Star Baby

"Star Baby" is a 1974 hit song by The Guess Who. It was written by Burton Cummings who also provided the lead vocals. It is classified in the genre of Power pop and was included on the group's LP entitled, Road Food as well as The Guess Who – Greatest Hits in 1999 and The Guess Who - Anthology in 2003. The band performed the song on the Midnight Special television program on December 14, 1973.[1]

"Star Baby"
Single by The Guess Who
from the album Road Food
B-side"Musicione"
ReleasedFebruary 1974
Format7" single
Recorded1973
GenreRock, power pop
Length2:42
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Burton Cummings
Producer(s)Jack Richardson
The Guess Who singles chronology
"Glamour Boy"
(1973)		 "Star Baby"
(1974)		 "Clap for the Wolfman"
(1974)
Music video
Listen to "Star Baby" (1973 TV performance) on YouTube

"Star Baby" reached number 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100[2] and number 30 on Cash Box.[3] In Canada, the song spent three weeks at number 9.[4] The song is ranked as the 92nd biggest Canadian hit of 1974.[5] Although The Guess Who had a dozen higher-charting songs in the US, "Star Baby" remained on the chart longer than any of their other hits. It stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, which was 4 weeks longer than their number-one hit "American Woman".[6]

The song was a major hit in Chicago, peaking at number three and receiving significant airplay on radio superstation WLS[7][8] as well as on its competing station, WCFL.[9][10]

Cummings said of the song: "One of our roadies was having an affair with Bonnie Bramlett (from the rock group Delaney & Bonnie), who was opening for us way back in the '70s. When I wrote it I was trying to see Bonnie through our roadie’s eyes and what he might say to her. It was finished really quickly. I wrote that in about 20 minutes."[11]

Television performance

The Guess Who performed "Star Baby" on The Midnight Special television program (season 2, episode 29) on March 29, 1974. The group hosted the show that week.[12]

Chart performance

References
  1. "The Guess Who Concert Setlist at The Midnight Special, Burbank on December 14, 1973". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  2. The Guess Who, "Star Baby" US Chart Position Retrieved March 7, 2015
  3. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, June 8, 1974". Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  4. The Guess Who, "Star Baby" Canadian Chart Position Retrieved March 7, 2015
  5. The Top 200 Singles of 1974 from the RPM 100 Charts Retrieved March 7, 2015
  6. Whitman, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002. Record Research. p. 294. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  7. WLS Musicradio Survey, June 1, 1974 Vol. 14, No. 34
  8. The WLS Big 89 Countdown!: 1974 Retrieved March 7, 2015
  9. WCFL-AM, Chicago, Ill. Super CFL Survey June 8, 1974
  10. http://www.oldiesloon.com/ilc/wcfl750104.htm
  11. "Burton Cummings Stands Tall".
  12. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-guess-who/1973/the-midnight-special-burbank-ca-5bcc5764.html
  13. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  14. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  15. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, June 8, 1974". Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  16. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  17. "1974 Year End". Bullfrogspond.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
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