Corinne Bailey Rae’s 2006 hit, “Put Your Records On,” is experiencing a second life in 2020 thanks to a cover by Utah indie act Ritt Momney that recently peaked at No. 79 on the Hot 100 chart. With the new version trending on TikTok and other social platforms, Momney has repeatedly encouraged fans to revisit Bailey Rae’s original. The Leeds-born singer previously broke down her inspiration for writing “Put Your Records On” in a series of Verified annotations on Genius, particularly focusing on the song’s memorable chorus.
She began by explaining how music helped her find self-confidence as a young woman:
As Bailey Rae noted, the “favorite song” she references is none other than “Vision of Love” by Mariah Carey:
The song contains multiple references to her hair. Bailey Rae, a Black, multi-racial woman, explained how “Put Your Records On” addresses her finding the confidence to wear her natural hair:
This subject comes up again on the song’s second verse, where she sings:
Don’t you let those other boys fool you
Got to love that afro hairdo
She also draws inspiration from Bob Marley & The Wailers classic, “Three Little Birds,” which she references on the first verse:
Three little birds sat on my window
And they told me I don’t need to worry
“Put Your Records On” peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2006 and helped her self-titled debut album go Platinum. She earned nominations for Record and Song of the Year and Best New Artist at the 2007 Grammys.
Now, with Momney’s cover ascending the charts, Corinne Bailey Rae is seeing renewed interest in a song that came out well over a decade ago.
Read all the lyrics and verified annotations to Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” on Genius now.
