About the Song
Released in the summer of 1959, “There Goes My Baby” was a groundbreaking track that rejuvenated The Drifters’ career, charting #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B chart. The song is celebrated for its innovative sound and lasting influence on R&B and soul music.
A New Era for The Drifters
In 1958, The Drifters underwent a major lineup change when manager George Treadwell dismissed the original group and replaced them with members of The Crowns, including lead singer Ben E. King. This new ensemble’s first recording session was produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, known for their songwriting and production prowess.
The Making of a Classic
The recording of “There Goes My Ba by”
- A full orchestra with soaring strings
- Exotic rhythms driven by a baion beat
- Unusual percussion like kettledrums and timpani
This complex production style was unorthodox for R&B at the time, where most records mirrored live instrumentation. Despite technical imperfections—like the tympani being out of tune and King’s vocal entry mistimed—the track’s emotional resonance captured listeners. Leiber humorously recalled mistaking the song for overlapping radio stations due to its dense arrangement.
Songwriting Credits and Impact
The writing credits are shared between Leiber and Stoller, Ben E. King (credited as Benjamin Nelson), George Treadwell, and Lover Patterson. However, the exact contributions of each remain unclear.
“There Goes My Baby” introduced orchestral elements into R&B, paving the way for the soul music boom of the 1960s. Rolling Stone ranked it #193 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, cementing its status as a transformative piece in music history.
Legacy
This song bridged the gap between the fading doo-wop genre and the emerging soul sound. Its bold use of strings and emotional depth set a precedent for many artists to follow, solidifying The Drifters’ place in musical history.
Lyrics
… Bom-bom (do-do-do-do-do)
There she goes (do-do-do-do-do)
There she goes (do-do-do-do-do)
Bom-bom (do-do-do-do)
Bom-bom (do-do-do-do)
… There goes my baby, moving on down the line
Wonder where, wonder where, wonder where she is bound?
I broke her heart and made her cry
Now I’m alone, so all alone
What can I do, what can I do?
… There goes my baby (whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)
There goes my baby (yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah)
There goes my baby (whoa-oh-oh-oh)
There she goes, yeah, there she goes
… I wanna know if she loved me
Did she really love me?
Was she just playing me for a fool?
I wonder why she left me
Why did she leave me so all alone?
So all alone?
I was gonna tell her that I loved her
And that I need her
Beside my side to be my guide
… I wanna know where is my – (do-do-do-do-do)
Where is my baby? (Do-do-do-do-do)
I want my baby (do-do-do-do-do)
I need my baby (do-do-do-do-do)
Yeah, whoa-oh-oh
… There goes my baby
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
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