Patti Austin, Baby, Come To Me | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 146th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Baby, Come To Me” by Patti Austin with James Ingram.   

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 146^th  edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Baby, Come To Me” performed by Patti Austin with James Ingram.

“Baby, come to me / Let me put my arms around you / This was meant to be / And I’m, oh, so glad I found you.” Patti Austin (1950 – ) duetted with the late, great James Ingram (1952 – 2019) on “Baby, Come To Me”.  “Baby, Come To Me” appeared as the fifth track from Austin’s album, Every Home Should Have One, released in December 1981. “Baby…” initially debuted on the pop charts in 1982, but didn’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 Austin’s only top 40 hit. She charted four other songs on the pop charts. Her second-highest entry was a second duet with Ingram, “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” which peaked at no. 45.  Although Austin would eventually win a Grammy, “Baby, Come To Me” wasn’t nominated – “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” was nominated instead, and lost.

The instrumental introduction of “Baby, Come To Me” sets the tone for the song.  “Baby” 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 Austin’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:

“Need you every day
Gotta have your love around me
Baby, always stay
‘Cause I can’t go back to livin’ without you.”

Patti Austin, assisted by James Ingram, delivered a tour de force with “Baby, Come To Me”.  This song never grows old.

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

Patti Austin, Baby, Come To Me: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 146 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Craft Recordings. / Concord; OpenClipart-Vectors, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]