Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On

Album: Let It Roll (1984)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Roy Orbison famously eyed a pretty woman walking down the street in "(Oh) Pretty Woman." If she'd been wearing a pair of tight blue jeans, Mel McDaniel would have joined him. The Oklahoma-born country singer cries, "Lord, have mercy," when he spots a denim-clad lady "walking, rockin' like a rollin' stone" in "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On," the lead single from his seventh studio album, Let It Roll.
  • In 1984, McDaniel's label, the Nashville division of Capitol Records, brought country music producer Jim Foglesong on board as their new president while McDaniel was working on his new album. Foglesong suggested that McDaniel try working with Jerry Kennedy, a session musician who played on and produced several records for Jerry Lee Lewis. During their first session together, they cut this track.
  • This was McDaniel's first and only #1 hit on the Country chart - a feat that surprised no one but the singer himself. "I did not ever dream that it would be a #1 song," he recalled in The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits. "Jerry kept saying it was a hit, my wife kept saying it was a hit, my band kept saying it was a hit. I believe in everything that we record, and always hope for the best, but you never know when that one's gonna be there."
  • This was written by Bob McDill, who penned three of McDaniel's previous Top 10 hits: "Louisiana Saturday Night," "Right In The Palm Of Your Hand," and "I Call It Love." McDill had the melody and guitar riff of this tune for a while, but he wasn't sold on the blue jeans-themed title.

    "It sounded dated at first," he admitted, "and I was afraid to use it, but it sounded just right."

    He pitched two different arrangements of the song around Nashville for a couple years, but everyone rejected it until it fell in Jerry Kennedy's hands. McDaniel sang it to a clunking cowbell beat and session great Pete Wade's guitar groove.
  • Country singer-songwriter Tebey referenced this on his 2018 song "Denim On Denim," where he's also attracted to a girl in hip-hugging blue jeans:

    Tore up and tight, got my eyes on you
    You can't help it, you're Mel McDaniels (sic) approved
    .
  • Sammy Kershaw covered this for his 2006 album, Honky Tonk Boots.
  • Peaking at #4, Let It Roll was also McDaniel's highest-charting album on the Country Albums tally.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.