#11: Baby It's You

Written by: Barney Williams [a.k.a.: Luther Dixon], Burt Bacharach & Mack David
Released: March 22nd, 1963
Appears on: Please Please Me
Lead vocal: John

The final girl group song, and the second recorded by the Shirelles, on the album, "Baby It's You" is probably the best of them. The original version features a slow, sultry lead vocal and an interesting backing vocal arrangement. One of the most striking parts of the original (especially for someone like me, who grew up on the Beatles' version) is the keyboard solo, not unlike the one in Del Shannon's "Runaway" (but a tad less iconic). Rhythmically, the Beatles version is played practically note-for-note, but of course, the main difference is George adapts the keyboard solo on guitar. He tries his hardest, and I think he did a pretty good job. John does a perfect job with the vocals, sort of singing it the way a man would sing the lyrics to a girl. In the original, the lead singer is trying to flirt with a guy, saying that "I don't care what they say, about you" but I still want you. John sings it as if he already has the girl and is proud to be her boyfriend, even though people say bad things about her. I think this is the best cover on the album, tied with "Anna".

The picture above is of the cover to the Baby It's You EP, released in 1994 to coincide with the release of The Beatles Live At The BBC!.