jonah Roy, Mannyvelli, Sparkheem, and Kavi.  The production team kicks ass and takes names. The groove is infectious to the nth degree. Between it and the gimmicky โ€˜chopped and screwedโ€™ vocals in the intro โ€“ โ€œDo it, baby, do what I should think / Do it-do it, baby, do what I could thinkโ€ โ€“ it gets you hype TF up!

Besides rad production, the melodies are infectious and tuneful. The lyrics are confident and fun. โ€œI ainโ€™t never rep a set baby / I ainโ€™t do no wrong,โ€ Richman sings (*raps melodically) in the chorus, continuing, โ€œI could clean up good for you / Oh, I know right from wrong.โ€ Richmanโ€™s vocal performance is intriguing.  His tone is ear-catching. He oozes with soul and swagger. A prime example of this swagger: โ€œVA next (Yeah, yeah), Iโ€™m at they neck (Yeah, yeah) / Iโ€™m running up a check (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah).โ€ If you need a translation for what Richmanโ€™s saying, heโ€™s saying his home state, Virginia, has got next. Tommy Richman โ€˜did the damn thangโ€™ on โ€œMILLION DOLLAR BABYโ€.

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป

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3. Ava Max, โ€œMillion Dollar Babyโ€

Diamonds & Dancefloors // Atlantic // 2023

Ava Max, Diamonds & Dancefloors [๐Ÿ“ท: Atlantic]โ€œMillion Dollar Babyโ€ commences Diamonds & Dancefloors, the sophomore album by pop musician, Ava Max.  This slickly produced number (Cirkut, David Stewart, and LOSTBOY) that screams dancefloor.  Not only is it readymade for the club, but it also mentions those diamonds from the album title: โ€œDiamonds / She turns tears to diamonds / Tryinโ€™ / To find that silver lininโ€™.โ€ Max sings marvelously, imparting the tale of this miracle who, โ€œBroke out of her chains, turned the fire into rain.โ€ Judging by the lyrics, this girl has been through everything, and โ€œgot danger on her mind,โ€ yet, again, sheโ€™s a โ€œma-ma-ma-maโ€ฆ miracle.โ€ โ€™ Fun songwriting, electrifying production, a catchy chorus, and awesome vocals from Max make โ€œMillion Dollar Babyโ€ a surefire bop.

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4. Cigarettes After Sex, โ€œBaby Blue Movieโ€

Xโ€™s // Spanish Prayers / Partisan // 2024

Cigarettes After Sex, X's [๐Ÿ“ท: Spanish Prayers / Partisan]โ€œBaby blue movie with always4tuesdays / And her love, Sarah, at Brooklyn House Hotel.โ€ Greg Gonzalez and Cigarettes After Sexโ€ฆ where are you going with โ€œBaby Blue Movieโ€? โ€œDonโ€™t you understand / Donโ€™t you know the love that you wants all the love that you neededโ€ฆโ€ Hmm, thought-provoking.  The third single and seventh track from Xโ€™s is unique. Not straightforward, Gonzalez commented to The Line of Best Fit that the songโ€™s story โ€œis intentionally meant to be more cryptic storytelling wise than the lyrics I usually write.โ€ I concur. First things first, a baby blue movie is softcore porn. There are two verses brief verses written similarly.  Notably, the pre-chorus and chorus feature more lyrics than the verses, which speaks to the nontraditional structure of โ€œBaby Blue Movie.โ€ Both the pre-chorus and chorus are memorable and tuneful. Gonzalez sings superbly from start to finish.  His cool, calm, and collected voice remains tried and true.  Also, the instrumental โ€“ the sound of the record โ€“ is marvelous.  Clocking in at over four minutes, โ€œBaby Blue Movieโ€ is so hypnotic and mesmerizing that itโ€™s finished before you know it.  Even if it takes some decoding and deciphering, Cigarettes After Sex released another intriguing, worthwhile song.

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5. George McCrae, โ€œRock Your Babyโ€

Rock Your Baby // Rhino Entertainment // 1974

George McCrae, Rock Your Baby [๐Ÿ“ท: Rhino]โ€œWoman / Take me in your arms / Rock your baby.โ€โ€ฏ Sometimes, it takes only one big hit to cement a musical legacy. For George McCrae, it is his influential, no. 1 hit, โ€œRock Your Babyโ€.โ€ฏ โ€œRock Your Babyโ€ is, indeed, โ€œsmooth like butterโ€ โ€“ perfect for the dance floors back in the day.โ€ฏ Even though disco isnโ€™t the sensation in the 2020s that it was the 1970s, โ€œRock Your Babyโ€ still feels like a slice of dance music heaven ๐Ÿ˜‡.โ€ฏ Notably, this record influenced one of the most iconic disco songs of all time: โ€œDancing Queenโ€ by ABBA.โ€ฏ That alone tells you that Mr. McCrae had it going on ๐Ÿ’ช!

Supported by that celestial instrumental, it also helps that McCrae has an angelic instrument on his hands.โ€ฏ His voice is stunning.โ€ฏ He never forces things or over sings.โ€ฏ What he serves up is just right โ€“ cool, calm, and collected.โ€ฏ Like โ€œI Get Liftedโ€ from his 1974 album, Rock Your Baby, Richard Finch and Henry Wayne Casey (KC) โ€“ members of the legendary KC & The Sunshine Band โ€“ wrote and produced the track.โ€ฏโ€œYeah! Hold me tight / With all your might / Now, let your lovinโ€™ flow / Real sweet and slow.โ€ Ooh la-la, George! โ€œRock Your Babyโ€ remains the sugar honey iced tea to this day!

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:โ€ฏ

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6. David Guetta, Anne-Marie, Coi Leray, โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€

โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€ // Warner Music UK Limited // 2023

David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray, โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€ [๐Ÿ“ท: Warner Music UK Limited / What A DJ Ltd]Question: โ€œWhat is love?โ€ That is a deep, deep question.โ€ฏ Back in 1993, Haddaway had an incredible song about it: โ€œWhat Is Loveโ€.โ€ฏ Well, 30 years after the Haddaway classic, David Guetta, Anne-Marie, and Coi Leray sample it on their collaborative single, โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€.โ€ฏ Anne-Marie (singing) and Coi Leray (rapping) handle the vocal duties on this dance-pop cut.โ€ฏ Meanwhile, Guetta, alongside Toby Green, and Mike Hawkins handles the production.โ€ฏ The backdrop is slick as youโ€™d expect, with the beat and rhythmic synths thriving.โ€ฏEven though โ€œWhat is Loveโ€ fuels the chorus of the song (performed by Anne-Marie), there are also original lyrics. Anne-Marie performs the first verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and during the drop.โ€ฏ The love โ€“ well, mostly the sex โ€“ is lit. The love is sus โ€“ a bit sketchy โ€“ judging by the lyrics.โ€ฏ Coi Leray takes a similar approach, focusing on the sexual endeavors, asserting, โ€œOn my body, he givinโ€™ me kisses / Iโ€™m wet when Iโ€™m with him, I pop it like Adderall.โ€โ€ฏ Day-um, girl! Both ladies make their modus operandi crystal clear, propelled by an ear-catching backdrop.โ€ฏAll in all, โ€œBaby Donโ€™t Hurt Meโ€ is an enjoyable dance/pop joint.โ€ฏ Is it the second coming? No, but it doesnโ€™t need to be either.โ€ฏ Guetta remains a great producer.โ€ฏ The decision to sample Haddaway was a smart one.โ€ฏ Anne-Marie does her thing, while Coi Leray takes it even more risquรฉ.โ€ฏ Wonโ€™t change lives but should give a playlist โ€“ particularly the sex playlist โ€“ a spark.

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7. Donna Summer, โ€œLove to Love You Babyโ€

Love to Love You Babyโ€ฏ// UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1975

Donna Summer, Love to Love You Baby [๐Ÿ“ท: UMG Recordings, Inc.]โ€œAh, I love to love you baby.โ€ One of the sexiest records of all time belongs to the late, great Donna Summer. โ€ฏKeeping it real, โ€œLove to Love You Babyโ€โ€ฏ(Love to Love You Baby, 1975) is the musical equivalent of an orgasm. โ€ฏAffirming the musical orgasm are prevalent sensual moans by Summer, sure to turn anyone on. โ€ฏCouple those moans with that killer, rhythmic hi-hat, and โ€œLove to Love You Babyโ€ is the perfect soundtrack to a lit sexual encounter. โ€ฏWhile the song avoids explicitness lyrically, it remains risquรฉ to date. Itโ€™s the moans where Summer perfectly stimulates superb โ€˜lovemaking.โ€™ Lyrically, there arenโ€™t many words, but Summer makes them worthwhile, painting a lustful picture. โ€ฏโ€œWhen youโ€™re laying so close to me / Thereโ€™s no place Iโ€™d rather you be / Than with me,โ€ she sings calmly and coolly in the first verse. โ€ฏShe turns up the heat on the second, asserting, โ€œDo it to me again and again / You put me in such an awful spin.โ€ Oh, the power of the Dโ€ฆ Those signature moans, sheโ€™d make anybody blush!

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:โ€ฏ

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8. NLE Choppa, โ€œLick Me Babyโ€

Me vs. Me // NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc. / Warner // 2022 

NLE Choppa, Me Vs. Me [๐Ÿ“ท: Warner]โ€œClimb on this dick, know itโ€™s a long journey, but itโ€™s yoโ€™ throne.โ€ Oh, snap, NLE Choppa (Bryson Potts)! Heโ€™s packing! The Memphis, Tennessee rapper is not shy when it comes to sex (see โ€œSLUT ME OUTโ€ and โ€œSLUT ME OUT 2โ€). On his 2022 album, Me vs. Me, he aggressively encouraged her to โ€œLick Me Babyโ€.  The 16th and penultimate track was produced by Johnny Goldstein.  Potts is backed by a dramatic, minor key backdrop, anchored by a banging, ill beat.

โ€œI want you to lick me, baby (Want you to lick me, baby, brrt)

This dick make you crazy (Make you crazy, brrt)

And donโ€™t you tempt me, baby (Tempt me, baby, brrt)

โ€˜Cause this Glock ainโ€™t got safety (Glock ainโ€™t got safety, brrt)โ€

The chorus sums up NLE Choppaโ€™s desires and thinking with his penis. The horny rhymes run rampant on โ€œLick Me Baby.โ€  The first verse alone has no shortage of inches โ€“ I mean, sexed-up lyrics! โ€œLick me, fuck me, touch me, suck me, slut me (Slut me),โ€ he spits, adding, that heโ€™s โ€œAddicted to pussy, I am a druggie (I am a druggie) / Dark skin, sweet on the inside, my nutty buddy (Mwah).โ€  He also implores her to โ€œFuck me slow, ride me on a ten-speed like we on the road / Iโ€™m โ€˜bout to blow, she let me paint her face like Picasso.โ€ At least the sex is artistic.  The second verse is also dirty. He memorably spells: โ€œL-I-C-K M-E B-A-B-Y / F-U-C-K M-E L-A-D-Y.โ€ What a breakdown, Mr. Potts!  And, for good measure (and he measures more than adequately, per his earlier rhymes), โ€œCan you lick me? Suck on me like a New York glizzy / Pull out and then I nutted on her titties / She told me nut up in her, then I told her bitch, please.โ€ โ€œLick Me Babyโ€ is NSFW through and through.  Itโ€™s also not the least bit deep.  NLE Choppa is bricked up, or at least thatโ€™s what heโ€™s giving on this sex-positive (but non-baby-making) joint.

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9. Patti Austin, โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€ (with James Ingram)

Every Home Should Have One // Craft Recordings. / Concord // 1981

Patti Austin, Every Home Should Have One [๐Ÿ“ท: Craft Recordings. / Concord]โ€œBaby, come to me / Let me put my arms around you / This was meant to be / And Iโ€™m, oh, so glad I found you.โ€ Patti Austin (1950 โ€“ ) duetted with the late, great James Ingram (1952 โ€“ 2019) on โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€.  โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€ appeared as the fifth track from Austinโ€™s album, Every Home Should Have One, released in December 1981. โ€œBabyโ€ฆโ€ initially debuted on the pop charts in 1982, but didnโ€™t reach its peak position, no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, until February 1983.  What propelled it? Playing as the soundtrack to a legendary soap opera: General Hospital. The Rod Temperton-penned / Quincy Jones-produced gem is Austinโ€™s only top 40 hit. She charted four other songs on the pop charts. Her second-highest entry was a second duet with Ingram, โ€œHow Do You Keep The Music Playingโ€ which peaked at no. 45.  Although Austin would eventually win a Grammy, โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€ wasnโ€™t nominated โ€“ โ€œHow Do You Keep The Music Playingโ€ was nominated instead, and lost.

The instrumental introduction of โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€ sets the tone for the song.  โ€œBabyโ€ benefits from classy, smooth, adult contemporary R&B production.  The accompaniment comprises warm electric keys, a prominent, robust bass line, a sickening groove, picturesque synths, and strings.  Celestial! The first voice heard is Patti Austin.  She serves up smooth and sultry vocals.  Her tone is exquisite.  She never breaks a sweat.  James Ingram sings alongside Austin during the chorus.  He takes the reins in the second verse. His tone, like Austinโ€™s, is warm, but also, grittier and more dynamic.  In the second chorus, the vocal chemistry is sweet. His falsetto and ad-libs catch the ears. The commanding bridge is performed by both artists, starting with Ingram followed by Austin.  Patti lets loose more in the third iteration of the chorus with a freer vocal.  Besides elite performances by Austin and Ingram, the songwriting is elite too.  The harmonic progression stands out throughout. The change of key scheme during the chorus keeps the listener engaged. Lyrically, matters of the heart never grow old, with the chorus yielding the most memorable lyrics. Excerpted earlier, the chorus continues:

โ€œNeed you every day
Gotta have your love around me
Baby, always stay
โ€˜Cause I canโ€™t go back to livinโ€™ without you.โ€

Patti Austin, assisted by James Ingram, delivered a tour de force with โ€œBaby, Come To Meโ€.  This song never grows old.

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10. Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow, โ€œIndustry Babyโ€

MONTERO // Columbia // 2021

Lil Nas X, Montero [๐Ÿ“ท: Columbia]โ€œI ainโ€™t fall off, I just ainโ€™t release my new shit.โ€ Anyone who thought that Lil Nas X would be a one-hit-wonder was tripping.  The Grammy-winning, unapologetic, openly gay pop artist has been โ€˜eating it upโ€™ throughout his career.  He kills it on โ€œINDUSTRY BABYโ€ ( MONTERO), collaborating with red hot rapper Jack Harlow. Harlow doesnโ€™t lie when he asserts, โ€œI didnโ€™t peak in high school, Iโ€™m still out here gettinโ€™ cuterโ€). Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow on the same track? Magical. How about throwing in the production genius of Take A Daytrip and Kanye West?  The sound of the record is epic with hard-hitting drums and bright, accented brass.  Unsurprisingly, samples shape the backdrop, which fuels both artists.  I love the sheer confidence of Nas as well as the fact he doesnโ€™t shy away from who he is: โ€œI donโ€™t fuck bitches, Iโ€™m queer, hah / But these niggas bitches like Madea, yeah, yeah, yeah, ayy.โ€ Harlow gets his in too, beyond the โ€˜cuteโ€™ line cited earlier: โ€œI sent her back to her boyfriend with my handprint on her ass cheek.โ€ Damn, Jack!  โ€œINDUSTRY BABYโ€ is one of the best songs of Lil Nas Xโ€™s career, PERIOD. A shame that the eighth-best song of 2021 didnโ€™t win the Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

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11. Player, โ€œBaby Come Backโ€

Player // Universal Music Operations Limited // 1977

Player, Player [๐Ÿ“ท: Universal Music Operations Limited]โ€œBaby come back, any kind of fool could see / There was something in everything about you.โ€ Soft rock band Player is best known for โ€œBaby Come Backโ€. โ€œBaby Come Backโ€ appears as the second track on the bandโ€™s 1977, self-titled album. The unforgettable chorus continues, โ€œBaby come back, you can blame it all on me / I was wrong, and I just canโ€™t live without you.โ€ Word. โ€œBabyโ€ reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was penned by J.C. Crowley (keys, backing vocals) and Peter Beckett (lead vocals, electric guitar).  Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter produced it. 

The instrumental is one of many selling points. The record features an electrifying drum groove (John Friesen), robust bass line (Ronn Moss), and smooth keys (Crowley).  The guitar sounds marvelous too, with the best moments occurring during the chorus where the volume is turned up, as well as a lit solo that concludes the song. Over the silky smooth, lush instrumental, Becket delivers compelling, nuanced lead vocals. Throughout the verses, he maintains his composure, never over-singing. Matters of the heart dominate. โ€œBut when the morning comes, Iโ€™m right back where I started again / And tryinโ€™ to forget you is just a waste of time,โ€ he sings in the first, echoing the sentiment in the second, โ€œBut as the sun goes down, I get that empty feeling again / How I wish to God that you were here.โ€ In the chorus, which is tuneful to the nth degree, heโ€™s assisted by epic, harmonized backing vocals (Crowley and Moss). With such elite verses and a chorus for all ages, fittingly, thereโ€™s a change of pace during the bridge section. With a diverse harmonic progression and separating itself from everything that precedes it, the bridge makes the song even better. โ€œBaby Come Backโ€ is one of those timeless rock classics where the music speaks for itself.

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~ Table of Contents ~ // ~ intro ~

11 Babe or Baby Songs Poised to Tickle Your Fancy (2024) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Columbia, Concord, Craft Recordings., Island, ISO Supremacy, KRA International, Inc., NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc., Partisan, PULSE, Rhino Entertainment, Spanish Prayers, UMG Recordings, Inc., Universal Music Operations Limited, Warner; Wendel Natan from Pexels]

 


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.