Soft Rock Music
The song, which was written by group members Peter Beckett and J. C. Crowley and released by Player in 1977, has become a staple of soft rock radio. People connect with the narrator’s desire to reunite with a former girlfriend. The story behind the song is that Beckett wrote the song after he and a girlfriend of five years had broken up. (While he said he was very sad at the time, he’s not sorry that he never heard from her again.) The song was released on Player’s 1977 debut album Player. It was also a single backed with “Love is Where You Find it.” In 1977-78, “Baby Come Back” charted well internationally, going to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. on Cash Box, and in Canada. It was within the top 40 in Australia, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
On the track were Peter Beckett (lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitars), J.C. Crowley (co-lead vocals, backing vocals, keyboards), Ronn Moss (backing vocals, bass), and John Friesen (drums, percussion). The group formed in Los Angeles in 1971. There have been various dis-bandings and re-formings, as well as changes in the lineup. They continue to tour and perform.
Here are two bits of trivia. One is that Moss became a popular star on the soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful. He played Ridge Forrester from 1987 to 2012. Also, “Baby Come Back” (strangely) had a short comeback in 2008 when it was used in a Swiffer WetJet commercial. A woman’s old mops that she tossed out try to win her back. One never knows…
