“Baby I Love You” is a popular song by R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The only single release from her Aretha Arrives album in 1967, the song was a huge hit, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and spending two weeks at number-one on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. In the UK, the song rose to number 39 in August 1967, spending four weeks on the chart. It was featured in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 film Goodfellas. A live performance appears on the album Aretha in Paris (1968).
Georgian songwriter Ronnie Shannon, newly arrived in Detroit, met Franklin’s husband and manager Ted White by chance at a barbershop. White requested Shannon write some songs specifically for Franklin. Shannon delivered “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” and “Baby I Love You”—two tremendous successes.
Billboard described the single as a “driving rocker” that is “brought to life in this electric performance by Miss Franklin.
If you want my lovin’ If you really do Don’t be afraid, baby Just ask me Ya know I’m gonna give it to you
Oh, and I do declare (I do) I wanna see you with it Stretch out your arms, little boy You’re gonna get it ‘Cause I love you, oh (Baby, baby, baby, I love you) There ain’t no doubt about it Baby, I love you (Baby, baby, baby, I love you) I love you, I love you, I love you I love you, baby I love you
If you feel you wanna kiss me Go right ahead I don’t mind All you got to do is snap your fingers And I’ll come a runnin, I ain’t lyin’ (I ain’t lyin’) And oh what you want Little boy you know you got it I’d deny my own self Before I see you without it ‘Cause I love you (Baby, baby, baby I love you) Ain’t no doubt about it baby I love you (Baby, baby, baby I love you) I love you, I love you, I love you I love you, baby I love you
Someday ya might wanna run away And leave me sittin’ here to cry But if it’s all the same to ya baby I’m gonna stop you from sayin’ goodbye (Goodbye) Baby I love ya (baby, baby, I love ya) Baby I need ya (baby, baby I need ya) Said I want ya (baby baby I want ya) Getcha have ya baby (baby baby I love ya) Don’t let your neighbors tell ya I don’t want ya (Baby, baby I want ya) Don’t let your lowdown friends (Baby, baby I want ya)
