#outtake

This clip is adorable and a good example of it: (@nathalia.vintage on TikTok)

Paul also refers to John as ‘baby’ in a few interviews in the 80s and at a recent concert seemingly acknowledged John with a “hey baby.”

Got me thinking… was it normal for guys to call their friends baby in the 60s?

I know, AI sucks but I wanted to see what the robot would say:

Question: Was is it common slang for teen boys/young men to call their male friends “baby” or “babe” in the 1960s in Britain?

ChatGPT response:

No — it was **not common** slang in 1960s Britain for teen boys or young men to call their male friends *“baby”* or *“babe.”*

In that era and cultural setting:

* **“Baby” or “babe”** were almost exclusively used by men **toward women** (girlfriends, attractive girls, etc.) in a romantic or flirtatious sense — not platonically.

* Among male friends, the language was much more **reserved and masculine-coded.** Common terms of camaraderie included:

* *mate* (very common, and still standard)

* *pal*

* *chum* (a bit old-fashioned by the ’60s)

* *lad*

* *fella*

* *boy* (as in “he’s a good boy” or “the boys,” not used directly as a nickname)

* Sometimes *“squire”* or *“guv’nor”* in joking banter

Calling another man *“baby”* or *“babe”* would likely have seemed **odd, effeminate, or Americanized** in 1960s Britain — and might even have been met with teasing or confusion.

It’s only from the late 1990s onward (especially in the 2000s–2010s) that affectionate or ironic uses of *“babe”* among friends of any gender became somewhat normalized in certain circles (often influenced by pop culture or queer communities).

Would you like me to include examples from 1960s British media or subcultures (like mods, rockers, or Liverpool slang) to show what young men *did* call each other then?

Here was it’s description of scouse slang for friends:

🎸 2. Liverpool (“Scouse”) slang — Beatles territory

Among Liverpudlian teens (including the Beatles in their early years):

Common terms were “our kid” (for a sibling or close friend), “la” (short for “lad,” as in “Alright, la?”), and “mate.”

The Beatles used “baby” only romantically, e.g. “Hey baby,” “Be my baby,” “Ooh, you know I love you, baby.”

John Lennon or Paul McCartney calling each other “baby” in public or private (as friends) would have been seen as odd or Americanized, even humorous.