"Star Baby" is a 1974 hit song by The Guess Who. It was written by Burton Cummings who also provided the lead vocals. It is classified in the genre of Power pop and was included on the group's LP entitled, Road Food as well as The Guess Who – Greatest Hits in 1999 and Anthology in 2003. The band performed the song on the Midnight Special television program on December 14, 1973.
"Star Baby" reached number 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100The Guess Who, "Star Baby" US Chart Position Retrieved March 7, 2015 and number 30 on Cash Box. In Canada, the song spent three weeks at number 9.The Guess Who, "Star Baby" Canadian Chart Position Retrieved March 7, 2015 The song was ranked as the 92nd biggest Canadian hit of 1974.The Top 200 Singles of 1974 from the RPM 100 Charts Retrieved March 7, 2015 Although The Guess Who had a dozen higher-charting songs in the US, "Star Baby" remained on the chart longer than any of their other hits - 19 weeks, which was four weeks longer than their number-one hit "American Woman".
The song was a major hit in Chicago, peaking at number three and receiving significant airplay on radio superstation WLSWLS Musicradio Survey, June 1, 1974 Vol. 14, No. 34The WLS Big 89 Countdown!: 1974 Retrieved March 7, 2015 as well as on its competing station, WCFL.WCFL-AM, Chicago, Ill. Super CFL Survey June 8, 1974
Background Cummings said of the song: "One of our roadies was having an affair with Bonnie Bramlett (from the rock group Delaney & Bonnie), who was opening for us way back in the '70s. When I wrote it I was trying to see Bonnie through our roadie’s eyes and what he might say to her. It was finished really quickly. I wrote that in about 20 minutes."
Television performance The Guess Who performed "Star Baby" on The Midnight Special television program (season 2, episode 14) on December 14, 1973. Loggins and Messina hosted the show that week. They performed it again on February 22, 1974 (season 2, episode 24) with Gordon Lightfoot hosting and later on March 9, 1974 (season 2, episode 29) when they hosted the show themselves.
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1974) PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)95Canada RPM Top Singles9New Zealand (Listener)20US Billboard Hot 100 39US Cash Box Top 10030
Year-end charts Chart (1974)RankCanada92US Billboard Hot 100238
References
External links Lyrics of this song