Baby Love Chords | The Supremes Guitar Lesson


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Baby Love | Chords + Lyrics


Intro

| Dm | Bb | G | 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


The way Baby Love’s chords move during the intro leaves the listener uncertain of the key centre.

Starting with Dm Bb G, and resolving on a C, we could be in the key of F, with G acting as the IIx chord. Alternatively, we could be in the key of C, where Bb functions as a bVIIx chord.

As the verse begins, moving through CC7/BbA7Dm, the key remains ambiguous, though it does begin to lean towards F as the key, with A7 acting as the IIIx chord.

As we progress through the middle of the verse, things settle somewhat as we move between Dm, C, and F—VI – V – I in the key of F.

Ironically, during this section of the verse, the lyrics for Baby Love are the most uncertain, with 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.”

It’s these kinds of details that make a great song. There must be some form of contrast, even if it’s only speaking to the subconscious.

After two and a half verses, we get a solo, followed by another verse and a key change, up a semitone.

Here’s a chord chart I made for you.


Baby Love chord chart.


Baby Love Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro


There is a small difference between how I wrote Baby Love with chords and lyrics compared to how I presented it in the chord chart.

That difference occurs during the outro. If you compare the two, you’ll see how I managed to save one line in the chord chart by using a Da Segno and Coda sign.

If you’d like to download my 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 this and the iReal Pro app, you can easily change the key at the last minute when your dramatic singer exclaims how they really shouldn’t be singing due to the terrible cold they’ve caught.



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 #1 record.

This success led Berry Gordy to focus all his attention on the group, setting the stage for what would become a very busy schedule for 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 album, the group released a Beatles covers album (also in 1964).

The next year, they put out a country and western album, a Sam Cooke tribute, and an album titled More Hits by The Supremes, which, ironically, contained only one hit: Stop! In the Name of Love.

Before 1965 ended, they also managed to release a Christmas album. In total, The Supremes recorded six albums in just two years!



Baby Love Chords | Related Pages


Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics

When you can play Baby Love's chords, try these five tunes from the song book.

The Funk Brothers tunes

The Funk Brothers Biography

Motown’s house band, The Funk Brothers was the most successful group of studio musicians of all time.

Their contributions can be heard on Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Dancing In The Street, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, My Girl, and My Guy.


The Funk Brothers on the web

Listen to The Funk Brothers on Spotify


Holland-Dozier-Holland tunes

Holland Dozier Holland Biography T

Motown’s main songwriting team, Holland-Dozier-Holland are responsible for some of the biggest tunes of all time.

Their hit parade includes classics such as Can I Get A Witness, Jimmy Mack, Reach Out, I’ll Be There, You Can’t Hurry Love, and Band Of Gold.


Holland-Dozier-Holland on the web

Listen to Hollan Dozier Holland on Spotify


The Supremes tunes

The Supremes recorded Baby Love.

The Supremes are the most successful American vocal group of all time, at their peak, they were as big as The Beatles.

Led by Diana Ross, they had #1’s with Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, Stop! In the Name of Love, You Can’t Hurry Love, and You Keep Me Hangin’ On.


The Supremes on the web

Listen to The Supremes on Spotify.


About me | Dan Lundholm

Dan Lundholm wrote this guitar lesson on Baby Love's chords.

This was a guitar lesson about Baby Love chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.

Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not by practising scales or studying theory in isolation.


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