Baby Don't Go by Sonny & Cher

Album: Baby Don't Go (1964)

Charted: 11 8

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Songfacts®:

This song was originally the B-side to an unsuccessful single called "The Letter," which Sonny & Cher released under the names Caesar and Cleo on Reprise Records. Despite having success only in Southern California and certain regions in the South, this song helped the duo earn a contract with Atco Records. Reprise re-released it to capitalize on the success of their first hit, "I Got You Babe."
Something completely different in a male-female duo: Sonny never sings any solos; he only backs Cher up during the chorus. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Jerro - New Alexandria, PA, for above 2

Comments: 12

Jim from Minneapolis, MnBecause the clavietta has a keyboard on it, and the fact that both Don Randi and Leon Russell are keyboard players, my guess is that one of them played piano on the song and the other played the clavietta. Just another educated guess, but I’d say Don Randi probably would have played the clavietta and Leon the piano. Don Randi is still alive and has a web site — maybe someone can ask him if he remembers who played what, and report back here. I’d love to know.

Also, since Sonny used to produce their records, if the clavietta was *played by the recording producer*, as stated in a comment here, it would have been played by Sonny. If so, then what were the other two keyboard players playing? I’d like to know the source of that claim or some background to it please. Just trying to sort this out.
Mitchflorida from Fort Lauderdale The instrument in the background isn't a harmonica, it is called a clavietta. It was played by the recording producer.
Bj from HollywoodI learned more fascinating facts from this comment section than from General info on the Internet! Thank you!
Jennifur Sun from RamonaFound out that Don Randi, the late Leon Russell and the late Barney Kessel of the Wrecking Crew played for free. I have never found out who played that pretty harmonica part. Hope someone knows.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 17th 1965, Sonny and Cher performed "Baby Don't Go" on the ABC-TV program 'Shindig!'...
Five months earlier the song was released by Reprise Records, but didn't make Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart...
After the success of "I've Got You Babe" it entered the Top 100 on August 15th, 1965 at position #70, and on October 3rd, 1965 it peaked at #8 {for 2 weeks} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
And on August 21st, 1965 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on the Canadian RPM Singles chart...
It would be fifteen months before the duo would have another Top 10 hit on the Top 100; on February 5th, 1967 "The Beat Goes On" reached #10 and two weeks later it peaked at #6 {for 2 weeks}...
R.I.P. Salvatore Phillip 'Sonny' Bono {1935 - 1998} and Jimmy O'Neill {Shindig's host, 1940 - 2013}.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 22nd 1965, "Just You" by Sonny and Cher entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #72; and on October 3rd it peaked at #20 {for 1 week} and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
At the time the duo's "I Got You Babe" was in its 3rd and final week at #1 on the Top 100...
And at #60 they had a third record on the chart, "Baby Don't Go", eventually it peaked at #8 on the Top 100...
R.I.P. Mr. Bono, born Salvatore Phillip Bono, 1935 - 1998 and Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, celebrated her 68th birthday one month ago on May 20th, 2014.
Charles Hollingswort from Leeds, AlSonny had a "solo" career BEFORE Cher!!! In 1959 he had a 45 out on Specialty Records #672 entitled "One Little Answer" b/w "Wearing Black" He recorded it using the name Don Christy!
Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1980 Karla Bonoff released a completely different song titled "Baby Don't Go", it peaked at No. 69!!!
Dave from Scottsdale, AzMy family uprooted and moved to Phoenix in 1963. It was very hard on my sister leaving all her friends behind. We came by train and arrived on her 16th birthday. She got up early that day and spent an hour in the train restroom doing her hair and applying her make-up for her big arrival. This song always reminds of that- "when I get to the city, my tears will all be dry, my eyes will look so pretty, no one's gonna know I cried".
Wayne from Salem, VaThis was their best song. Without a doubt.
Cherasny from Baltimore, Mdthis was a brilliant refreshing original song for its day. No trapping of Phil Spector production.Cher doesn't sound nassally as she did later on other Sonny & Cher songs.She sounds untouched by her mentor Sonny Bono who was a genuis of a songwriter,even though he only knew 3 or 4 chords on the piano. Too bad Phil Spector owns the rghts to this song because Sonny sold it to him.
Chris from Chicago, IlI like this song!

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