In the early 1970s, Wayne Bickerton and Tony Waddington wrote a number of songs only to have them rejected by every recording artist they sent them to. So, they did what any zealous songwriter would do; they created a band and called it, The Rubettes.
– Sugar Baby Love – Seventies Music
Sugar Baby Love is a dazzling ‘doo-wop’ song that instantly turns me into a teenager. The other day I was watching the start of the fabulous Australian movie Muriel’s Wedding (Toni Collette’s break-out movie) where today’s featured track appears. I instantly added it to my music library project because Sugar Baby Love always gives me with that ‘guilt-free’ sugar rush. It is glam rock’s venture into the realm of rock ‘n’ roll tribute music. ‘Cheesy pop’ or better known as ‘Bubblegum Pop’ at its finest.
This record begins with ‘Twist and Shout’ Aaaahs that overlap and ascend and then, fifteen seconds in, a falsetto so high and piercing knocks you sideways.
Sugar baby love, Sugar baby lo-ove, I didn’t mean to make you blue…
The singer is trying to suck up to his sweetheart and apologise for an unspecified misdemeanour. As you do…
Cowriter Wayne Bickerton recalled:
“We had Paul DaVinci singing in that incredibly high falsetto voice and then a vocal group sings ‘Bop-shu-waddy’ over and over for about 3 minutes. Gerry Shury, who did the string arrangements, said, ‘This is not going to work: you can’t have a vocal group singing ‘Bop-shu-waddy’ non-stop.’ A lot of people said the same thing to us and the more determined I became to release it. The record was dormant for 6 or 7 weeks and then we got a break on Top of the Pops and it took off like a rocket and sold 6 million copies worldwide. Gerry said to me, ‘I’m keeping my mouth shut and will concentrate on conducting the strings.‘”
Sugar Baby Love was The Rubettes first and only No. 1 song and released in the same month as my birthday – January 1974. Yippy! It stayed at No. 1 for 4 weeks on the UK charts. It also peaked at No. 37 in the US. After they released Sugar.. they produced eight more UK top 40 songs. They also released ten albums, the last being in 1995, although they continue to tour (in one form or another) today. On stage, The Rubettes are known for their trademark white suits and cloth caps.
On 21 September 2014, as part of the Rubettes 40th anniversary, original members, Alan Williams, John Richardson and Mick Clarke returned to the Olympia in Paris, the venue of The Rubettes’ first appearance in France in 1974 when Sugar Baby Love topped the French and European charts.
Sugar Baby Love!
Sugar Baby Love!
I didn’t mean to make you blue!
Sugar Baby Love!
Sugar Baby Love!
I didn’t mean to hurt you!
All lovers make
Make the same mistakes
Yes! They do
Yes! All lovers make
Make the same mistakes
As me and you
Sugar Baby Love!
Sugar Baby Love!
I didn’t mean to make you blue!
Sugar Baby Love!
Sugar Baby Love!
I didn’t mean to hurt you!
People take my advice!
If you love someone
Don’t think twice!
Love your baby love!
Sugar Baby Love!
Love her anyway!
Love her everyday!
References:
1. Sugar Baby Love – Wikipedia
2. Sugar Baby Love – Seventies Music
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Wow, I had not heard this song in ages – possibly not since the ’70s. It’s undeniably catchy!
I can certainly understand your decades long span between ‘drinks’. Hehe
In fact if it wasn’t for its use at the beginning of ‘Muriel’s Wedding’, I probably would have never heard it before, and certainly not have identified it for inclusion here.
We’ve been getting a real kick out of listening to it multiple times this weekend gone.