"Rock Your Baby" is the debut single by American singer
George McCrae. Written and produced by
Harry Wayne Casey and
Richard Finch of
KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" was one of the landmark recordings of early
disco music. A massive international hit, the song reached number one on the
Hot 100 in the United States, spending two weeks there in July 1974; number one on the R&B chart;[5] and number one on the
UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top in July 1974.[6][7] Having sold 11 million copies, it is one of fewer than 40 all-time singles to have
sold 10 million physical copies worldwide.[8][9]
The backing track was recorded in 45 minutes as a
demo and featured guitarist
Jerome Smith of
KC and the Sunshine Band, with Casey on keyboards and Finch on bass and drums.[10] It was also one of the first records to use a
drum machine,[11] an early
Roland rhythm machine.[12] The track was not originally intended for McCrae but he happened to be in the studio and added a vocal; the resulting combination of infectious rhythm and falsetto vocals made it a hit. Music critic
Robert Christgau has described the song as "irresistibly
Memphis-cum-disco-with-a-
hook."[13]
The chord progression of
John Lennon's number-one single "
Whatever Gets You thru the Night", released a few months later, bears a great resemblance to the one found in "Rock Your Baby".[citation needed] Lennon later admitted to using the song as an inspiration, and said of it in a 1975 interview: "I'd give my eyetooth to have written that."[14][15]ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have also cited the song as an inspiration for the backing track of their 1976 smash hit "
Dancing Queen". It was covered by
indie rock band
the House of Love for the 1992 compilation album Ruby Trax.[16] In the same year, British dance group
KWS's cover of "Rock Your Baby" reached number eight in the UK.
George's wife,
Gwen McCrae, recorded an answer song to "Rock Your Baby", released just less than a year later: "
Rockin' Chair" reached number nine on the Hot 100 in mid-1975. "Rockin' Chair" reached number one
R&B. George provided backing vocals.
In 1987, a remix version was released, with mixing by
Paul Hardcastle. It was adapted to suit the decade.[citation needed] This version is also included in the compilation Super Power Hit Sensation.
In August 1992, British dance music act
KWS released their take on the song. It appeared on the album
KWS. Their version charted within the top 10 in Ireland and the United Kingdom, peaking at number six and eight, respectively. In Australia and New Zealand, the single entered the top 40.
Track listing
CD maxi
"Rock Your Baby" (Boogaloo Investigator mix) – 3:29
"Rock Your Baby" (Thumb A Ride mix) – 5:19
"A Different Man" (Bubblegum Breakthrough mix) – 3:42
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abBreihan, Tom (November 15, 2022). "George McCrae - "Rock Your Baby". The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music. New York:
Hachette Book Group. pp. 103–104.