"Babies Having Babies" is a 1989 single by Terry Tate. A top-ten hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart, it also reached the Cash Box R&B singles chart.
Background The song is about teenage pregnancy.Dallas Morning News, Sep 25, 2015 - NEWS, Letting our babies have babies really is crazy
The song was written by Terry Tate, Paul Kyser and R. Youngblood. It was produced by Kyser. It was released in 12"-format on Trumpet Records TR-66.Billboard, June 10, 1989 - Page 73 Single Reviews, BLACK, RECOMMENDED
Tate, a former New Jersey high school teacher, used what he had learnt about his 14 and 15-year-old students being parents to write the song.Jet, November 13, 1989 - Page 57 People Are Talking About... In a 2015 article in the Dallas Morning News about the trend of underage pregnancy in Dallas, the song is mentioned. The words in the song include, "Babies are having babies / Yes, they are. / We must be crazy / To let our babies have babies".Dallas Morning News, Sep 25, 2015 - NEWS, Letting our babies have babies really is crazy It was later released on Atlantic 7-88814 in a 7" format.Billboard, - Page 30 FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 28, 1989, Billboard ® HOT BLACK SINGLES, THIS WEEK 82, LAST WEEK, 44, 2 WEEKS AGO 30< WKS. ON CHART 17]
It was noted by Billboard in the August 26 issue that it was making an impression in many markets that it was picked up for major release. It was now on 7" on Atlantic 7–88814.Billboard, August 26, 1989 - Page 87 Single Reviews, BLACK, RECOMMENDED Atlantic ran an ad in the August 25 issue of Radio & Records picturing Tate with the caption "If you really care about your audience, Please play..."Babies Having Babies".Radio & Records, Issue Number 803 August 25, 1989 - Page 47 IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE, PLEASE PLAY... "BABIES HAVING BABIES The magazine also listed it as a breaker with 63% of their reporting stations on it.Radio & Records, Issue Number 803 August 25, 1989 - Page 68 URBAN NATIONAL AIRPLAY, BREAKERS
Reviews John O'Day of WMML in Mobile, Alabama said that Tate had come up with a timely message and the radio audience would be cheated if it wasn't heard.Black Radio Exclusive, Volume XIV No. 17 May 12, 1989 - Page 21 Programmers Poll, SOUTHEAST, JOHN O'DAY, WMML/Mobile, AL
It was reviewed in the June 10 issue of Billboard. Referring to the record as having a timely topic, the reviewer noted that it was slowly getting recognition on radio and that it could be a sleeper hit.Billboard, June 10, 1989 - Page 73 Single Reviews, BLACK, RECOMMENDED
In the New Releases section of the June 30 issue of The Gavin Report by Betty Hollers and Brian Samson, Tate's smooth vocals and song invoking intense emotions were noted. It was regarded as perfect summertime addition with crossover eppeal. The previous week, Dennis Scott of KDKO had called in his report and remarked that the song was blowing people away.The Gavin Report, Issue 1763 June 30, 1989 - Page 21 NEW RELEASESby Betty Hollers and Brian Samson
Airplay On the week of May 18, Black Radio Exclusive reported that the song was an add on at WILA and WVST.Black Radio Exclusive, Volume XIV No. 17 May 12, 1989 - Page 27 REGIONAL RADIO REPORT, The following reports reflect new adds to the stations listed from the cut off of reports on Tuesdays. On the week of August 25, Radio & Records showed the track as receiving a good amount of airplay with most of the action being in the Midwest and South.Radio & Records, Issue Number 803 August 25, 1989 - Page 70 UC ADDS & HOTS
Charts For the week of July 22, 1989, "Babies Having Babies" made its debut at no. 80 in the Cash Box Top R&B Singles chart.Cash Box, July 22, 1989 - Page 23 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES 80 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate DEBUT On October 7 at week twelve, the record reached its peak position at no. 14.Cash Box, October 7, 1989 - Page 13 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 16 12Cash Box, October 14, 1989 - Page 29 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 14 13
The song also made it to no. 10 on the Billboard R&B chart, spending a total of 18 weeks on the chart.Music VF.com - Terry Tate by Terry Tate, Babies Having Babiesrareandobscuremusic, December 12, 1989 - Terry Tate
It also registered in the R&B Report R&B chart,The R&B Report, Aug. 28 - Sept. 10, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 12 - Page 6 THE R&B CHART The R&B Report Quiet Storm chart,The R&B Report, July 31 - August 13 Vol. 3 No. 10 - Page 37 QUIET STORM CHART, 2W 16, LW 15, TW 10, WOC 10 Hitmakers Urban Top 40 chart,Hitmakers, Issue 608 October 6, 1989 - Page 25 NATIONAL CHARTS, URBAN TOP40, 44-49 Black Radio Exclusive Singles chartBlack Radio Exclusive, Volume XIV No. 33 September 8, 1989 - Page 11 BRE SINGLES CHART, S E P T E M B E R 8, 1 9 8 9, TW 13, LW 33, WOC 10 and Radio & Record Urban Contemporary chart.Radio & Records, Issue Number 803 August 25, 1989 - Page 100 THE BACK PAGE® NATIONAL AIRPLAY OVERVIEW, URBAN CONTEMPORARY
+ 1989+ Chart summary Chart Peak Period Wks Notes # Cash Box Top R&B Singles 14Cash Box, October 7, 1989 - Page 13 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 16 12Cash Box, October 14, 1989 - Page 29 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 14 13 19Cash Box, November 25, 1989 - Page 33 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, November 25, 1989Cash Box, December 2, 1989 - Page 15 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, December 2, 1989 Billboard Hot Black Singles 10Music VF.com - Terry Tate by Terry Tate, Babies Having BabiesBillboard, October 7, 1989 - Page 26 Billboard. Hot Black Singles SALES & AIRPLAY 18rareandobscuremusic, December 12, 1989 - Terry Tate The R&B Report The R&B Chart 15The R&B Report, Aug. 28 - Sept. 10, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 12 - Page 6 The R&B Chart, 2W 36 LW 33 TW 38 WOC 1The R&B Report, Sept. 25 - Oct. 8, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 14 - Page 6 THE R&B CHART, 2W 20 LW 18 TW 15 WOC 5The R&B Report, October 9–22, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 15 - The R&B Chart, -- 5The R&B Report, Sept. 25 - Oct. 8, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 14 - Page 6 THE R&B CHART, 2W 20 LW 18 TW 15 WOC 5The R&B Report, October 9–22, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 15 - The R&B Chart, -- Jet Jet's Top 20 Singles 7Jet, Sept. 25, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 19Jet, Oct. 2, 1989 - JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 7 Sept 11 - Oct 16Jet, Sept 4. 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES --Jet, Sept. 11, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 19Jet, Oct. 16, 1989 - Page 63 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 9 *Jet, Oct 23, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES -- First charting period* Name misspelt as Teddy Tate Jet Jet's Top 20 Singles 9Jet, Oct. 30, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 9Jet, Nov 6, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 13 Oct. 30 - Nov. 27Jet, Oct 23, 1989 - Page 64 --Jet, Oct. 30, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 9Jet, Nov. 27, 1989 - Page 64 JET'S TOP 20 SINGLES, 17Jet, Dec. 4, 1989 - Page 64 -- Second charting period Radio & Records Urban Contemporary 17Radio and Records, Issue number 806 September 15, 1989 - Page 148 R&R THE BACK PAGE' NATIONAL AIRPLAY OVERVIEW, URBAN CONTEMPORARY, 3 WKS 29, 2 WKS 25, LW 31, TW 17Radio & Records, Issue number 807 September 22, 1989 - Page 100 R&R THE BACK PAGE' NATIONAL AIRPLAY OVERVIEW, URBAN CONTEMPORARY, 3 WKS 25 2 WKS 21, LW 17, TW 19 Aug. 18Radio & Records, Issue number 802 August 18, 1989 - Page 104 R&R THE BACK PAGE' NATIONAL AIRPLAY OVERVIEW, URBAN CONTEMPORARY, DEBUT > 34 - Sept 29.Radio & Records, Issue number 808 September 29, 1989 - Page 88 R&R THE BACK PAGE' NATIONAL AIRPLAY OVERVIEW, URBAN CONTEMPORARY, 3 WKS 21, 2 WKS 17, LW 19, TW 39
+ Year end charts Chart Number Year Notes # R&B Report Quiet Storm Top 50 1989 8 1989 R&B Report Year End Special, December 18–31, 1989 Vol. 3 No. 18 - Page 50 QUIET STORM TOP 50 1989, Position 8
Other info Publisher - Micro-Mini / Chatterback, BMIBillboard, August 26, 1989 - Page 87 Single Reviews, BLACK, RECOMMENDED
Later years The song appears on the CD album, Babies Having Babies released on Collectables COL-5704 in 1996.Amazon - Babies Having Babies, Terry Tate
References
External links Kandyman1028 channel - BABIES HAVING BABIES - Terry Tate (Audio)