"Baby Can I Hold You" is the third single released by American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman, released in October 1988. The song reached the top 50 in the United States, unlike its predecessor, "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", but it failed to become Chapman's second top 40 hit, peaking at number 48. It did, however, give her a second chart entry on the US Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at number 19 in early 1989. Given the commercial decline Chapman suffered following the release of her second album Crossroads, "Baby Can I Hold You" also became her last top 50 hit until 1996's "Give Me One Reason". In July 1990, the song reached number one in Portugal. Chapman re-released the song in 2001, in support of her first greatest hits album Collection. Charts Certifications Boyzone version In 1997, the Irish boy band Boyzone released a cover of "Baby Can I Hold You" as a double A-side with the non-album track "Shooting Star". "Baby Can I Hold You" thus became their second single from their third studio album, Where We Belong (1998). The single, like "Picture of You" before it, peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and stayed in the top 75 for fourteen weeks. The song was the 26th-best-selling single of 1997 in the United Kingdom and has received a platinum sales certification from the British Phonographic Industry for sales and streams of over 600,000 units. The song reappeared on lead singer Ronan Keating's greatest-hits compilation 10 Years of Hits. Critical reception A reviewer from Music Week gave Boyzone's version of "Baby Can I Hold You" three out of five, declaring it as a "teary cover", that "will be a school disco favourite." The magazine's Alan Jones wrote, "Still leading the pack of boy bands, Boyzone are going to have a massive hit with their thoughtful and poignant cover of Baby Can I Hold You Tonight, a fine Tracy Chapman song that somehow never got the attention it deserved. Nicely understated, with Ronan's restrained lead given depth and richness by the pleasing vocal arrangement indulged in by his fellow 'Zoners, and a mandolin." Claudia Connell from News of the World commented, "Few groups do cover songs well-but Boyzone are the exception to the rule. This version (...) is something special and once again proves that few male singers are as hot as Ronan Keating." Track listings UK CD1