She was born Laura Nigro on 18th October 1947 in the Bronx, New York, of Italian-American and Jewish-American parents. As a child, she taught herself piano, read poetry, and listened to her mother's records by Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday and classical composers such as Ravel and Debussy. She composed her first songs at age eight. While in high school, she sang with a group of friends in subway stations and on street corners.
As a teenager she experimented with using different names, and Nyro was the one she was using at the time. She sold her song "And When I Die" to Peter, Paul and Mary for $5,000, and made her first extended professional appearance in 1966, at age 18, singing at the "hungry i" coffeehouse in San Francisco. Mogull negotiated her a recording contract, and she recorded her debut album, More Than a New Discovery, for the Verve Folkways label. The album provided material for other artists, notably the 5th Dimension.
In 1967, Nyro made only her second major live appearance, at the Monterey Pop Festival. Although some accounts described her performance as a fiasco that culminated in her being booed off the stage,[8] recordings later made public contradict this view.[
Nyro was best known by the general public – and had the most commercial success – as a songwriter rather than a performer. Her best-known songs include "And When I Die" (made a hit by Blood, Sweat & Tears), "Stoney End" (covered by Barbra Streisand), "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Save the Country" (all covered by The 5th Dimension), and "Eli's Coming" (a hit for Three Dog Night). Ironically, Nyro's own best-selling single was "Up on the Roof", a cover of the Carole King-Gerry Goffin hit originally recorded by The Drifters in 1962.
She died on 8th April 1997.
In 2012 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
oh yeah maybe baby
Laura Nyro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe, baby
Get the heebie jeebies
Got the shakes
And I got a funny feelin'
That you got just what it takes
Maybe, baby
Maybe, baby
I'm fallin' in love
Gee, you make me lovesick
That's for sure
And I got a funny feelin'
I don't wanna find a cure
And oh yes
Maybe, baby
Maybe, baby
I'm fallin' in love, in love
I don't need a doctor
Need no pills
And I got a funny feelin'
And the fever and the chills
And oh yes
Maybe, baby
Yes, yes, yes, maybe
I'm fallin' in love, in love
Oh, yeah
In Laura Nyro's song 'Oh Yeah Maybe Baby', she sings about falling in love with someone who makes her feel lovesick. The lyrics suggest that the feeling is almost uncontrollable, as if it's a fever that she can't help but succumb to. The lines "Got the heebie jeebies, got the shakes" suggest nerves and anxiety, but also excitement about this person that she's falling for. The repetition of "Maybe, baby" throughout the song suggests that Nyro is unsure about whether this person will reciprocate her feelings, but she's willing to take the risk anyway.
In the second verse, Nyro sings "I don't wanna find a cure", suggesting that she's enjoying the feeling of being lovesick and is almost addicted to it. The use of the phrase "funny feelin'" throughout the song is interesting as it's almost like she can't explain what she's feeling, which is a common experience when falling in love. The last line of the song "Oh yeah" feels like a sigh of relief as if she's finally accepted her feelings for this person.
Overall, 'Oh Yeah Maybe Baby' is a song about falling in love and the sometimes overwhelming feeling that comes with it. Nyro's use of language captures the intensity of the emotion, and the repetition of "Maybe, baby" throughout the song gives it a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah
Expressing excitement and agreement
Maybe, baby
Admitting uncertainty but expressing interest
Get the heebie jeebies
Feeling nervous, anxious, or scared
Got the shakes
Trembling or feeling unsteady due to strong emotions
And I got a funny feelin'
Sensing something unusual or unexpected
That you got just what it takes
Believing that the other person has the qualities to attract and keep a lover
And oh yeah
Reiterating excitement and agreement
Gee, you make me lovesick
Feeling sick or weak from being in love
That's for sure
Emphasizing the sincerity of the preceding statement
And I got a funny feelin'
Continuing to sense something unusual or unexpected
I don't wanna find a cure
Not wanting to stop feeling lovesick
And oh yes
Expressing excitement and agreement
Maybe, baby
Admitting uncertainty but expressing interest
I'm fallin' in love, in love
Realizing and acknowledging that one is falling in love with the other person
I don't need a doctor
Asserting that one does not need medical assistance despite feeling lovesick
Need no pills
Asserting that medication is not necessary to cure lovesickness
And the fever and the chills
Experiencing physical symptoms associated with being lovesick
Yes, yes, yes, maybe
Expressing excitement and uncertainty simultaneously
I'm fallin' in love, in love
Reiterating the realization that one is falling in love with the other person
Oh, yeah
Reiterating excitement and agreement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HANK HUNTER, PHIL SPECTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Guiseppe
just sublime!!! nobody like her before or since. So profound.
duck dong
the soulfulness and beauty of this song and laura puts into perspective just how shitty the artists have become today.
KD
Beautiful video. I used to hear Laura open her shows with this song before she recorded it and wondered if she ever would. What a wonderful gift that she chose to open Walk The Dog with this great tune as well.
Susan Faw
I still think , "Nested, was her best, but, everything she ever did had spectacular on it. What a treasure. Seriously one of the best songwriters in our lifetime.
Peter Lambert
The original recording is by The Crystals.Laura's live version is very good.
kev michael
no one is going to beat LAURA....She is The Best.....Today Theres NOBODY!!!
Susan Faw
One of the best goddamned songs in the damned world,
LauraLand4u
i'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Susan Faw
Jesus, Laura, thank you.
Susan Faw
And, omf, how good is this?