Born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez in Los Angeles, California, Montez was brought up in Hawthorne, California. His early musical influences included the latino music played and performed by residents of his neighborhood, as well as Ritchie Valens. After the release of the highly successful "Let's Dance" on Monogram Records, Montez spent several years touring with artists such as Sam Cooke, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, as well as The Beatles, then relatively unknown outside of Liverpool.
Early in 1963, Montez would score another hit with "Some Kinda Fun". Reaching #43 on the charts, the song utilized the same catchy keyboard instrumentation as did "Let's Dance"; fittingly, both were million sellers, and were awarded gold discs. 1963 also saw the release of Montez's only album on Monogram, Let's Dance and Have Some Kinda' Fun!!!. Shortly before Monogram folded, Montez was paired up with Kathy Young, releasing two singles as the duo Chris & Kathy, most notably surf rock classic "Shoot That Curl". While at Monogram, Montez wrote, or co-wrote, several of his own songs, such as "Chiquita Mia", "Let's Do the Limbo" and "No No No".
Two years later, Montez was practically a non-entity in the music business; however, Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records, cordially invited Montez to resume his recording career at A&M. When Montez attempted to replicate his earlier rock 'n' roll success, however, Alpert personally suggested that Montez try a different approach: a middle of the road, soft ballad sound. While not particularly interested in changing his style of music, Montez decided to trust Alpert's instincts.
"Call Me", a cover version of a Petula Clark song, was the first single from his 1966 album, The More I See You / Call Me, earning Montez his biggest hit in years, eventually reaching #22. The song has since become an easy listening standard. The album's title cut, Montez's second single, was a source of confusion for certain radio disc jockeys who were unfamiliar with Montez' past as a rocker; when back-announcing the song, they would often refer to Montez as being female, likely owing to Montez's falsetto singing style. This confusion would be cleared up by the time the album, bearing Montez's pictures on the front and back sleeve, was released.
Montez would record three more albums for A&M: Time After Time (1966), Foolin' Around (1967), and Watch What Happens (1968). Although quite stylistically similar to his first hit album on A&M, they failed to mirror its success, although Time After Time's title cut and "Because of You" both managed to crack the Hot 100. In 1968, Montez departed from A&M on a three-year sabbatical. In 1972, Montez released a big hit single in Brazil, "Loco por ti". By this time, he had returned to his rock roots, albeit with more noticeable pop influence than before.
Two years later, now with CBS Records, Montez released The Best of Chris Montez, a compilation consisting of both old and new material, the newer bearing little to no resemblance to his past hits. While at CBS, he released one more album: Raza: Ay no digas, which fared well in international markets but failed to make an impact in the US. In 1983, Montez released his final album, Cartas de Amor, all of its songs being sung in Spanish. Although his recording career appears to be behind him, Montez is still an active musician, performing to mostly foreign audiences.
In 2008, Frozen Pictures announced plans to make a documentary on Montez's life and career, El viaje musical de Ezekiel Montanez: The Chris Montez Story. The film, focusing on Montez's multi-faceted musical career and considerable influence, has been previewed at several film festivals, but has not seen domestic release.
Hey Baby
Chris Montez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to know if you'll be my girl
Hey, hey hey baby!
I want to know if you'll be my girl
When I saw you walking down the street
I said that's a kind of girl I'd like to meet
She's so pretty, Lord she's fine
I'm gonna make her mine, all mine
Hey, hey hey baby!
I want to know if you'll be my girl
When you turned and walked away
Thats when I want to say
C'mon baby, give me a whirl
I want to know if you'll be my girl
Hey, hey hey baby!
I want to know if you'll be my girl
When you turned and walked away
Thats when I want to say
C'mon baby, give me a whirl
I want to know if you'll be my girl
Hey, hey hey baby!
I want to know if you'll be my girl
Hey, hey hey hey hey, baby
C'mon, baby now
The lyrics to Chris Montez's song "Hey Baby" are a straightforward declaration of interest in a girl, with the singer expressing a desire to know if she will be his girl. The repeated use of "hey, hey hey baby" throughout the song creates a catchy and infectious hook that makes the song instantly recognizable. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the singer asking the girl whether she will be his girl. The lyrics then describe the singer's initial attraction to the girl, with him admiring her as she walks down the street. He describes her as "pretty" and "fine," and is determined to make her his.
The second verse repeats the chorus and adds the element of the girl walking away, which prompts the singer to ask her to give him a chance. He wants her to "give [him] a whirl," indicating his eagerness to spend time with her and get to know her better. The repetition of the chorus throughout the song helps to build momentum and emphasize the singer's desire for the girl.
Overall, "Hey Baby" is a catchy, upbeat love song that expresses a simple message of attraction and desire. It is a classic example of the type of pop song that was popular in the 1960s, with its catchy hooks and simple lyrics that were easy to sing along to and remember.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey hey baby!
Greetings! I am attempting to initiate a conversation with you.
I want to know if you'll be my girl
May I inquire if you have any interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with me?
When I saw you walking down the street
Upon observing you strolling past me in a public area,
I said that's a kind of girl I'd like to meet
I was struck with admiration for your appearance and decided that I would enjoy encountering you further.
She's so pretty, Lord she's fine
My goodness, you are an incredibly attractive person.
I'm gonna make her mine, all mine
My goal is to establish a relationship with you and become your significant other.
When you turned and walked away
As you departed the scene and moved away from me,
Thats when I want to say
At that moment I desired to communicate to you that
C'mon baby, give me a whirl
I implore you to consider spending time with me and seeing where our connection could lead.
Hey, hey hey hey hey, baby
Hello there, my dear.
C'mon, baby now
Please, let us begin our courtship now.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE CHANNEL, MARGARET COBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind