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Babe (Take That song)

"Babe" is a song by English boy band Take That, released in December 1993 by RCA and BMG as the fourth single from the band's second album, Everything Changes (1993). Written by bandmember Gary Barlow, it features Mark Owen on lead vocals. Production was led by David Clayton, who later spent 10 years as keyboard player and backing vocalist with Simply Red. Accompanied by a music video directed by Gregg Masuak, the song was a number-one hit in both Ireland and the United Kingdom while peaking within the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Israel, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

"Babe"
UK CD1 artwork
Single by Take That
from the album Everything Changes
B-side"All I Want Is You"
Released6 December 1993 (1993-12-06)
Length4:51
Label
Songwriter(s)Gary Barlow
Producer(s)
  • Steve Jervier
  • Paul Jervier
  • Jonathan Wales
  • Chris Porter
  • Dave Clayton
Take That singles chronology
"Relight My Fire"
(1993) 		"Babe"
(1993) 		"Everything Changes"
(1994)
Alternative cover
UK CD2 artwork
Alternative cover
European CD artwork
Music video
"Babe" on YouTube

Release

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Released on 6 December 1993,[1][2] "Babe" became Take That's third single in a row to go straight to number one on the UK Singles Chart, knocking Mr Blobby's self-titled novelty single from the number-one slot in the process.[3] With this achievement, Take That became the first band to have three consecutive singles debut at number one.[4] The following week, Mr Blobby's single climbed back to number one, denying Take That the Christmas number-one place.[3] The single sold 350,000 copies in 1993, and was that year's 14th biggest-selling single.[5] The song was certified platinum on 1 January 1994 for shipments of over 600,000 copies in the UK.[1]

Critical reception

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AllMusic editor Bryan Buss described the song as "surprisingly risqué".[6] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger noted that the melody is "murky and sad – this is as fog-bound and haunted a number one as we've seen since the high Gothic of John Leyton – and the tension gives the story a dignity."[7] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said, "'Babe' is another slowly with a familiar lyrical theme of the prodigal lover returning to find his ex with a child bearing his eyes etc. etc. It grows on you as well".[8] Chris Roberts from Melody Maker felt the "telephone gimmick" doesn't work, calling the song "mush".[9] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five, writing that "this overwrought ballad lacks the instant appeal of many of the group's previous singles. But the combination of massive media support, the Smash Hits Awards and large fanbase make it a cert."[10]

David Quantick from NME said, "There's a telephone on it. The pace is ominous, threatening, even. The theme is the departure of a loved one and the failure to communicate with them on the (hey) telephone. The effect is of early Chris de Burgh when he was still writing super intergalactic-travelling cakarama like "A Spaceman Came Travelling", (ie: you love it)."[11] In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue noted that it "has tear-jerking lyrics and vocals from Mark" and "the emotions soar here as much as the dramatic strings".[12] Leesa Daniels from Smash Hits gave "Babe" five out of five and named it Best New Single, calling it "gorgeous",[13] and describing it as "a tale of a lost love that'll have you blubbing into your pillow for hours."[14] She added that Owen's vocals "are the real triumph".

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Gregg Masuak.[15] It was the first Take That video to involve the members acting out a story using drama. The video runs parallel to the song's lyrics, showing Owen trying to track down a loved one after coming back from war. Later in the video it emerges that Owen has fathered a child. The video uses intercut clips of the band standing around Barlow, all performing the song. The last few seconds of the video are somewhat happier, showing outtakes of the band from the video. "Babe" received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[16] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[17]

The music video won the International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Europe at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards held in New York.[18]

Track listings

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  • UK 7-inch and cassette single, European CD single (74321 18213-7; 74321 18213-4; 74321182852)[19][20][21]
  1. "Babe" (Return remix) – 4:55
  2. "All I Want Is You" – 3:21

Note: A limited-edition 7-inch version with a photo sleeve was also released.

  • UK CD1 and Australian CD single (74321182122; 74321182842)[22][23]
  1. "Babe" (Return remix) – 4:55
  2. "All I Want Is You" – 3:21
  3. "Could It Be Magic" (live) – 6:18
  4. "Pray" (live) – 6:33
  • UK CD2 and Japanese CD single (74321182132; BVCZ-1020)[24][25]
  1. "Babe" (Return remix) – 4:55
  2. "It Only Takes a Minute" (live) – 3:47
  3. "Give Good Feeling" (live) – 3:52

Personnel

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[54] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[1] Platinum 600,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "British single certifications – Take That – Babe". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 4 December 1993. p. 21. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 561. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ Masterton, James (12 December 1993). "Week Ending December 18th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Official Chart Flashback 1993: Take That, Pray". Official Charts Company. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  6. ^ Buss, Bryan. "Take That - Nobody Else". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  7. ^ Ewing, Tom (18 September 2012). "Take That – "Babe"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  8. ^ Masterton, James (12 December 1993). "Week Ending December 18th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  9. ^ Roberts, Chris (18 December 1993). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 27. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  10. ^ Jones, Alan (11 December 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  11. ^ Quantick, David (18 December 1993). "Singles". NME. p. 15. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Review: "Everything Changes" by Take That (CD, 1993)". Pop Rescue. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  13. ^ Daniels, Leesa (8 December 1993). "New Singles — Best New Single". Smash Hits. p. 57. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  14. ^ Daniels, Leesa (13 October 1993). "New Albums: Best New Album". Smash Hits. p. 51. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Take That: Babe". IMDb. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  18. ^ "MTV video music award winners". United Press International. UPI. 9 September 1994. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  19. ^ Babe (UK 7-inch single sleeve). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 18213-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ Babe (UK cassette single sleeve). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321 18213-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ Babe (European CD single liner notes). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321182852.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Babe (UK CD1 liner notes). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321182122.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ Babe (Australian CD single liner notes). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321182842.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ Babe (UK CD2 liner notes). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. 74321182132.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ Babe (Japanese CD single liner notes). That That. RCA Records, BMG. 1993. BVCZ-1020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ "Take That – Babe" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Take That – Babe" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  28. ^ Danish Singles Chart. 28 January 1994.
  29. ^ "Hits of the World - Eurochart Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 5 February 1994. p. 40. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  30. ^ "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 11. 12 March 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 7. 12 February 1994. p. 14. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  32. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  33. ^ "Take That – Babe" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  34. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Babe". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  35. ^ 25 January 1994
  36. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 1 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Take That".
  37. ^ "M-1 Top 40". M-1.fm. 16 January 1994. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  38. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  39. ^ "Take That – Babe" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Take That – Babe". VG-lista. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  41. ^ "Take That – Babe". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  42. ^ "Take That – Babe". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  43. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  44. ^ "The Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 25 December 1993. p. 28. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  45. ^ "Major Market Airplay – Week 4/1994" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 5. 29 January 1994. p. 31. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  46. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  48. ^ "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  49. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  50. ^ "Single Top 100 over 1004" (PDF). Top40.nl. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  51. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1994" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  52. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  53. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1994" (in German). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  54. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Take That; 'Babe')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
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