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"Rock Your Baby"
Side A of the Australian single
Single by George McCrae
from the album Rock Your Baby
B-side	"Rock Your Baby (Part 2)"
Released	May 1974
Recorded	1973
Genre	Disco soul
Length	3:14 (7" version) 6:24 (album version)
Label	TK Jay Boy (UK)
Songwriter(s)	Harry Wayne Casey Richard Finch
Producer(s)	Harry Wayne Casey Richard Finch
George McCrae singles chronology
"Rock Your Baby" (1974) "I Can't Leave You Alone" (1974)
Music video
"Rock Your Baby" (TopPop) on YouTube

"Rock Your Baby" is the debut single by American singer George McCrae. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" became an early landmark recording of disco. It was the only international hit for McCrae. The song spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1974, and three weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart that same month. The song also topped the Billboard R&B chart. The single has sold over 11 million copies, making it one of fewer than forty singles to have sold 10 million physical copies worldwide.

The backing track was recorded in 45 minutes as a demo, with Casey on keyboards, Finch on bass guitar and drums, and their fellow Sunshine Band member Jerome Smith on electric guitar. The song became one of the first pop hits to use a drum machine. The track was not originally intended for McCrae, but he happened to be in the studio at the time and added his distinct falsetto vocals. Music critic Robert Christgau has described the result as "irresistibly Memphis-cum-disco-with-a-hook."

"Rock Your Baby" influenced John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", released a few months later; in a 1975 interview, Lennon said of "Rock Your Baby" that "I'd give my eyetooth to have written that." Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have also cited the song as an inspiration for ABBA's 1976 song "Dancing Queen".

"Rock Your Baby" was covered by English indie rock band the House of Love for the 1992 compilation album Ruby Trax. British dance group KWS's cover of "Rock Your Baby" reached number eight in the UK the same year.

The 2024 PBS series Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution explores the influence of "Rock Your Baby" within the genre.

Chart performance

Certifications

Answer song

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Gwen McCrae, George McCrae's wife, recorded an answer song to "Rock Your Baby" with George on backing vocals, released less than a year later. "Rockin' Chair" reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart and number nine on the Hot 100 in mid-1975.

Rock Your Baby (Frankfurt Mix)

In 1987, a remix version was released, with mixing by Paul Hardcastle. It was adapted to suit the decade. This version is also included in the compilation Super Power Hit Sensation.

Track listing

12" Maxi

1. Rock Your Baby - 5:25
2. Ooh Baby - 3:57

Charts

KWS version

In August 1992, British dance music act KWS released their take on the song. It appeared on the album KWS. Their version charted within the top 10 in Ireland and the United Kingdom, peaking at number six and eight, respectively. In Australia and New Zealand, the single entered the top 40.

Track listing

CD maxi

1. "Rock Your Baby" (Boogaloo Investigator mix) – 3:29
2. "Rock Your Baby" (Thumb A Ride mix) – 5:19
3. "A Different Man" (Bubblegum Breakthrough mix) – 3:42
4. "Game Boy" (Rhythmatic remix) – 5:37

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

1. Morsch, Mike (April 16, 2024). The Vinyl Dialogues: Stories Behind Memorable Albums of the 1970s as Told by the Artists. The Educational Publisher / Biblio. ISBN 978-1-62249-207-7.
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• 1974 songs
• 1974 debut singles
• 1987 singles
• 1992 singles
• George McCrae songs
• KWS (band) songs
• Ariola Records singles
• Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
• Cashbox number-one singles
• American disco songs
• Number-one singles in Belgium
• Number-one singles in Italy
• Number-one singles in Germany
• Number-one singles in Norway
• RPM Top Singles number-one singles
• Number-one singles in Sweden
• Number-one singles in Switzerland
• Songs written by Harry Wayne Casey
• Songs written by Richard Finch (musician)
• TK Records singles
• UK singles chart number-one singles