With half-apologies to overly sensitive feministas. Look, real men love and respect women and they use these words as terms of endearment. Take a powder!
Sonny and Cher, I Got You Babe, 1965. Don't let them say your hair's too long!
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, It Ain't Me Babe, 1964. Note how Joan mothers the young Bob. Turtles' 1965 cover. Baez solo version.
Bob Dylan, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, 1965. This one goes out to Charaine H.
Beatles, Baby's in Black
Ronettes, Be My Baby, 1963.
Bob Dylan, Baby Let Me Follow You Down, 1962. The surging harmonica near the beginning does it for me every time.
Traveling Wilburys, She's My Baby, 2007.
Charles Brown, Merry Christmas, Baby
Dion Dimucci with John Hammond, My Baby Loves to Boogie, 2020.
Beach Boys, Don't Worry Baby, 1964.
Bob Dylan, I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, 1968.
Them, Baby Please Don't Go. Muddy Waters, 1953.
Bruce Channel, Hey Baby! Date? Early '60s.
Ronettes, Baby, I Love You.
Drifters, There Goes My Baby, 1959.
Shirelles, Baby it's You, 1961.
Turtles, You Baby, 1966.
Dino Paul Crocetti, better known as Dean Martin, Melancholy Baby. From Steubenville, Ohio, if memory serves, as it usually does.
Dave Bagwill, my favorite Oregon luthier, recommends: