Music Review: Ariana Grande "Baby I"

Ariana Grande

Baby I

Album: Yours Truly

Year: 2013

            I’m tweeting and totally forgetting I’m supposed to be writing. Oops!

           Ariana Grande fumbles for the right words to explain her feelings in the summery              “Baby I.”

                Mirthful strings open the single, setting a nostalgic tone. She searches in her purse for a pencil. She searches the pockets inside and finds a couple of dollars but no pencil. Her boyfriend hands her one from his pocket and asks her if she has her notes she needs. She tells him yes. He kisses her goodbye and wishes her good luck on her test. She smiles to herself, thinking how incredibly lucky she is.  (“Baby I got love for thee/So deep inside of me I don't know where to start/I love you more than anything/But the words can't even touch what's in my heart.”)

            In the pre-chorus, there are times when they are alone and she tries to tell him what he means to her. But she “umms” and then there are awkward pauses. She ends up patting him on the hand and saying she’ll tell him later. (“When I try to explain it I be sounding insane/The words don't ever come out right/I get all tongue tied (and twisted)/I can't explain what I'm feeling/And I say baby, baby, baby.”)

         In the chorus, he is the one who can articulate his thoughts. He writes her beautiful cards to her that she breaks down into tears. She has no idea how to put her emotions into words. He is her entire world. However, she knows there is a better way to express it. (“(Baby I) ooh baby, oh baby, my baby/(Baby I) ooh baby, baby I/All I'm tryna say is you're my everything baby/But every time I try to say it/Words, they only complicate it/Baby, baby.”)

            She overheard one of his so-called friends talk behind his back. She headed straight over to him and set him straight. She’s aware of her emotions but she can’t pinpoint it exactly. (“Baby I'm so down for you/No matter what you do, (real talk), I'll be around/Oh baby/See baby I been feelin' you/Before I even knew what feelings were about/Oh baby.”)

             She sings a variation of the pre-chorus. (“When I try to explain it I be sounding all crazy/Words don't ever come out right/I get all tongue tied (and twisted)/I can't explain what (I'm feeling)/And I say baby baby, baby.”)

               The chorus is sung again.

              In the bridge, she realizes she doesn’t need pretty sentences to dress up her feelings. She’s blunt with him, keeping her words simple and to the point. She says her affectionate nickname is her way of showing her love for hi,/  (“Straight up, you got me/All in, how could I not be/I sure hope you know/If it's even possible, I love you more/Than the word love can say it/It's better not explaining/That's why I keep saying baby I.”)

             The chorus is sung again.

            A variation of the chorus is sung again to end the single. (“(Baby I) ooh baby, oh baby, my baby/(Baby I) ooh baby, baby I/All I'm tryna say is you're my everything baby/But every time I try to say it/Words, they only complicate it/Every time I try to say it/Words, they only complicate it/Every time I try to say it/Words, they only complicate it/Baby, baby/Baby, baby.”)

               Grande’s creamy vocals, dipped in honey and cinnamon, are absolutely delicious. Reminiscent of Toni Braxton, she has a mature range and the single allows her to show it off properly.

           The smooth “Baby I” sticks on the tongue while the rich flavor sinks in, leaving listeners wanting more.