Our Top 10 songs from the 1970s pop rock group The Babys takes a look at some of the best material the band released throughout their dynamic career. Headed by the million-dollar voice of John Waite, the Babys released some of the most addictive rock and roll pop songs of the classic rock era. The band was able to balance the fine line between rock and roll groove, pop melodies, and commercial arrangements that found a home on both album-oriented rock and top 40 radio.
The Babys released their first album in January of 1977 entitled simply The Babys. The cover art was a portrait of all four members, well dressed and somewhat mischievous looking, staring straight at the camera. The four original members consisted of John Waite on bass and lead vocals, Tony Brock on drums, Wally Stocker on guitar and Michael Corby on guitars and keys. (check out Michael Corby’s mad rant against this article in the comments section below)
If you’re going to release a debut album, you’re going to get the chance to release a second one if the first album has a hit. The Babys clinched that deal with the success of the album’s first single “If You’ve Got the Time.” That song instantly put The Babys on the map.
The Babys followed up their first album with their sophomore record entitled Broken Heart. Once again, the band delivered an album with a successful commercial single called “Isn’t It Time.” The same lineup appeared on the band’s second album.
Two years after the release of their second album the Babys returned in 1979 with the great Head First record. There were changes made to the band for the Head First lp. Original member Michael Corby was out and the album featured many guest musicians. The band had grown artistically on the record and there was a slightly heavier sound on the LP, especially on the title track. Once again, The Babys delivered another big commercial hit with the song “Every Time I Think of You.”
In 1980, The Babys released what many fans believe to be their finest album. The record Union Jacks featured two new members of the band. Jonathan Cain who would later join Journey and team up once again with John Waite in Bad English was the band’s new keyboardist. Jonathan Cain was also a contributing composer on many of the album’s songs. Ricky Phillips who would also later join Jonathan Cain and John Waite in Bad English played bass on the entire album and also contributed to the songwriting duties.
The same lineup from the Union Jacks album released one more record a year later entitled On The Edge. The album did feature a minor hit single entitled “Turn And Walk Away. However, the single never broke the Billboard Top 40 as it peaked at number forty two.
The band broke up after the release of the On The Edge album. Jonathan Cain went on to join Journey and had incredible success with the band. John Waite began his wonderful solo career and had one of the biggest hits of all time with “Missing You,” in 1984. The fabulous Tony Brock continued on, performing on drums and producing records with great success.
As of 2018, Tony Brock and Wally Stocker have reformed The Babys and are currently playing live shows. They are the only two original members in the newly reformed Babys. Plans are in the works for a new cd release.
Our Top 10 songs for The Babys is a look back at some of our favorite songs that the band released during their short five-year run. If you’re over 40, you probably know the Babys, if not, or you are a younger music fan, we hope this list turns you on to one great band from the classic rock era.
# 10 – Looking For Love
In 1977, I was browsing the new release aisle in Sam Goodys when I came across The Babys debut album. In the 1970’s many of us brought albums just based on the covers. It’s the way I first discovered Rush, Meat loaf, The Runaways and so many others. Hardcore music fans would buy albums if the covers looked interesting. There was something about that original Babys album cover that said these guys look like they have just recorded a great album. There was an air of confidence in that pose that said, buy this record and you won’t be disappointed.”
When I put on the record and heard that drum and guitar intro to “Looking For Love,” I knew I made a great choice. Been a big fan ever since. This was the song that turned on so many people to the band outside of the album’s hit single. When you release a debut album, you better be sure to put one of the best or even the best songs as the opening track. The Babys made sure of that with this track.
# 9 – Run To Mexico
We never said this was a list that looked at the biggest hits from the Babys, we labeled it the top 10 Babys songs. It does not have to be a hit to be great. This song is fabulous. The Babys rocked harder than most people realized. Listen to that smoking guitar solo. Love that line John Waite sings at the end, you will know it when you hear it.
# 8 – True Love Confession
One can really hear the impact of Jonathan Cain’s arrival in the band on the opening notes of the great song “True Love Confession.” The song was released on the Union Jacks album in 1980. “True Love Confession,” was the album’s opening track and the record’s lead single. Jonathan Cain really took the band to another level musically. The Baby’s founding member Michael Corby, who was kicked out of the band insulted Jonathan Cain whom he called a “hired gun.” Well, Look at the hits mega-hit songs that Jonathan Cain would write when he later joined Journey and probably has become one of the richest rock stars in the world. That’s no hired gun. That’s a true rock and roll star!
# 7 –Â Isn’t It Time
That captivating opening piano lick, those silk strings, those female backing vocals, and of course the magical voice of John Waite. It’s all there in the 1970’s big-time hit glory. This song was huge. From the band’s second album Broken Heart. “Isn’t It Time” was the band’s highest charting single peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. They would reach that exact spot once again the following year with the single “Everytime I Think Of You.”
# 6 –Â Everytime I Think Of You
And speaking of “Everytime I Think of You”, we turn to the Head First album. The album’s lead single followed the same exact formula that they used on “Isn’t It Time” and boom! they had a hit that charted just as high.
# 5 – Over and Over
This great track from the Baby’s debut album featured Tony Brock on lead vocals. Its one of the rare tracks in which John Waite did not sing lead. If you watch the video there is a moment where you see John Waite looking over at Tony Brock and depicting this great smile of appreciation. It’s a wonderful moment on a very special song that most people have probably never heard of if they did not own that fabulous first album.
# 4 – World In a Bottle
This unreleased song from The Babys that was originally intended to be issued on the Head First album defines just how brilliant this band was. This one will blow you away. Love the guitar riff at the start of the song and the rolling piano riffs by our great friend Michael Corby. Yes Michael we gave you credit. Hey everyone thats Michael Corby on the piano.
# 3 – Dying Man
Many critics always defined the Babys as a pop band because of the hit singles. The critics had no idea what they were talking about. The Babys were a great rock band defined by a group of incredible musicians. Listen to this track and try to argue otherwise. “Dying Man,” was originally released on the band’s band’s debut album in 1977.
# 2 –Â Midnight Rendezvous
This great rock and roll tune “Midnight Rendezvous,” was released on the Union Jacks album. It was the album’s third single and wound up being the most successful of the three singles released from the album.
# 1 – Head First
The track “Head First,” contained all the elements of The Babys sound that turned people onto the group in the first place. The great rock groove, enticing melodies, brilliant chord changes, incredible musicianship, and the sweet sounding vocals of the impeccable John Waite.
Use of album cover art is protected under the United States Office of Copyright Fair Use Doctrine Section 107 of the Copyright Act that protects the authors right to show the art that is being critiqued in the article. Album cover art is also used as commercial links to Amazon and not stored on the Classicrockhistory.com server.
Top 10 Baby’s Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2018
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business or any organizations is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at end of article.
Brian, you are a celebrant of ignorance. Try moving towards truth and who knows, your imbecilic Disneyesque publication might one day earn place beyond self-ridicule. You are NOT an authority on The Babys and could do much to educate rock fans by finding yourself a more honest profession as a fantasist.
Head First was released in 1978, not 1979. John Waite was not leader of the band that I founded.
I was not just the keyboard player. I was the lead guitarist but due to the need for keyboards and being a multi-instrumentalist I added my keyboard skills to the mix after a temporary member of the band who played keys dropped out on the eve of our signing to Chrysalis Records. He was the late Matt Irving.
I actually played lead guitar on the 1st track you discuss, Looking For Love. I also played lead guitar on three tracks on the first Chrysalis album.
As for the attempt to remove me from the entire of Head First whereas I am in over half of the tracks released on it and having recorded 11 tracks for it, once again you take sycophancy and disinformation to a new low, something your tawdry publication has never failed to excell in. I am also featured on all of the tracks that were removed from Head First but later released, some of which I wrote and played guitar on.
You even start off with your fantasy description of Looking For Love featuring a line up that didn’t exist until 1979 and which mischievously therefore gives the impression that the second lineup holds the credit for the track.
Again you indulge more deception by suggesting that Head First is released in 79 which, bearing in mind Cain and Phillips are now hired as non-contracted journeymen by then gives the false impression that I am not on it, and they are.
You are typical of the self anointed authorities that indulge convenient hogwash that serves no one but music business hyenas and laurel thieves. For that reason I have flatly refused to ever discuss the time of day with your tawdry publication and nor will I ever indulge your ridiculous delusional nonsense all of which is ridiculed by provable but inconvenient fact.
Do us all a big favour and own up to being a 3rd rate morally bankrupt fiction writer.
Thank you for doing your level best to dispense of my credits.
Shame on you! Your only credit is that you stand for everything that sickened the artistes and artists (sic) of the Rock ‘n Roll social revolution to stand up and fight against. Classic cretinous fantasists such as yourself feed on the oppression of artists for profit and your article is indisputable proof of my statement.
Michael Corby
From conception of The Babys in 1973 -August 28th, 1978, THE founder, architect, guitar-keyboard, co-funder, composer for The Babys and Chairman of Dayn Music Ltd, their publishing company.
Bravo! Thank you for the corrections to this article.
Shame on you for applauding such a mean-spirited commentary. Your starry eyes don’t seem to recognize the type of person that his own words truly defined he is.
I read that rant waiting for the guy to give an indication that he was just trolling. By the end, it looked like he was serious. To paraphrase a Monty Python sketch — “good thing you didn’t complain about the dirty fork”.
Wow, after composing a celebratory short review of your band’s catalog, praising you work and promoting your band albums by including links to purchase the CD’s on Amazon, you attack me in a viscous, ego driven response. I can only image what your response would have been like if I had written anything negative about your music.
This short review in no way argued that we were experts on The Babys, It was done to introduce the band to the millions of people who have never heard of you, your band, or your music. I used many of the liner notes on your records as info. If anything was wrong or missing, a friendly letter could have fixed anything and we would have been happy to promote what your currently working on. We are a website run by musicians and formed to promote great music. We love doing this, and we do everything in a positive manner. If we don’t like an artist or an album, we don’t write about. I am not going to get into a verbal dispute with you. The internet is full of people who only have the courage to say horrible things about people while hiding behind a computer keyboard. I will leave it at that and let the fans decide how they feel about you when they read your comments.
Brian Kachejian
Editor-In Chief
ClassicRockHistory.com
Loving The Babys. Personal Opinion – If You’ve Got the Time and Back On My Feet Again are in my Top 10. That Said – Thanks for the Memories!!!
The Babys are one of my favorite bands. During my college days they shared equal turntable time with UFO, the Stones, Zeppelin, Tommy Bolin and other 70s and 80s rockers. The Babys were a rock band that got rich with ballads and crazy hooky hits like “Isn’t lt Time.” I would add to best of “Wrong or Right” with the great string ensemble/cool acoustic guitar intro and “Union Jacks.” And I used “Run to Mexico” to psych myself up for tough tests. Reading this has motivated me to put some of these songs onto my car thumb drive. Thanks.
Hi everyone I enjoyed all those Babys Albums especially the ”On The Edge” and the album ”Broken Heart” from which their one and only British hit ”Isn’t It Time” was released.
Dang Corby, no wonder they fired you.
Go and do some research, Jerome. MC, along with the late Adrian Millar, were the founders of the Babys. MC was the driving force and was ousted from his own band by devious means. So scarred was he by the experience he never played live again
I don’t think you should have printed this article until you were 100% sure of the facts….Michael is only setting the record straight on his time as the bands founder member.
Its so amusing how people will just see what they want to see and disregrd the rest. If you condone the way he acted and what he wrote than thats just as much a refelection on who you are as it was on the type of person he is.
Top 10 must include She’s My Girl
A bunch of Babies
Any Babys top ten list without Back On My Feet Again is woefully incomplete, as it was hands down and head first (pun intended) their best song.