Hey Babe What Would You Say by Hurricane Smith

Oh Babe What Would You Say

1972

Hurricane Smith

If, during the sixties, you were the engineer on all of the Beatles early albums (From '62 to '65) then recorded three of Pink Floyd's early albums, what do you do for a follow-up? How 'bout pen a song that harks back to the big band and jazz era and make it the first Top 20 (And, in fact, the first top 10) One Hit Wonder of 1973.

That's exactly what Norman Smith...better known as Hurricane Smith (And as 'Normal Smith' to a dude named John Lennon and some guys he played music with)...did when he penned 'Oh Babe What Would You Say'. He actually wrote it for Lennon after he became a solo artist, hoping he'd record it. Smith was persuaded to record it himself when record producer Mickey Most heard it and was seriously impressed with what he heard. He was right to be impressed... Hurricane Smith's little throwback to the past became a pretty massive hit in the winter of '73, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Feb 17^th, 1973. He had several more hits in The U.K., but Hey Babe What Would You Say would be his only U.S. top 40 hit.

Smith said he wrote it thinking of his own youth, the music he listened to, and being too shy to ask a girl to dance at ballrooms. All those memories melded together to create one of the unsung classics of The Seventies, with one of the most epic saxophone solos ever pressed into vinyl.

I can remember hearing this one when I was a just-licensed teen...the song hit #3 the day after my 16^th birthday...and loving that sax. It was just a laid back, soothing 3:22 worth of music that just left you feeling relaxed and mellow whenever you heard it...a definite throwback song to our parents' era, and I really don't think there was another song anything like it...especially a smash hit...during the 70s.

You never ever hear this one on Oldies stations anymore...wish it would show up, on, say, 107.3 or 106. 9 up around my neck of the woods (That'd be Richmond and Hampton Roads respectively.) Be nice to hear it once in a while...and really, guys, ya gotta love that sax!!

So Enjoy! “Hey Babe What Would You Say, By Hurricane Smith..a very early music video at that!

And as a bonus...Hurricane Smith performing the song live on The Tonight Show, with Johnny Carson. This performance has more of a 'Dixieland' vibe to it that the original ...I prefer the original's 'Big Band/Jazz sound, but both are nice, And yes...that is a polyester Leisure Suit he's wearing!