Give It to Me Baby

1981 single by Rick James

"Give It to Me Baby"

Side A label of the US single

Single by Rick James

from the album Street Songs

B-side

"Don't Give Up on Love"

Released

February 20, 1981

Recorded

1980

Genre

Funk^[1]

Length

3:48 (Single version)
4:07 (Album version)

Label

Gordy

Songwriter(s)

Rick James

Producer(s)

Rick James

Rick James singles chronology

"Big Time"
(1980)

"Give It to Me Baby"
(1981)

"Super Freak"
(1981)

Music video

"Give It to Me Baby" on YouTube

"Give It to Me Baby" is a song written by American singer Rick James. Taken from his album Street Songs, the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100, spending two weeks at No. 40 and spent five weeks at No. 1 on the R&B chart.^[2] Two other tracks from Street Songs, "Super Freak" and "Ghetto Life", topped the American dance chart for three weeks in the summer of 1981.^[3] The song proved to be even more successful with R&B and dance club audiences. Part of the background vocals were sung by Temptations member Melvin Franklin.^[4]

Charts

Chart (1981–1982)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)	47
US Billboard Hot 100^[5]	40
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles^[6]	1
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play^[7]	1
US Cash Box Top 100^[8]	34

References

^ Molanphy, Chris (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 291.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 134.
^ "Soul revisited: remembering Melvin Franklin". The Funk and Soul Revue. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
^ "Rick James Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ "Rick James Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ "Rick James Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 1, 1981