Baby I'm-A Want You by Bread

Album: Baby I'm-A Want You (1971)

Charted: 14 3

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Songfacts®:

This was written by Bread keyboardist and singer David Gates, who said, "I had written the song on piano, and when we recorded it on piano, it had no life. I went home demoralized, because I knew it was a good song. So I tried it on guitar and raised it a whole key, then redid it. It made all the difference in the world."
Diction was a prerequisite in soft-rock songs of the '70s, so it was surprising when Bread elided "baby I'm going to want you" into "baby I'm-a want you." David Gates came up with it when he was hashing out syllables that would fit the melody. The "I'm-a" worked so well, he decided to leave it in. Following the "it's not a mistake if you keep doing it" philosophy, he made the next line "baby I'm-a need you" so there'd be no doubt.
One of Bread's trademark songs, it earned the group a Gold single and was the second of their four #1 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Comments: 22

Agus from Sragen Midle Of Java IndonesiaThis song my fav I often play and sing it by organ.
Hesmannes from North Country, UsaIt's a contraction of "I'm gonna want you".
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenBaby, I'm a-like this song.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 15th 1972, Bread performed "Baby I'm - A Want You" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
At the time the song was at #34 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, and that was also its final week on the chart; five weeks earlier on November 28th, 1971 it peaked at #3 {for 2 weeks} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
And on November 14th, 1971 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Adult contemporary Tracks chart; earlier in 1971 they also reached #1 {for 3 weeks} with "If" on the Adult chart...
Between 1970 and 1977 the quartet had thirteen Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Make It with You", their debut record, for one week in 1970...
They just missed having a seventh Top 10 record when “Guitar Man" peaked at #11 {for 3 weeks} in 1972...
The group's leader David Gates, as a solo artist, had seven records make the Top 100...
David Ashworth Gates will celebrate his 75th birthday come next December 11th (2015).
David from Andover, United KingdomMaybe someone can answer a question for me here....I'm sure I remember this song being played on Luxembourg
early in 1971...it says it's from 1972...could it have been an album track which was being played way before release. I know Make it with you was about early 1971.....Maybe it's just my memory....Thanks.
Mon J from Oakville, OnI love all Bread songs. Even the ones by David Gates from his solo albums. What a great and romantic voice - very soothing!
Avery from Honaker , VaThe great thing about Bread was their dream to keep 60's music alive as long as they could. They also provided great harmonies. David Gates should be revered by all songwriters as one of the greatest ever. His songs were so easy to understand and no matter what you are in the mood for; Bread provides it all.
Alistair from Daventry, United Kingdom"I'ma" is quite a common fill in expression people use - 'I'ma thinking we should get going now', so presumably came from that and extending 'I' would be a bit weak.
Bill from Pensacola, FlI like this song, but never understood the "I'm a"
Came here to see if someone explained it.
I know it fills the beat but so would just extending the "I"
George from Belleville, NjI agree with Kim from Kansas City.This is a beautiful haunting song that brings memories to mind of a simpler better time.It does make you wonder,where did those good old days go.Seems long ago and far away.
Ladylhai from Q.c., Philippinesi love the lyrics of this song. its so nice.
Kim from Kansas City, MoBring's back fond...memories of day's gone by. Where did those day's go?
Ted from Phoenix, AzI remember a sometime record producer (and now USC professor) telling me back in the 1980s that David Gates was a top-notch music arranger. This song is one of the reasons why.
Louis Rodriguez from Lancaster, CaDavid wrote Popsicles and Icicles by The Murmaids
which reached #3 on the Billboard charts in Jan-11-1964
Robert from Buffalo, NyI "think" that it is a very good, a very nicely done record. Good-ly done!!
Icee from Manila, Philippinesder's one person hu introduce this song to me.. and i loved it!.. until now..i used to listen this song everyday especially before i sleep.. i lOoOve diz so mUch! 0=
Farrah from Elon, NcSo beautiful!!!
Liquid Len from Ottawa, Canada'This song is indicative of everything wrong with "rock" in the early 70's.'

Rubbish! There was much greater variety of music in the early 70's than there is now. And lots of heavy metal and hard rock - Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rick Derringer/Edgar Winter, even heavy keyboard players like Keith Emerson.

And this song is not terrible (Lionel Ritchie is terrible) especially if you can tell your brain to ignore the lyrics. Bread had some good songwriting, and nice harmonies, but bordered on being the 70s equivalent of Air Supply at times.
Frank from Westminster, ScThis song for me is just ok. If you ever have the opportunity, listen to Bread albums other than greatest hits compilations (On the Waters, Manna, The Guitar Man and others). Most of their music is amazing. They were a group comprised of long time studio musicians aand producers. When they came together to form Bread, they created excellent music from soft and poetic to hard and funky to funny to thought provoking. They have been swept under the rock and roll carpet over the years, but it is not deserved!
Dave from Cardiff, Wales"This song is indicative of everything wrong with "rock" in the early 70's." Rubbish - this was a fantastic song! David Gates never got the recognition he deserved
Bobby from New York, United Statesgreat make out song
Ralph from Newton, MaThis song is indicative of everything wrong with "rock" in the early 70's.

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