Yacht Rock: The Secret Behind Player’s ‘Baby Come Back’ Explained
One of the greatest yacht rock songs is Player’s “Baby Come Back.” The song is in regular rotation on stations dedicated to the slow, feel-good rock songs of the 1970s and 80s. But what is the secret behind this No. 1 hit from 1977?
The meaning behind ‘Baby Come Back’ explained
The secret behind “Baby Come Back” and its plea for the return of a lost love comes from a difficult breakup for not one, but two of Player’s members. The 1977 hit quickly shot to the top of the charts, as listeners resonated with the emotional lyrics and soft rock sound way before the term “yacht rock” was coined.
Player’s guitarist Peter Beckett was heartbroken after breaking up with a girlfriend. He confided in bandmate and keyboardist J.C. Crowley, who understood Beckett’s emotions, having endured a painful breakup himself. They recorded the song after recruiting bassist (and future Bold and the Beautiful actor) Ronn Moss and drummer John Friesen to join Player.
Peter Beckett told Classic Bands, “We both wrote it together. I was married when I came out to America. She couldn’t take the L.A. thing and we got divorced during that period that led up to ‘Baby Come Back.’ Initially, it started off being about that and Crowley had his own problems. He came up with the verse chord. I came up with the riff.”
“Baby Come Back” topped and stayed on the charts for a total of 32 weeks, into the early months of 1978. The song’s incredibly catchy melody, strong harmonies, and nostalgic appeal, have made it an instantly recognizable classic.
Did Player have any other hits besides ‘Baby Come Back’?
“Baby Come Back” was featured on Player’s self-titled debut album, released on Sept. 1, 1977.
The band followed up the success of their No. 1 song with “This Time I’m in It for Love.” That record charted at its highest point at No. 10 on the Billboard charts in the United States, debunking the myth that Player was a one-hit wonder.
Peter Beckett told Classic Bands that the reason Player stopped creating hits wasn’t for lack of creativity. Rather, it was a change in musical direction that ultimately led the band to stray from its hitmaking formula.
“When we were with RSO during that period, we got tons and tons of publicity. When they put us on the Eric Clapton tour, the band took a turn to the left,” Beckett explained.
“Instead of sticking with the R&B Pop thing, which is what the first album was, we started to think we’re gonna be onstage with Clapton and Heart, we better write some rock ‘n’ roll songs. So, we grew our hair really long,” he continued.
Beckett concluded of the shift in Player’s sound, “We got the bigger amps, the 100-watt Marshalls and we started to change the band. And the band changed. Then, we stopped getting hits.”
How many albums did Player release in total? Where is the band now?
Player released six albums in total: Player (1977), Danger Zone (1978), Room With A View (1980), Spies Of Life (1981), Lost In Reality (1995), and Two Many Reasons (2013).
The band has had many members throughout its long career. The original four were Peter Beckett, J.C. Crowley, Ronn Moss, and John Friesen.
Joining the band over the years were musicians George Budd, Gary Coleman, Wayne Cook, and Jim Horn. Other members of Player included Reed Kailing, Jay Lewis, Maria Newman, Michael Omartian, and Jack White.
In 2018, The Hollywood Reporter shared details of a lawsuit filed by Moss against Beckett, claiming he unlawfully sought to use the group’s name to promote his solo work, even though the band members applied to jointly register the band’s trademark name.
That same year, they settled the lawsuit. Both Moss and Beckett own the rights to the Player name and can perform with it in the title, as long as their names are listed before it.
