Let’s turn the clock back fifty two years, to August 24, 1974, and take a look at the American pop culture scene. The number one best selling novel is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, by John le Carré. Considered by some to be the greatest spy novel ever written, the book was praised for it’s realism, social commentary and rich characterizations. The best selling nonfiction book is All the President’s Man, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, detailing their investigation of the Watergate break-in and its aftermath. The book influenced politics and journalism for years to come, and like Tinker, Taylor, remains in print today. The number one film at the box office is Chinatown, a critically acclaimed neo-noir. Robert Towne’s screenplay won an Oscar and is still taught in film schools as an example of great writing. On TV, the number one show is All in the Family, a groundbreaking, controversial look at the societal divide. And the best selling song? It’s (You’re) Having My Baby, written by Paul Anka and performed by him as a duet with Odia Coates. Here are the lyrics:
Having my baby
What a lovely way of sayin’ how much you love me
Having my baby
What a lovely way of sayin’ what you’re thinkin’ of me?
I can see it
Your face is glowin’
I can see in your eyes
I’m happy you know it
That you’re having my baby
You’re the woman I love, and I love what it’s doin’ to ya
You’re having my baby
You’re a woman in love, and I love what’s goin’ through ya
The need inside you
I see it showin’
Whoa, the seed inside ya, baby, do you feel it growin’?
Are ya happy you know it?
That you’re having my baby
I’m a woman in love, and I love what it’s doin’ to me
Having my baby
I’m a woman in love, and I love what’s goin’ through me
Didn’t have to keep it
Wouldn’t put you through it
You could have swept it from your life
But you wouldn’t do it, no, you wouldn’t do it
And you’re having my baby
I’m a woman in love, and I love what it’s doin’ to me
Having my baby
I’m a woman in love, and I love what’s goin’ through me
Having my baby (having my baby)
What a lovely way of sayin’ how much you love me
Having my baby (having my baby)
I’m a woman in love, and I love what’s goin’ through me
In addition to the US, the song also hit number one in Canada, and cracked the top ten on Australia, Ireland and the UK. The single was certified gold, as was Anka, the album that it appeared on. A country singer named Sunday Sharpe released a version titled I’m Having Your Baby; it hit number eleven on the US country music chart. Yep, everybody loved (You’re) Having My Baby.
Except for all the people who didn’t. It was lambasted by music critics for it’s inane lyrics and syrupy arrangement. More damning, the song was blasted by feminists, especially for the use of “my” instead of “our.” The National Organization for Women (NOW) gave Anka “The Keep Her in Her Place” Award and Ms. Magazine named him “Male Chauvinist Pig of the Year.” Anka didn’t help his cause by referring to them as “libbers” and claiming to be on their side. (You’re) Having my Baby was named as the fourth worst song of the 1970s by the readers of Rolling Stone Magazine; a 2006 CNN poll declared it the worst song of all time.
Here’s a video. Be warned, like many terrible songs it is also an earworm.
