Bye Baby...

Nope, not the beginning of "Remember Me".:p This "Bye Baby" is a Supremes song, recorded in September 1963. I first heard it on a bootleg many years ago. Didn't particularly care for it. Since it's official release on the WDOLG expanded, I've come to dig it a little more on account of the harmonies alone. The song is nothing special. The lyrics are "meh", and so is the track. Diana's lead is also rather "meh". Flo and Mary are really the only thing for me to like on this song, and even them I'm not wild about. As the song closes, they each break out into their own thing, which is the best part of the song, but unfortunately that's where it ends, so...

Anyway, not one of my favs but I'm interested to learn of your thoughts on this one. Interesting to note that the song has 51 likes and 37 dislikes. I don't think I've ever noticed a Supremes song with that close of a ratio of likes to dislikes. Yeah, I'm really curious what you all think about "Bye Baby".:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEx4M_VSxAw

It is ok but I can see why it wasn't released. The song itself just on and on with the same melody over and over. Maybe a modulation would have helped a little but probably not much. It reminds me a bit of the early Pips material recorded for the Fury label.

On the plus side, the girls are in good voice. I particularly love how Diana sings the line "...good for nothing Joe."

The song does have a kind of hypnotic quality to it. Flo’s voice is probably the highlight for me on a rather unremarkable song. I think she should have been given the lead on this one.

i love the harmony,its one of my favs from the expanded editions.
great harmony

It's a strange song that is strangely enjoyable for me. Can't explain it really. Ollie9 calls it hypnotic and actually, that puts a name to what attracts me to it. It's got the same pulse and otherworldly monotone but trace-inducing quality of the Jaynettes' "Sally Go Round The Roses."

"Bye Baby" accomplishes nothing remarkable and yet I like the overlapping vocal lines, the harmonies and how the chanting lyrics give all three a leisurely pace to just luxuriate over individual words. I also like the kinda oddly happy horns that are "commenting" all over the place. For me, this is an enjoyably lukewarm song.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ollie9

The song does have a kind of hypnotic quality to it. Flo’s voice is probably the highlight for me on a rather unremarkable song. I think she should have been given the lead on this one.

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Yeah, without Flo the song would probably be a complete snore for me.