Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)

Album: The Dimension Dolls (1963)
Charted: 7
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was written by the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin. Carole King helped provide backup vocals.
  • Bette Midler covered this for her 1973 self-titled album. Her version was part of a medley that included the following songs of the sixties: "Uptown" and "Da Doo Ron Ron" (both were hits for The Crystals). >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerro - New Alexandria, PA, for above 2

Comments: 5

  • Moanin' Lisa from Chillicothe Mo.Sacre bleu !! Man, does this Cookies song bring back the memories! The lead singer had such a distinctive, sexy voice. Me & my cousins Minnie and Big Candee loved singing their songs back in high school. Weren't the Cookies the background singers on some of Little Eva's recordings? Thru the years, I heard that an Earle-Jean McCrea was their lead singer, from various radio DJs back in the 60s. True or false? They had IIsuch great vocal harmony. I didn't know they became Ray Charles's Raelettes. In 1986, I saw the great Ray Charles in concert in Little Rock Arkansas & at the time I didn't even realize the Raelettes were formerly The Cookies. I still hear their songs on "oldies radio."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 15th 1963, the Cookies began a week long engagement at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in New York City...
    At the time the trio's "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" was at #54 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; the following month on April 21st it peaked at #7 on the chart {See next post below}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 24th 1963, "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)" by the Cookies entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #96; and on April 21st it peaked at #7 (for 2 weeks) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #3 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    The group had three other records make the Top 100; "Chains" (#17), "Will Power" (#72), and "Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys" (#33)...
    The original three members of the trio (Dorothy Jones, Ethel McCrea, and Beulah Robertson) would later become The Raelettes, the backing vocalists for the great Ray Charles.
  • John P. Tamburro from Maywood, NjThis is a great song with a great beat. I really like how the background singers drive the song while the lead singer sings in a soft and sexy voice. It should have hit number 1 in 1963.
  • Gretchen from Lafayette, CaThis song was performed nicely in the movie "The Best of Times" with Robin Williams and Kurt Russell
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.