In the days following the death of legendary music executive Clive Davis, tributes have poured in celebrating his near-unmatched ability to identify hit records. But one story circulating this week serves as a reminder that even the most accomplished ears in the industry can miss the mark — and Davis did exactly that when he passed on what would become a US number one single.
The song in question is Baby Come Back, the 1977 debut single from soft-rock band Player. Written by guitarist and vocalist Peter Beckett and keyboard player JC Crowley, the track would go on to top the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. Before that happened, Davis had the opportunity to sign the band and release the record. He declined.
Beckett, originally from Liverpool, had relocated to Los Angeles in 1974 in pursuit of a career as an artist and songwriter. Struggling financially, he met Crowley — a Texan country singer — at a party in the Hollywood Hills. The two connected immediately and began writing together in Crowley’s garage, producing a handful of songs they shopped around LA without success.
Baby Come Back emerged from a second writing session when Crowley began playing a chord progression and the pair built verses around it. Beckett arrived the following day with the title and the chorus hook. He has described the melody as sounding „like a trumpet blast.“ A bridge influenced by the Righteous Brothers — with Beckett taking the high Bobby Hatfield-style part — was added and, according to Beckett, played a significant role in making the song work.
The band arranged a showcase at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, performing on a stage in the ballroom for Davis alone, seated in the front row with arms folded. They played several songs before delivering Baby Come Back. Davis’s response was measured: „You guys look good, you sound good, but I don’t hear a hit.“ That was the end of their dealings with him.
Davis was not alone in his initial skepticism. Beckett recalls another showcase where he boldly announced to a room of around thirty industry attendees that they were about to hear their first number one record — and still failed to generate interest. The turning point came during a meeting with separate record company executives, when playing Baby Come Back produced a noticeably different reaction. „Mouths dropped, silence for a few seconds,“ Beckett recalled.
That response led to an introduction to producers Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who brought the song to RSO Records co-founder Al Coury. Coury signed off on it, Lambert and Potter produced it, and Baby Come Back was released through RSO Records on Player’s self-titled debut album. The single reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1978, where it remained for three weeks.
Source: Latest from MusicRadar
