View source for Try It Baby

{{Refimprove||date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Try It Baby
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Marvin Gaye]]
| album      = [[How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You]]
| B-side     = If My Heart Could Sing
| released   = May 21, 1964
| recorded   = January 28 & 29, 1964
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[rhythm and blues|R&B]]
| length     = 2:30
| label      = [[Motown|Tamla]]
| writer     = [[Berry Gordy, Jr.]]
| producer   = Berry Gordy, Jr.
| prev_title = [[What's the Matter With You Baby]]
| prev_year  = 1964
| next_title = [[Baby Don't You Do It]]
| next_year  = 1964
}}

"'''Try It Baby'''" is a slow [[blues]] ballad recorded by [[United States|American]] [[soul music|soul]] singer [[Marvin Gaye]], released on the [[Motown|Tamla]] label in 1964.<ref> The Complete Motown Singles Vol 4: 1964 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.</ref> The ballad was written and produced by Gaye's [[brother-in-law]], [[Motown]] chairman [[Berry Gordy]]. 


==Background==
The ballad talked of a woman who was "moving up" and "leaving (her man) behind". To help him along the way, [[the Temptations]] (fresh off scoring their first few hits) assisted Gaye in the track providing background vocals.

''[[Cash Box]]'' described it as "a tantalizing, chorus-backed rhythm shuffler that Marvin does up in winning style."<ref name=cb>{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=June 6, 1964 |page=8 |access-date=2022-01-12 |url=https://worldradiohstory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1964/CB-1964-06-06.pdf |magazine=Cash Box}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Chart history==
"Try It Baby" reached number 15 on the pop singles chart and number six on the R&B singles chart.<ref>[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=marvin-gaye-mn0000316834/awards|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1964)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' 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=331}}</ref>
|align="center"|15
|}

==Cover versions==
*"Try It Baby" was covered in 1968 as a joint effort by [[Diana Ross & the Supremes]] and the Temptations.  Featuring [[Melvin Franklin]], [[Diana Ross]], and [[Paul Williams (The Temptations singer)|Paul Williams]] on leads, the track was included on the 1968 LP ''[[Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations]]'', their first of four joint albums.<ref>[{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r19828|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic (Supremes/Temptations album)]</ref>

==Personnel==

'''Marvin Gaye version''' 
*Lead vocals by [[Marvin Gaye]]
*Background vocals by [[the Temptations]]: [[Paul Williams (The Temptations singer)|Paul Williams]], [[Eddie Kendricks]], [[David Ruffin]], [[Melvin Franklin]] and [[Otis Williams]]
* Trumpet solo by [[Maurice Davis (trumpeter)|Maurice Davis]]
* Instrumentation by [[the Funk Brothers]]

'''Supremes/Temptations version'''
*Lead vocals by [[Diana Ross]], Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin
* Background Vocals by Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, [[Dennis Edwards]], and [[the Andantes]]
*Instrumentation by [[The Funk Brothers#Los Angeles musicians|Los Angeles session musicians]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Marvin Gaye}}
{{Marvin Gaye singles}}

[[Category:1964 singles]]
[[Category:1968 singles]]
[[Category:Marvin Gaye songs]]
[[Category:The Supremes songs]]
[[Category:The Temptations songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Berry Gordy]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Berry Gordy]]
[[Category:1964 songs]]
[[Category:Tamla Records singles]]


{{1960s-single-stub}}