B.B. King Version
"Rock Me Baby" is a medium-tempo twelve-bar blues notated in the key of C in common or 4/4 time. In addition to King's vocal and guitar, the song features a "tight, punchy arrangement underpinned by a pianist whose identity is in some doubt". Kent part-owner Joe Bihari recalled the pianist as King's frequent collaborator Maxwell Davis, although others have been suggested, such as Lloyd Glenn and Jimmy McCracklin. The arrangement "provides a blues structure that allows King room for biting guitar work" and appealed to many guitarists.
There is some confusion as to when B.B. King recorded "Rock Me Baby". Although King had signed to ABC-Paramount Records in January 14, 1962, his former label, Kent Records, continued to release singles (and albums) well into the 1970s from "many unreleased King masters ... thus forcing King to compete with himself". Recording dates have been estimated as "about 1958" to before 1962. The song was released shortly after King's Paramount release "How Blue Can You Get" in 1964 and became the first of six B.B. King records to reach the pop Top 40. In 1997, King re-recorded the song with Eric Clapton for the album Deuces Wild.
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