Montrose neighborhood in Houston, TX- where Bell had her first encounter with singer/songwriter, John Evans, and producer/co-writer of her debut record. “It was a special music scene going on there, Delta blues, southern roots music; musicians inspired by the greats- Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, Gene VIncent, etc.” At 19, Bell was bar tending and singing with bands in the scene. “These were my friends and some of my greatest musical influences. And when I saw John play for the first time, he immediately became a great friend and influence.”
In 2006, Emily moved to the west coast, where she wrote, sang and recorded with former members of Tony Toni Tone, and Lucy Pearl. “My musical world began to open up to whole new planets.” After a few years, Bell felt the longing to bring her newly discovered planets back to where she came from. “Texas is home to me. It’s also where my musical roots are.” states Emily.
Back in Texas, a run in with her old friend John Evans changed things. “We immediately began collaborating on songs. I wanted to tie the thread between what I experienced musically on the west coast to my musical roots back home. John was the perfect guy to do that with. He’s been crossing boundaries in southern music for over a decade.” Together their inspirations span from The Ronnettes to Otis Redding, Gene Vincent to Hank Williams, and The Stones to The Stooges. The result is a collection of high energy, highly original songs. Her first release is a Double A Side featuring two songs off the record, “Back to the Way I Was”, a stompy rock and soul number that cleverly captures Bell’s return to the place of her roots and “Pusher Girl” a distorted bluesy track with a vocal delivery from Bell that captures the days of when a woman sang about freedom with belted power and seduction. All in all, it showcases a collection of songs that are built with old school steel, but the tracks they ride on are polished and new.
Hey Baby
Emily Bell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
You felt the fire in your heart before I came around
I know the fear you feel is real from when she let you down
But I'm long way away from anything she's done
Don't make me pay for every thing that she's blown
Lolly lolly good golly the sweeter the sugar the bigger the folly
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Cake mix sweet cake gotta lick the spoon before you bake
Love so delicious
Why you walking away?
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
The day she disappeared I know you staged a strike
And vowed you'd never love again the rest of your life
Like your heart grew around the sudden emptiness
I'll wrap my love around the void that she left
Lolly lolly good golly the sweeter the sugar the bigger the folly
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Cake mix sweet cake gotta lick the spoon before you bake
Love so delicious
Why you walking away?
You know it's cold on the mountain tops
I got a heater down below
I wanna melt your love pops
I wanna take it real slow
Too dizzy for a dance floor
Too awake for a bed
A little pushin and a shovin babe
We can sleep walk instead
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Why you walking away?
Why you walking away?
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Hey baby, Hey baby
Curiously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
Stay baby, Stay baby
Seriously babe
You know your baby loves you
Why you walking away?
The song "Hey Baby" by Emily Bell is a heartfelt plea from a lover to their partner who is struggling to fully commit to the relationship. The lyrics begin with the repeated line "Hey baby, hey baby" followed by the lover's entreaty to their partner to stay, emphasizing the seriousness of their love for them. The second stanza delves into the partner's past heartache and fear of being hurt again, acknowledging the reality of the situation, but also asserting that the current lover should not have to pay for the mistakes of past relationships.
The chorus of the song is both playful and sweet, likening the sweetness of love to sugar and baking, with the repeated refrain "Why you walking away?" serving as a rallying cry for the partner to stay and commit to the relationship. The final stanza features a clever metaphor comparing the partner's heart growing around the void left by a past love to the current lover wrapping their love around that void, offering to fill it completely. Throughout the entire song, Emily Bell's smooth voice and catchy melody only serve to heighten the emotion and urgency of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey baby, Hey baby
Expressing curiosity and wonder towards the person called baby
You know your baby loves you
Assuming that the baby is aware of the fact that the subject loves them
Why you walking away?
Asking why the baby is distancing themselves from the subject
Stay baby, Stay baby
Asking the baby to stay close to the subject
Seriously babe
Expressing sincerity and seriousness towards the person called babe
You felt the fire in your heart before I came around
Acknowledging the presence of past love in the baby's heart
I know the fear you feel is real from when she let you down
Recognizing the baby's apprehension due to a previous disappointment in love
But I'm long way away from anything she's done
Emphasizing the differences in the subject's character and actions from the previous lover
Don't make me pay for every thing that she's blown
Asking the baby not to hold the subject accountable for the actions of previous relationships
Lolly lolly good golly the sweeter the sugar the bigger the folly
Commenting on the foolishness of being attracted to overly sweet sugar and relating it to love
Cake mix sweet cake gotta lick the spoon before you bake
Suggesting that one should taste and explore love before committing fully
Love so delicious
Referring to love as a tasty and pleasurable experience
You know it's cold on the mountain tops
Acknowledging the harsh environment of the mountain tops
I got a heater down below
Suggesting that the subject has warmth and love to offer despite the cold surroundings
I wanna melt your love pops
Expressing a desire to make the baby's love for the subject more prominent
I wanna take it real slow
Preferring to pace and nurture the relationship slowly
Too dizzy for a dance floor
Feeling lightheaded and disoriented, unfit for dancing
Too awake for a bed
Being too alert and awake for bed.
A little pushin and shovin babe
Indicating the need for some effort and work in the relationship
We can sleep walk instead
Metaphorically proposing that the relationship can move forward with some uncertainty
Why you walking away?
Repeatedly asking why the baby is distancing themselves from the subject
You know your baby loves you
Reiterating the subject's love for the baby
Stay baby, Stay baby
Asking the baby to stay close to the subject
Seriously babe
Reinforcing the subject's sincerity and earnestness towards the baby
Why you walking away?
Once again asking why the baby is withdrawing from the subject
Contributed by Alaina W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.