Stay With Me [Baby] (Lorraine Ellison)

2 OCTOBER 1966


In September 1966, Warner Bros had a studio and 46-piece-orchestra booked for Frank Sinatra. He cancelled late, so they offered the session and orchestra to Lorraine Ellison instead, free of charge. This was the result - the original version of 'Stay With Me (Baby)', which was released in October and reached #64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in November, and a more respectable #11 on the R&B chart.

Ellison was a former gospel singer who switched to R&B in 1964, and had a #22 hit on the R&B charts the following year with 'I Dig You Baby'. 'Stay With Me (Baby)' proved to be her biggest hit, as she scored only minor chart successes after this time. As this song shows, she had quite a big voice, and the recording benefited tremendously from the large orchestra.

This classic song has since been covered by many artists, and although Ellison's single did not chart in the UK, four cover versions of it did (by The Walker Brothers, Charity Brown, David Essex, Ruby Turner).

B-side: 'I Got My Baby Back'
Released: October 1966 
Recorded: 1966 
Highest chart position: #64 (US)
Length: 3:29 
Label: Warner Bros. 5850 
Producer: Jerry Ragovoy

Stay With Me [Baby] (Lorraine Ellison)