Released: March 10, 1967

Songwriter: Carolyn Franklin Aretha Franklin

Producer: Jerry Wexler

[Chorus]
Baby, baby, baby, this is just to say
How much I'm going to miss you
But believe while I'm away
That I didn't mean to hurt you
Don't you know that I'd rather hurt myself?
(I'd hurt myself, I'd hurt myself)

[Verse]
Baby, baby, baby (Baby)
Think of me sometimes (Baby)
Because if loving you was so wrong (Baby)
Then I'm guilty of this crime
(Guilty, I'm guilty, I'm guilty)
I'm bewildered, I'm lonely, and I'm loveless
Without you to hold my hand
(Reach out for me, boy)
If you'd just understand
(Reach out to me, right now)
Those that we love, we foolishly make cry
Then sometimes feel it's best to say goodbye, goodbye
But what's inside can't be denied
The power (Power of love)
The power of love (Power of love)
Is my only guide
Baby (Oh)
Baby (Oh)
Baby (Oh)

[Chorus]
Baby, baby, baby, this is just to say
How much I'm going to miss you
But believe while I'm away
(I need you, I need you, I need you)
That I really didn't mean, I didn't mean, I didn't mean to hurt you
Don't you know that, that I'd rather hurt myself?
(I'd hurt myself)

[Outro]
Baby, I need you, I need you, I need you
If I did you wrong, if I did you wrong
(I'd hurt myself)
I need you, I need you, I need you
If I did you wrong
(I'd hurt myself)

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin is both a 20th and 21st century musical and cultural icon known simply by her first Aretha. She is the reigning and undisputed “Queen Of Soul” with a legacy that spans five decades. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Aretha began her career singing gospel at her father, minister C. L. Franklin’s church as a child. In 1960, at the age of 18, Aretha embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records with modest success.

After moving to Atlantic Records in 1967, she released a steady string of US top ten hits through 1973 including “Spanish Harlem”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Baby I Love You”, “Since You’ve Been Gone”, “Daydreaming”, “The House That Jack Built”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", ”Think“ and her first chart-topper “Respect” – a song that also won Aretha her first of 18 Grammys. During this time, several of her songs were also successful overseas.

By the mid-70s, Aretha’s commercial success waned and she left Atlantic for Clive Davis' Arista Records in 1980. Her 1982 song “Jump to It,” returned her to the top 40 for the first time in six years. 1985’s Who’s Zoomin' Who? got her back into the top 10 twice with its title track and “Freeway Of Love”. Four more songs reached the top 40 through 1986.