Baby Got Back

Baby Got Back by Sir-Mix-a-Lot (Jonathan Coulton version) is featured in Sadie Hawkins, the eleventh episode of Season Four. The song is performed by Adam's Apples, led by Adam Crawford.

When he catches Kurt looking at the sign up sheet for "Adam's Apples", Adam, the lead singer of the group, introduces himself and asks Kurt to sign up. Kurt remembers Rachel telling him not to join, because of the club being social suicide, but Adam asks Kurt to come watch a performance to see what the choir is like, before completely making up his mind about joining. Kurt agrees to the idea and later turns up to see a performance of Baby Got Back by the Adam's Apples.

During their performance Kurt laughs at some of the funny choreography and lyrics.

Lyrics[]

The Apples:
L.A. face with the Oakland booty

Adam:
I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face

Adam with The Apples:
You get sprung,

Adam:
You want to pull up tough

Adam with The Apples:
'Cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Oh baby, I want to get wit'cha
And take your pretty picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But that butt you got makes me so horny
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you want to get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupy

Adam:
I've seen them dancin'
To hell with romancin'

Adam with The Apples:
'Cause she's sweat, wet
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing

Adam:
Take the average black man and ask him that

Adam (The Apples):
She gotta pack much back
So, fellas (Yeah) Fellas (Yeah)
Has your girlfriend got the butt?
Tell 'em to shake it, shake it
Shake that healthy butt
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)

Adam:
I like 'em round, and big
And when I'm throwin' a gig
I just can't help myself, I'm actin' like an animal
Now here's my scandal

Adam with The Apples:
I want to get you home
And wow, double-up, wow

Adam:
I ain't talkin' bout Playboy
'Cause silicone parts are made for toys

Adam with The Apples:
I want 'em real thick and juicy
So find that juicy double
Johnny C's in trouble
Beggin' for a piece of that bubble
So I'm lookin' at rock videos
Knock-kneed bimbos walkin' like hoes
You can have them bimbos

Adam (Apples):
I'll keep my women like Flo Jo
A word to the thick soul sistas, I want to get with ya
I won't cuss or hit ya
But I gotta be straight when I say I wanna
Til the break of dawn
Baby got it goin' on
A lot of simps won't like this song
Cause them punks like to hit it and quit it
And I'd rather stay and play
Cause I'm long, and I'm strong
And I'm down to get the friction on
So, ladies (Yeah) Ladies (Yeah)
If you want to role in my Mercedes (Yeah)
Then turn around, stick it out
Even white boys got to shout
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Baby got back (L.A. face with the Oakland booty, booty)
Booty, booty, booty
Baby got back

Controversy[]

This cover of the song uses an arrangement created in 2006 by independent singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton. However the episode that featured it neglected to credit him. According to Coulton, FOX never asked for permission and only contacted him to remind him that, as a cover version, he has no legal right to the arrangement regardless of original melody. They also reportedly said that he should be happy for the exposure, despite the fact he was deprived credit, in a move that Coulton points out is ironic for a show that characteristically champions the underdog.

Indeed, whilst Coulton arguably has no legal right to his work, the Glee version uses many of the original ideas that Coulton put in his version—most notably his original melody not present in the Sir Mix-a-Lot version. For example, Coulton used a duck call sound to cover an expletive in the original lyrics, which is included in the Glee version. Furthermore, Coulton used a reference to himself in the version (replacing the lyric "Mix-a-Lot's in trouble" with "Johnny C's in trouble") that appears verbatim in the Glee cover.

The Glee version has been released on iTunes, still lacking credit to the arrangement's creator, and no royalties have been paid. However, in an interview with Wired, Coulton said that he wasn't interested in financial compensation, rather that he hoped to raise awareness of previous instances of FOX not crediting other artist's arrangements of songs. Coulton later re-released his version on iTunes, saying he would donate all the proceeds to charity. He sardonically re-labelled his song as the "Glee Version."