View source for Ruby Baby

{{Short description|A pop music song written in the 1950s and performed by many artists}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Ruby Baby
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Dion DiMucci|Dion]]
| album      = Ruby Baby
| B-side     = "He'll Only Hurt You"
| released   = [[1963 in music|1963]]
| recorded   = 1962
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Rock and roll]]<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AtGGsfW10d0C&dq=dion+ruby+baby+rock+and+roll&pg=PA302 | title=Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector | isbn=9781408819500 | last1=Brown | first1=Mick | date=17 October 2012 | publisher=A&C Black }}</ref>
| length     =
| label      = [[Laurie Records|Laurie]]
| writer     = [[Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]]
| producer   =
| prev_title = [[Love Came to Me]]
| prev_year  = 1962
| next_title = [[Sandy (Dion DiMucci song)|Sandy]]
| next_year  = 1963
}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Ruby Baby
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Billy "Crash" Craddock]]
| album      = [[Rub It In (album)|Rub It In]]
| B-side     = Walk When Love Walks
| released   = October 1974
| recorded   = February [[1974 in country music|1974]]
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[country music|Country]]
| length     =
| label      = [[ABC Records|ABC]] <small>12036</small>
| writer     = [[Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]]
| producer   = [[Ron Chancey]]
| prev_title = [[Rub It In]]
| prev_year  = 1974
| next_title = Still Thinkin' 'Bout You
| next_year  = 1975
}}

"'''Ruby Baby'''" is a song written by [[Jerry Leiber]] and [[Mike Stoller]]. It was originally recorded by [[the Drifters]]. Their version was released as a single by [[Atlantic Records]] (catalog No. 45 1089) in 1956.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.secondhandsongs.com/medium/21676 |title=Tracks on Ruby Baby - The Drifters (February 1956) |publisher=SecondHandSongs |access-date=2016-08-22}}</ref> It peaked at No. 10 on the US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Hot R&B]] chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=173}}</ref>

== Dion version ==

[[Columbia Records]] released a remake by [[Dion DiMucci|Dion]] in 1962 (catalog No. 4 42662),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.secondhandsongs.com/medium/21607 |title=Tracks on Ruby Baby - Dion (January 1963) |publisher=SecondHandSongs |access-date=2016-08-22}}</ref> which was a worldwide success. The single reached No. 2 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and peaked at No. 5 on the R&B chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=159}}</ref>
In 1963, [[Dion DiMucci|Dion]] filmed a promotional music video for "Ruby Baby" in [[Paris]], [[France]]. According to Dion himself in a later interview, the video was created as part of an experimental project to play short music films on [[jukeboxes]] equipped with [[television]] screens. He stated:

{{blockquote|"I did that in France, they wanted to put these films on top of jukeboxes, with TV screens, so it was one of the first videos made. It never caught on because you'd have to put a quarter in instead of a dime. And I don't think people wanted to hang around the jukebox watching."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://forums.ledzeppelin.com/topic/8897-a-chat-with-dion |title=A Chat with Dion |access-date=2025-05-30}}</ref>}}

Although the concept did not achieve commercial success, the "Ruby Baby" video is notable as one of the earliest known examples of a [[music video]] produced solely to promote a song outside the context of film or television appearances.

== Covers and other versions ==
"Ruby Baby" has been [[cover version|covered]] by many artists including:

* In 1963 [[Polydor Records]] released a cover of [[Dion DiMucci|Dion]]'s version by [[Tony Sheridan]] & [[The Beatles|The Beat Brothers]].
* In 1963, [[Richard Anthony (singer)|Richard Anthony]] released a cover in the French language, with lyrics by André Salvet and Claude Carrère via [[Columbia Records]] (catalog No. ESRF 1391). It was also on the album ''Richard Anthony'' via [[Columbia Records]] (catalog No. FPX 234) for France, Canada and Italy.
* [[The Beach Boys]] released a version on the band's 1993 box set, ''[[Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of The Beach Boys]]'', as an outtake from the 1965 ''[[Beach Boys' Party!]]'' album. There was also a version recorded for their 1976 "comeback" album, ''[[15 Big Ones]]'', which can be found on various bootlegs of that era.
* Korean singer [[BoA]] uses samples of this song in her single "Rock with You".
* Canadian band [[Wednesday (Canadian band)|Wednesday]] scored a hit in Canada with a rock version in 1976.
* [[BWB (band)|BWB]] performed an instrumental cover of the song on their album ''Groovin' ''.
* In 1974, [[Billy Craddock]] released a cover that was a No. 1 country hit.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=91}}</ref>  This version was included the album ''[[Rub It In (album)|Rub It In]]''. This version crossed over to No. 33 on the Hot 100.<ref>{{cite book |title=  Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2013 |publisher=Record Research |page=198}}</ref> It was also released on his 2009 live album ''[[Live -N- Kickin']]''.
* [[Bobby Darin]] released a version on the LP ''18 Yellow Roses & 11 Other Hits'' via [[Capitol Records]] (catalog No. ST 1942) in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.secondhandsongs.com/medium/120905 |title=Tracks on Take It Greasy - Ol' 55 (1976) |publisher=SecondHandSongs |access-date=2016-08-22}}</ref>
* [[Ronnie Dove]] recorded the song in 1969 for [[Diamond Records]]. It went unreleased until it was issued on CD in the late 1980s.
* [[Donald Fagen]] of [[Steely Dan]] recorded a version on his 1982 solo album ''[[The Nightfly]]''.
* [[Björk Guðmundsdóttir & tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar]] released a version.
* [[Ronnie Hawkins]] recorded a version on April 13, 1959. It was released on the LP ''Ronnie Hawkins'' by [[Roulette Records]] (catalog No. SR 25078) in August 1959.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.secondhandsongs.com/medium/21606 |title=Tracks on Ronnie Hawkins - Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks (August 1959) |publisher=SecondHandSongs |access-date=2016-08-22}}</ref>
* A young [[Miguel Ríos]] recorded a version on his fifth EP (1963).
* [[Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser]] recorded a version of the song called "Rudy" (available only on his archive set of CDs).
* [[Del Shannon]] released a version on the LP ''Handy Man'' by [[Amy Records]] (mono catalog No. 8003-M and stereo No. 8003-S) in 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.delshannon.com/albums.htm |title=Album Discography |website=Delshannon.com |access-date=2016-08-22}}</ref>
* [[Bobby Rydell]] released a version from the ''Top Hits of 1963''.
* [[Mitch Ryder]] released a version from ''Sings the Hits'' (1968).
* [[:nl:John Woolley and Just Born|John Woolley and Just Born]] released a version during August 1969, which spent 13 weeks on Belgium's Hit Parade in 1970.
* Australian band [[Ol' 55 (band)|Ol' 55]] released a version as the fourth single from their third studio album ''[[Cruisin' for a Bruisin' (Ol' 55 album)|Cruisin' for a Bruisin']]'' (1978). The song peaked at No. 36 on the Australian [[Kent Music Report]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{The Drifters}}
{{Dion DiMucci}}
{{Billy "Crash" Craddock}}
{{Ol' 55 (band)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:The Beach Boys songs]]
[[Category:The Drifters songs]]
[[Category:Dion DiMucci songs]]
[[Category:Wednesday (Canadian band) songs]]
[[Category:Billy "Crash" Craddock songs]]
[[Category:Ol' 55 (band) songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]]
[[Category:1956 singles]]
[[Category:1963 singles]]
[[Category:1974 singles]]
[[Category:1978 singles]]
[[Category:1956 songs]]
[[Category:ABC Records singles]]