"My Baby Loves Me (Just the Way That I Am)" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters and was first recorded by Canadian country music singer Patricia Conroy on her second studio album, Bad Day for Trains (1992). Her version was released in May 1992 as the first single from her album and peaked at number eight on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.
American country music artist Martina McBride would the song in 1993 and re-titled it to simply "My Baby Loves Me". Her rendition was released on July 12, 1993 as the lead single and pseudo-title track from her second studio album The Way That I Am (1993). McBride's version became her breakthrough hit, topping the Canadian country chart while peaking at number two on the US country singles chart.
McBride's version includes slide guitar and six-string bass riffs from Paul Worley, who criticized his own performance on them and said that they "somehow never got erased".[2]
A music video was filmed for this version of the song. It was directed by Steven Goldmann.
Commercial performance
McBride's rendition of "My Baby Loves Me" debuted at number 67 on the US BillboardHot Country Singles & Tracks chart the week of July 31, 1993. The track would go on to enter the top ten at number eight the week of November 20, 1993, becoming her first top ten hit. On December 4, 1993, the song would peak at number two on the chart behind Garth Brooks's single "American Honky-Tonk Bar Association". According to producer Paul Worley, had the song been played just three more times, it would have gone number one.[2] "My Baby Loves Me" would top the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart the week of December 18, 1993, coincidentally blocking "American Honky-Tonk Association" from the number one spot. It also became McBride's first number one single in the country, and her last until "Still Holding On" in 1997.
