About The Song
(Watch the video below)
"Angel Baby" is not a composition by John Lennon but rather a classic rock and roll song by Rosie and the Originals, which gained a great deal of affection among listeners in the early 1960s. Lennon's affinity for early American rock and roll is well documented, and his love for the genre often shone through in his personal covers and even influenced his original compositions.
John Lennon's solo rendition of "Angel Baby," which appears on his posthumous album "Menlove Ave," is a testament to his reverence for the music of his youth. When discussing the song, it's essential to consider both the cultural context in which the original was released and Lennon's relationship with that era of music.
The original "Angel Baby" captures the heartfelt simplicity and raw emotion characteristic of the doo-wop era. It's the epitome of the teenage dream of love, full of innocence and the intensity of first love. Rosie Hamlin, the song's composer and the lead singer of Rosie and the Originals, wrote the song when she was just 14, and it resonates with the purity and directness of young love.
John Lennon's version, recorded in the 1970s, is both a homage and a personal reinterpretation. His vocals are imbued with a sense of nostalgia and longing, a texture that only someone who lived through that era and loved its music deeply could provide. The recording is raw and unpolished, much like the informal jam sessions that Lennon was known to enjoy.
In Lennon's take on "Angel Baby," you can hear a connection not just to the song itself but to the broader cultural context of the 1950s and '60s when rock and roll was still a relatively new sound that was reshaping youth culture. Lennon's career with The Beatles and his subsequent solo work were profoundly influenced by these early rock and roll tunes. The Beatles themselves were known for covers of similar tracks during their early days in the Cavern Club and their stints in Hamburg.
Lennon's performance is more than just a cover; it's a tribute to the influence that the genre had on his development as an artist. It's also reflective of his ongoing search for authenticity in music—a quality that he always sought, both in his compositions and in his interpretations of others' work.
"Angel Baby" represents a moment where we can witness Lennon connecting with his roots. It showcases his vulnerability and his willingness to pay homage to the music that shaped him. His emotive rendition is a musical bridge between the raw early days of rock and the more sophisticated sounds that he would later help to pioneer.
Beyond the music, exploring Lennon's rendition of "Angel Baby" is to delve into a piece of the artist's soul. It provides a glimpse into his personal musical journey, reflecting the intimate side of Lennon that he sometimes guarded but occasionally let slip through in his music. This is the side that fans cherish—a glimpse of the man behind the legend, connecting with the songs that moved him, shaped his artistry, and in turn, helped shape the world of music.
To fully write a thousand words on "Angel Baby" and John Lennon's interpretation would involve an exploration of the song's history, its impact on Lennon, and how his cover version serves as a bridge between two eras of music. It would also examine the musical characteristics that make the song enduring and how Lennon's personal style and emotional delivery add a new dimension to an already classic tune.
John Lennon's "Angel Baby" is a love letter to rock and roll, a genre that was not only formative to his career but also dear to his heart. It serves as a reminder of his musical roots and his ability to interpret and express the core of a song in a way that is both true to its origins and deeply personal.
Video
Lyrics
Let's sing along with the lyrics!
It's just like heaven
being here with you.
You're like an angel,
too good to be true.
But after all, i love you, i do.
Angel baby, my angel baby.
Uh, uh, i love you,
uh, uh, i do,
no one can love you like i do.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh.
When you are near me
my heart skips a beat.
I can hardly stand on
my own two feet.
Because i love you, i love you, i do.
Angel baby, my angel baby.
Uh, uh, i love you,
uh, uh, i do,
no one can love you like i do.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh.
(yeh!)
Please, never leave me
blue and alone.
If you ever go,
i'm sure you'll come back home.
Because i love you, i love you, i do.
Angel baby, my angel baby.
Uh, uh, i love you,
uh, uh, i do,
no one can love you like i do.
Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh,
uh, uh, uh.
Uh
