"Baby, I Love Your Way" is a song written and performed by English singer Peter Frampton. It was released in September 1975 and was first featured on Frampton's 1975 album, Frampton. The song segues from the previous track "Nassau". A live version of the song was later released on his 1976 multi-platinum album Frampton Comes Alive!, where it gained popularity as a hit song, peaking at number 12 on the US BillboardHot 100 chart. It also reached number three in Canada. Billboard described the live version as an "easy rocker" and said that the portion of the song where Frampton sings the title lyrics made "an effective hook." In 2017, Frampton discussed this song while talking to Washington D.C. lawmakers about inequitable revenue payments from streaming music services like iTunes and Spotify. "For 55 million streams of 'Baby I Love Your Way', I got $1,700," said Frampton. "Their jaws dropped and they asked me to repeat that for them."
In 1987 the Americandance-pop band Will to Power recorded Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley . The song combines elements of two previously recorded rock songs: "Baby, I Love Your Way" and American Southernrock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's song "Free Bird", which hit #19 on the Hot 100 chart in 1975. Will to Power's medley of these two songs had more of a synthesized dance beat. It spent one week at #1 on the Hot 100 chart dated December 3, 1988. It also peaked at #2 on the Billboardadult contemporary chart. Additionally, in the "Freebird" section, the line "and the bird you cannot change" in the original version was changed to "and this bird will never change". In March and April 2009, VH1 ran a countdown of the 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s. Will to Power's "Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley" placed at #97 on the countdown despite the fact the group having another Top 10 hit in 1991 with a cover version of the 1975 10cc hit "I'm Not in Love."
The song was recorded by the American reggae/pop band Big Mountain in 1993, reaching number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart. Their version achieved major worldwide success, reaching the top ten in many countries across Europe, including topping the charts of Denmark, Spain, and Sweden. It also reached the top five in Australia and New Zealand, as well as in Canada, where it reached number two.
Critical reception
Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it an "earthy rendition" which is "right in the pocket of current trends."
Music video
The video was directed by Matti Leshem and premiered in April 1994.
