The Masses Against the Classes, baby
 

Possibly one of the more obscure questions on here but does anyone know why JDB sings "baby" at the end of the first line of the chorus after the solo when they do the song live?

Is this a reference to some song or something?

I always thought it was a kind of ironic take on the way that baby gets thrown into songs to sex them up, so they threw it into a highly political song as a bit of a jokey statement.

I assume it's a reference to some fifties song considering the guitar riff is a tribute to Chuck Berry.

Just one of his little musical tics that develop

I think he started that at the Witnness festival in 2003 when the Manics had a very late slot and by the time he got onstage he was drunk off his ass :lol:

That was a great gig. Perfect way to end a festival.

Thanks for all the ideas! I love the "baby" so much that I go looking for them on Masses performances on YouTube! Always so disappointed when JDB doesn't do it! Ha!

Think my favourite is Leeds/Reading 2008 probably.

A bit sloppy but loads of fun! Even in the rain. Great memories!

If ‘Motown Junk’ is anything to go by. ‘Baby’ means ‘Lennon’ in Bradfield translation.

* Listens to the witness recording and is immediately faced with Nasmyth's circus organ being too high in the mix. Shudders.....

Great gig though...

That's funny, because he was roundly roasted for it here after that 2003 Witnness gig I mentioned :lol:

The fairground organ in the verses was always the most perplexing thing. All he needed to do was play the guitar a bit quieter