School friends Trevor Brice (vocals), Tony Goulden (guitar), Dick Allix (drums), and Tony Jarrett (bass) formed the band in Kent in 1966, originally calling themselves The Avengers. They played local clubs and were spotted by entrepreneur Roger Easterby who became their manager and producer. Having changed the name of the band to Vanity Fare after the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, they signed to Page One Records (a division of Bell Records). Vanity Fare achieved a U.K. hit single with their first release, a cover of "I Live for the Sun" (originally recorded by The Sunrays in 1965) in 1968. Following two more singles, "Summer Morning" and "Highway of Dreams", both of which failed to make the U.K. Singles Chart, they released their biggest U.K. hit, "Early in the Morning". Written by Mike Leander and Eddie Seago, it reached number eight in the U.K.y in August 1969 and number twelve in the U.S. in early 1970.
For their next release "Hitchin' a Ride" they added keyboardist Barry Landemento the group. "Hitchin' a Ride", written by Peter Callander and Mitch Murray, gave them a million-selling hit reaching number five in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number sixteen in the U.K. in January 1970. This disc received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The hit was preceded by a tour of the United States, following which both Dick Allix and Tony Goulden left the band and were replaced by guitarist and singer Eddie Wheeler and drummer Mark Ellen.
Two more singles followed before the end of 1970; Mike Leander and Eddie Seago's "Come Tomorrow" and Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway's "Carolina's Coming Home", both of which failed to enter the charts on either side of the Atlantic.
Over the next couple of years more singles were released including Tony Macaulay's "Better by Far" on DJM Records in 1972, but none of them entered the charts. Following this they decided to concentrate on live performances touring Europe, where they were having hit singles. Following the mid 1970s, and amid many band member changes (including the departure of Tony Jarrett, replaced by Bernie Hagley), the group recorded only sporadically. In 1986, the band attempted to represent the U.K. in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third in the UK heat of A Song for Europe, with the song "Dreamer" featuring Jimmy Cassidy on vocals, Phil Kitto on keyboards alongside long time members Ellen, Wheeler and Bernie Hagley. In 2007 they toured alongside P. J. Proby.
They are still together today with a line up of Hagley, Wheeler, Ellen, and Steve Oakman.
Hey Baby
Vanity Fare 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 Vanity Fare's song "Hey Baby" tell the story of a man who sees a beautiful woman walking down the street, and immediately wants to know if she will be his girl. As he watches her walk away, he can't help but ask her to give him a chance. The lyrics are simple, straightforward, and capture the excitement and anticipation of meeting someone new.
The repetition of the phrase "Hey, hey hey baby!" throughout the song serves to emphasize the man's desire to win the woman over. He is persistent, and despite the fact that she has walked away, he is still hopeful that she will give him a chance. The chorus of the song is catchy and easy to sing along to, making it a classic party song and a staple of many DJ sets.
Overall, "Hey Baby" is a fun, lighthearted song about pursuing love and taking chances. It captures the energy of the 1960s and remains a popular song today, reminding us that sometimes all it takes is a little persistence and some catchy lyrics to win someone over.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey hey baby!
The singer is greeting the person they are addressing and expresses excitement to talk to them
I want to know if you'll be my girl
The singer wants to know if the person they are addressing is interested in being in a romantic relationship with them
When I saw you walking down the street
The singer describes the moment they first laid eyes on the person they are addressing
I said that's a kind of girl I'd like to meet
The artist was immediately attracted to the person they are addressing and expressed a desire to get to know them
She's so pretty, Lord she's fine
The artist is expressing their admiration of the physical appearance of the person they are addressing
I'm gonna make her mine, all mine
The singer is determined to pursue a romantic relationship with the person they are addressing
When you turned and walked away
The person the singer is addressing left their sight, possibly indicating disinterest or disengagement
Thats when I want to say
The artist is revealing their inner thoughts, expressing what they wish they had done
C'mon baby, give me a whirl
The artist is asking the person they are addressing to give them a chance, possibly through a date or other romantic pursuit
Hey, hey hey baby!
A repeated greeting and expression of interest from the artist to the person they are addressing
Hey, hey hey hey hey, baby
Another repeated greeting and expression of interest from the singer to the person they are addressing
C'mon, baby now
The artist is continuing to ask the person they are addressing to give them a chance in a romantic pursuit
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE CHANNEL, MARGARET COBB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind