Chords + Lyrics | Baby Love
Intro
| Dm | Bb | G G7 | C N.C | N.C |
Ooh-oh-oh.
Verse 1
| C | C7/Bb | A7 | Dm |
Baby love, my baby love, I need you, oh how I need you.
| Dm | C | F | C |
But all you do is treat me bad, break my heart and leave me sad.
| F | C | F C/E | Dm7 G |
Tell me, what did I do wrong? To make you stay away so long.
Verse 2
‘Cause baby love, my baby love, been missing ya, miss kissing ya.
Instead of breaking up, let’s do some kissing and making up.
Don’t throw our love away. In my arms why don’t you stay?
Solo
| C | C7/Bb | A7 | Dm |
Need ya, need ya, (baby love, oh-oh baby love).
| Dm | C | F | C |
| F | C | F C/E | Dm7 G |
Verse 3
(Baby love), my baby love, why must we separate, my love?
All of my whole life through. I never loved no one but you.
| F | C | F C/E | Dm7 G | Db | Db |
Why you do me like you do? I get this need. Oh, oh.
Verse 4 (key change)
| Db | Db7/B | Bb7 | Ebm |
Need to hold you, once again, my love. Feel your warm embrace, my love.
| Ebm | Db | Gb | Db |
Don’t throw our love away, please don’t do me this way.
| Gb | Db | Gb Db/F | Ebm7 Ab |
Not happy like I used to be, loneliness has got the best of me.
Verse 5
My love, my baby love, I need you, oh how I need you.
Why you do me like you do? After I’ve been true to you.
So deep in love with you, baby, baby (baby).
Outro
| Db | Db7/B | Bb7 | Ebm |
‘Til it’s hurtin’ me, ’til it’s hurtin’ me, baby love
| Ebm | Db | Gb | Db |
||: Don’t throw our love away (don’t throw our love away). :||
Baby Love Chords: Learn the Progressions Behind the Classic Tune
The chords in Baby Love create an initial sense of ambiguity about the key centre. Starting with Dm – Bb – G, and a quick G7 resolving to C, we could be in F major, with G acting as the IIx chord. Alternatively, we could be in C major, where Bb functions as a bVIIx chord.
Verse
As the verse begins, the progression moves through C – C7/Bb – A7 – Dm. The key remains ambiguous here as well, though it begins to lean towards F major, with A7 functioning as the IIIx chord. Mid-verse, things settle slightly as the progression moves between Dm, C, and F—VI – V – I in F major.
Interestingly, the lyrics at this point mirror the musical uncertainty: phrases such as “all you do is treat me bad”, “breaking up”, “break my heart”, “I never loved no one but you”, and “don’t throw our love away” highlight the tension and contrast that make the song so compelling.
After roughly two and a half verses, a solo appears, followed by another verse and a semitone key change.
In the course, we use TAB to cover two areas of the neck, adapt to the key change, and even play the sax solo on guitar. Here’s the link: Baby Love – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve mastered the TAB, this chord chart is all you need to play along with the original recording. Make sure to tune down to 435 Hz, or it won’t sound quite right.
Baby Love Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
If you’d like to download the chart, here’s the PDF: Baby Love chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro. Here’s a link to that file: Baby Love iReal Pro.
Using the iRealPro app, you can easily change the key at the last minute—perfect for when your dramatic singer insists they shouldn’t be performing due to a cold.
Baby Love TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get TAB for every section of Baby Love, all designed to work for the sole guitarist in a working band.
As a preview, here’s an idea for the first verse, which we’ll develop by exploring other areas of the neck and changing the key.
Notice the muted up-strums as you move between chords—when the Dm lasts for two bars, the up-strum is left open, giving the part a smoother feel.
Baby Love was Motown’s first #1
Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, performed by The Supremes, and backed by the house band The Funk Brothers, Baby Love was released in 1964. It quickly reached #1 in both the U.K. and the U.S., marking The Supremes’ and Motown’s first chart-topping single.
This success prompted Berry Gordy to focus all his attention on the group, setting the stage for a very busy schedule for what would become the most successful American vocal group of all time.
Baby Love is featured on The Supremes’ second album, which also includes another #1 hit, Where Did Our Love Go? Following this, the group released a Beatles covers album in 1964.
In 1965, they released a country and western album, a Sam Cooke tribute, and More Hits by The Supremes, which, ironically, contained only one hit: Stop! In the Name of Love. Before the year ended, they also managed to release a Christmas album. In total, The Supremes recorded six albums in just two years.
Baby Love Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Baby Love (The Supremes) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
