On December 10, 1967, Redding, his manager, and band members Jimmy King (b.1949; guitar), Ronnie Caldwell (b. 1948; organ), Phalon Jones (b. 1949; saxophone), and Carl Cunningham (b. 1949; drums) died in a plane crash in Lake Monona while on their way to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin.
Trumpeter Ben Cauley survived the crash and bassist James Alexander (who missed the flight due to returning a rental car) rebuilt the group.
The reformed band consisted of Cauley; Alexander; Harvey Henderson, saxophone; Michael Toles, guitar; Ronnie Gorden, organ; Willie Hall, drums and later Larry Dodson, lead vocals.
The group backed dozens of major Stax artists on recordings afterwards, including on Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul album, and changed direction in the 1970s to have a successful funk music career. Lloyd Smith joined the Bar-Kays in 1973. They continued to score hits on R&B charts well into the 1980s and lately have incorporated contemporary rap & remix elements into their continuing career and have performed all over the world.
Baby I Love You
The Bar-Kays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My love for you should have faded long ago.
I wish I didn't need your kiss
Why must your kiss torture me as long as this.
I might be smilin' by now
With some new tender friend.
Smilin' by now
But when I try
Something in that heart says "No".
You're still there
I wish I didn't love you so.
The lyrics to The Bar-Kays's song Baby I Love You convey a sense of desperation and sadness over a lingering love that the singer is unable to let go of. The opening line sets the tone for the entire song, as the singer laments their continued love despite the fact that it should have faded away long ago. They then go on to express their pain at needing the object of their affection's kiss, which only serves to torture them further.
The second verse reveals that the singer has attempted to move on with a new love interest, but is unable to shake the hold that their former lover has on them. Despite trying to "smile" and move on, their heart knows that they are not truly over their ex. The song ends with a reiteration of the singer's feelings of frustration and longing, wishing that they didn't love their former partner quite so much.
As a whole, the lyrics to Baby I Love You showcase a raw and emotional look into the complexities of love and heartbreak. Despite wanting to move on and forget their past love, the singer is unable to do so, highlighting the difficulties that come with moving on from a significant relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I didn't love you so
My love for you should have faded long ago.
I wish I didn't need your kiss
Why must your kiss torture me as long as this.
I might be smilin' by now
I could have moved on by now.
With some new tender friend.
With a new lover who could heal my heart.
Smilin' by now
I would be happy by now.
With my heart on the mend.
Healing from the pain you left in my heart.
But when I try
Every time I attempt to forget you.
Something in that heart says 'No'.
My heart still thinks of you and wants you.
You're still there
You are still present in my heart and mind.
I wish I didn't love you so.
I wish my feelings for you were not so strong.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANK LOESSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind