Madison Avenue’s “Don’t Call Me Baby” is showing impressive endurance.
The house track has been remixed for the first time and is currently enjoying a fourth week at No. 1 on the ARIA Club Tracks Chart, more than a decade after the original cut topped the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
“It’s been 14 years between drinks. It’s unbelievable, really. I wake up every day thinking, “is this real?” ”explains Andy Van Dorsselaer (aka Andy Van), founding member and producer of Madison Avenue (along with singer Cheyne Coates) and co-founder of Melbourne-based Vicious Recordings. The latest stint atop a chart is "indicating the DJs and the public is loving it. Now there’s a bunch of kids who were probably five when they first heard it, and they’re probably getting back into it again.”
The duo’s original track went to No. 1 in the U.K. back in May 2000, a rare chart accomplishment for an Australian artist (follow-up “Who the Hell Are You” also cracked the U.K. top 10 and reached No. 1 in Australia).
Until now, “Baby” hasn’t had a redux. That all changed when the team at Vicious set in motion a project to celebrate the company’s 21-year anniversary. A compilation, including remixes of 21 of the label's biggest tracks was launched. The set includes reworkings of pieces by Avicii, Dirty South and, of course, Madison Avenue’s top hit.
Luring a producer to recreate “Baby” proved to be an unexpected challenge. “We contacted about 20 different people. Many said ‘no’ because they felt it was such an iconic record," Andy Van recalls.
Adelaide producer Motez, the support act for Disclosure’s upcoming national tour, tackled the job (Andy Van describes his style as “indie-disco”).
The track is gathering steam on specialist dance shows and it'll appear on a new bundle in the coming weeks, alongside versions by remix competition winner Filterkat, Tommie Sunshine & Disco Fries and Andy Van and others.
Negotiations are ongoing for an international release. And a video will be cut. “Obviously, Cheyne and I have moved on age-wise,” says Andy Van with a laugh, “so the video will probably just focus on young people partying and having fun. “