Do Me, Baby

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Do Me, Baby

Controversy.jpg
from the album Controversy

Domebabydemo single.jpg
single art for Do Me, Baby (Demo)
Domebaby single.jpg
single art for Do Me, Baby
Song details
Performer: Prince
First Released: 14 October 1981 - Controversy album
Album(s): Controversy

The Hits 2
The Hits / The B-Sides
One Nite Alone... Live!
1999 Super Deluxe Edition
Prince And The Revolution: Live

Writer(s): André Cymone (music (assumed, uncredited)) & Prince (lyrics)
Producer(s): Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

Do Me, Baby is the third track on Prince’s fourth album Controversy, and, nine months after the album’s release, Do Me, Baby was released as the album’s third single. In 1993, the single edit was included as the fifth track on Prince’s second compilation album The Hits 2 (also included as the second disc of The Hits / The B-Sides).

In 2002, a live version was also included as the eighth track on the second disc of One Nite Alone... Live!, Prince’s first live album (along with Adore and Condition Of The ♥ (Interlude) from the same show). The song was written by André Cymone, but credited to Prince.

An early version of the song featuring André Cymone on lead vocals was recorded in February 1978 at Music Farm Studios in New York, NY, USA, around the same time as of sessions led by Pepé Willie intended for Tony Silvester, leader of the group The Main Ingredient to use as demos for Little Anthony and the Imperials, who he wanted to produce (the one-day session also produced I Feel For You, Thrill You Or Kill You and With You), although Do Me, Baby was recorded with extra studio time and was not intended for use by Silvester.

Even when the song is credited solely to Prince, André Cymone has said it was his song and Pepé Willie has corroborated this statement. Cymone claims he came up with the main groove and perhaps the melody and Prince put lyrics to it. It is interesting to note that the song bears a striking similarity to the chord progression of Aretha Franklin’s Angel, from Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky (1973), combined with the melody of a guitar solo in Eddie Hazel’s Frantic Moment from Game, Dames & Guitar Thangs (1977). If Cymone indeed had a hand in writing the song, it is a possible reason why he never disputed the songwriting credits in court.

Prince re-cut the song as a solo effort in April 1979 at Alpha Studios in Burbank, California. That version was mixed in early June 1979 at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California, while working on recording the Prince album. But the song did not end up being used for the album and was shelved. This version from 1979 was released in 2021 as a stand alone digital track and in 2022 as a limited 7" purple vinyl single and cassette to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Controversy album.

While specific recording dates of the version released on Controversy are not known, the album sessions took place in Spring and Summer 1981, at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota and Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California. The album was completed at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, between 14 and 23 August 1981.

In 2000, Do Me, Baby was planned for inclusion on When 2 R In Love: The Ballads Of Prince (likely in re-recorded form, although it is possible this was planned but not executed). The album did not receive many votes by visitors at Prince: A Celebration, however, and was ultimately abandoned.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
February 1978 Music Farm Studios,
New York, NY, USA
Early recording with André Cymone on lead vocals
April 1979 Alpha Studios, Burbank, CA, USA tracking of solo version
1 June 1979 Hollywood Sound Recorders,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
overdubbing/ mixing 1979 version
Spring-Summer 1981 Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
or
Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California (unverified)
Tracking of Controversy version
14 - 23 August 1981 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Overdubs, mixing
Recording Personnel

Released version

  • Prince - all vocals and instruments


Preliminary version

  • André Cymone - lead vocals and bass guitar (assumed)
  • Prince - guitar, synthesizer and keyboards (assumed)
  • Pepé Willie - synthesizer, percussion (assumed)

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Do Me, Baby 7:47 Controversy

Strange Tales From The Rain promotional album

Studio
Do Me, Baby (Edit) 3:57 Do Me, Baby single

The Hits 2
The Hits / The B-Sides

Edit
Do Me, Baby 7:18 1999 Super Deluxe Edition Live 1 December 1982 (a.m.): Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI, USA
Do Me, Baby 4:51 Prince And The Revolution: Live Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA
Do Me, Baby 2:00 Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release) Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA. Remastered.
Do Me, Baby 1:56 One Nite Alone... Live! Live 14 April 2002, Verizon Wireless Theater, Houston, TX, USA
Do Me, Baby (Demo) 4:34 Do Me, Baby (Demo) single
Demo 1979 version. Released posthumously
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Do Me, Baby 4:40 Prince And The Revolution: Live VHS/laserdisc

Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition – Live at the Carrier Dome (DVD)

Live 30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Lovesexy Live 2 VHS Live 9 September 1988, Westfalenhallen, Dortmund, West Germany
Do Me, Baby 6:35 1999 Super Deluxe Edition DVD Live 29 December 1982: The Summit, Houston, TX, USA
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition DVD Live 31 December 1987: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Live concert radio broadcast Live 22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 29 July 1990, Estadio Santa María del Mar, La Coruña, Spain
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 31 August 1990, Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム), Tokyo, Japan
Do Me, Baby T.B.C. Live concert performance Live 20 November 1996, Harpo Studios, Chicago, IL, USA
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
International Lover 3:48 Piano & A Microphone 1983 'Rehearsal' a.k.a. International Lover (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version); contains instrumental interpolation of Do Me, Baby
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Do Me, Baby Studio 1978 André Cymone version
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
Do It All Night   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Do U Lie?