You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Album: Not Fragile (1974)

Charted: 2 1

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Songfacts®:

This is one of the most famous songs with prominent stutter, as Randy Bachman sings, "B-b-b-baby, you just ain't seen n-n-nothin' yet."

Bachman wasn't planning to release the song with the stuttering vocal. He sang it with the stutter to poke fun at his brother Gary, who had a speech impediment. During microphone checks, he would sing it with the stutter and recorded a version that was intended just for Gary. His record company liked it a lot better than the non-stuttering version, so that's the one they released. Eventually, Gary stopped stuttering.
The lyrics, especially "She took me to her doctor and he told me of a cure," led to rumors that the song was about herpes or some other social disease. According to Bachman, the lyrics are just words he improvised, as he didn't thing the song was going to be released and was just using it to test levels in the studio.
Randy Bachman produced the Not Fragile album and used this song to test dynamics in the studio, since the guitars would go from quiet to loud.

When the band recorded it, they didn't think it would be released, so they didn't bother perfecting it - or even tuning their instruments. Bachman's vocal was considered a scratch track. This became Bachman's "work song" for testing.

The band only played it for their label after the boss at Mercury, Charlie Fach, heard the eight songs they completed and didn't hear a hit. The engineer suggested playing him the "work song," and Bachman reluctantly agreed.

When Fach heard the song, he loved it, warts and all. In a Songfacts interview with Bachman, he explained: "Charlie said, 'I want to put this on the album.' And I said, 'I need to remix it.' And he said, 'Don't touch it. Put it on the way it is. When you play this with the other songs, it just jumps off the turntable.'"
The title is grammatically incorrect. It is a double-negative, although "You Haven't Seen Anything Yet" wouldn't have the same ring to it.
This song came about when the band was playing a jam session in the key of "A." "Takin' Care Of Business" also came out of a jam session, but that one was in the key of "C."
Randy Bachman wrote this song and sang lead. He and his bandmate Fred Turner split vocal duties in the band.
Bachman's inspiration for the intro/verse melody was Dave Mason's "Only You Know and I Know."
Stephen King referenced "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" in the short story "Big Driver" from his 2010 collection, Full Dark, No Stars, when the protagonist hears the tune blasting from a car. King has another connection to the band. Early in his career, his publisher only allowed him to release one book a year, so he bypassed the rule by coming up with a pen name: Richard Bachman, inspired by the Richard Stark novel on his desk and the Bachman-Turner Overdrive album in his record player.
This was used in these TV shows:

My Name Is Earl ("Darnell Outed: Part 1" - 2009)
Supernatural ("The Magnificent Seven" - 2007)
Cold Case ("Yo, Adrian" - 2005)
The Sopranos ("Watching Too Much Television" - 2002)
The Simpsons ("Saddlesore Galactica" - 2000)

And in these movies:

The Watch (2012)
It's A Boy Girl Thing (2006)
The Ex (2006)
Joe Dirt (2001)
Pushing Tin (1999)

Comments: 29

Josh from Champaign, IlI read about the history on this song, that it was something that Bachman buried and didn't want to see the light of day, listened to the song again and it's amazing how well fleshed out it is for a "throwaway" song. I guess when you're professional song-smiths even your junk sounds great!
Seventh Mist from 7th HeavenA definite candidate for the Stuttering Song Hall of Fame, along with “Bad to the Bone” and “Changes.”
Aaron Graham from Atlanta GaI would have swore I heard an interview with Randy when he said his brother that studdered was messing with this chick. And Randy was teasing him. And his brother said.....You you you ain't seen nothing yet.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 15th 1974, "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #65; and on November 3rd, 1974 it peaked at #1 {for 1 week} and spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
And not surprisingly, it reached #1 {for 3 weeks} in the quartet's native country of Canada; it fact it reached #1 on the same day it made #1 in the U.S.A.
The song it replaced at #1 on the Top 100 was "You Haven't Done Nothin'" by Stevie Wonder...
It had a strange run on the Top 100; the week after being #1, it fell to #12 and then #34, but the following week it zoomed up to #8, stayed there another week, then down to #12 for a second time and four weeks later was off the Top 100 chart.
Scott from Downs, IlIn the movie 'Joe Dirt', this song is playing in Kid Rock's character's car every time he pulls up. Weird but funny!
Joel from Vallejo, Cait may not be about vd per se but some of the lyrics lead in that direction. the lyric about going to the doctor and "the cure" says it all. Plus with getting vd one would not forget that experience ever haha.
Nathan from Statesboro, GaI believe it's the only #1 by BTO on US Billboard charts
Paul from Washington Dc, DcBTO proved, with this one, that heavy metal could carry a melody, and a damned good one at that.
Lisa from Milwaukee, Wi, WiThe Drew Carey strip scene is what I think of EVERY time I hear this song. Classic
Camylle from Kent, WaRandy Bachman had a son who was a one-hit wonder in the '90s. His name was Tal Bachman, and his hit was called "She's so High".
Guy from Woodinville, WaBTO was so great at these straight-ahead power chord songs. Wonderful music! It doesn't hurt that I had a girlfriend back then who looked up at me with her big brown eyes and said "You ain't seen nothin' yet." Now THAT is hot!
Nora from N/a, Fli heard on a music channel that his "stuttering" in this song was him making fun of his brother who left the band...the brother didnt believe that the band would make a hit....his brother stuttered as a kid- and it was used in the sont to make fun of him....little did they all know..the song became a hit.
Don from Newmarket, CanadaTo answer Carol's question:
Burton Cummings did a laid back (lounge lizard) performance of this on his first solo LP. Some of the remstered versions of the CD include a big band version of the song.
Luke from Manchester, EnglandJohn, Guildford, England
- Smashy and Nicey's real anmes are Davenport Nice and Mike Smash
Carlos from Lima, PeruNot a great song, only entertainment, no food for thought, just listen to it and have fun.... nevertheless, have u all heard "Find Out About Love" or "Down Down"? I consider them even better than the one commented here
Fyodor from Denver, CoAmy, yes, I've thought of Baba O'Riley since it first came out!!
Carol from Perris, CaAbout 1977 somebody did a much slower night-club sounding version of this song, throbbing string bass and all. Very sexy. Does ANYBODY remember who did it? I used to have the album but my &%$#'n ex sold it at a garage sale!!!
Anonymous from Dixon , CaI love the stutter. It makes the song better. Oh, and Randy Bachman is LDS and Mormons rock.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesAntonio - That cover version of this song was not released in the 80s, but in 1999 by dance act Bus Stop, who also re-worked Carl Douglas "Kung-Fu Fighting" the previous year...
Tom from East Lyme, Cthttp://media.nettwerk.com/barenakedladies/ref_redsox.mov <--Perfect interpritation of this song (its the drummer of the barenaked ladies-Tyler Stewart-singing) i love this song, and this "sing a long" if you can call it that
John from Guildford, EnglandThis was the 'theme song' of those 2 wonderful DJs, Michael 'Mike Smash' Smashing and David 'Dave Nice' Nicely, who refused to go away even after they were sacked, and who have been on the radio for ever...
Warrinder from A Town, CanadaRandy Bachman wrote the the rith that he intended to use in a song in the future. Which he did, it was the intro to "Hey You" he then wrote lyrics to make fun of his brother. And just like that Randy had his second U.S. #1.
Amy from Smithville, TnDoes anyone else think of Baba O'Riley by The Who when hearing this song? The main beat througout sounds very similar!
Antonio from Orlando, FlSome group did a cover of this during the 80's and killed the song by adding the typical 80's pop beat.
Dean from Pune, IndiaLoved the striptease scene done on the 'Drew Carey Show' to this song.
Steve from Oshawa, CanadaBachman's brother Gary was his manager....so technically it was about both.
Erik from Davis, CaUsed in the "Drew Carey Show" during a UPS spoof.
Mark from Hexham, EnglandWell this is crap, did Bachman write this song about his tour manager or his brother, the way I heard it, it was his brother, who is telling the truth??
Brad Wind from Miami, FlIt was the only Top-10 single by BTO, and the only one that sold a million copies in the US.

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