(You're) Having My Baby
" Having My Baby" is a song written and recorded in 1974 by Canadian singer Paul Anka. Recorded as a duet with female vocalist Odia Coates, the song became Anka's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 15 years, since 1959's "Lonely Boy".
Song information
Anka, whose last chart-topping hit had been 1959's "Lonely Boy", had written the song for his wife and their four daughters while appearing at Lake Tahoe. The song was going to be a solo effort by Anka, but the unknown Coates, whom Anka had met while on tour, was at the studio during the recording session. Upon suggestion by United Artists recording executive Bob Skaff, the song became a duet. Released in late June 1974, " Having My Baby" climbed the chart and became Anka's third No. 1 song. A follow-up single "One Man Woman/One Woman Man", reached the Top 10 in early 1975.Criticism and controversy
Despite its commercial success, the song has been criticized for its maudlin sentimentality and perceived sexist undertones, and has appeared in many "worst songs" lists. It was voted the #1 "Worst Song of All Time" in a poll conducted by CNN.com in 2006.Peter Reilly, in a February 1975 review of the album from which it originated, for what was then known as Stereo Review, stated that the song "defeats critical evaluation with the same brashly sure grasp of the popular mood as his equally dismal "Diana" of years ago. Everybody knows Anka can do better, but he still composes and sings as if he were working on his first million and his fondest wish was an appearance on Dick Clark's show. ' Having My Baby' is The Worst. He grunts out the unforgettable lyrics, 'Yuh're havin' muh baybee/Whad a lovely way of sayin' how much yuh love me... Oh the seed inside you baybee/Do you feel it growin'?' in an Elvis-like roar while what sounds like Mantovani's orchestra swoons around him (Actually, the Johnny Harris Orchestra who also resurrected Shirley Bassey's career in 1970