Bring It On Home To Me
Written By: Sam Cooke (Abkco Music Ltd - 1962)
Trivia
- Named on of the 500 most
important piece of music that shaped Rock & Roll by the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame
- #366 in Dave Marsh's "The Heart Of
Rock and Soul: the 1001 Greatest Singles". see it at Amazon.com

- Sam Cooke wanted to give this song to Dee
Clark, but he turned it down
- It inspired Smokey Robinson to write "You've
Really Got A Hold On Me"
- It was inspired by Charles Browns "I
Want To Go Home", which was in turn based on the spiritual "Thank
God It's Real"
- Recorded in probably two takes. Take one
had J.W. Alexander, Fred Smith and the Sims Twins (all chorus background
vocals) but only Lou Rawls in the second take that was put on record
- Won a BMI songwriting award
- Named #15 on Vibe's 50 Best Duets in
January 2007
Studio Version
Produced By: Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore
Engineer: Al Schmitt
Recorded on April 26, 1961 at RCA Hollywood, Studio 1
(by apparently a slightly drunk band - Wolff)
Musicians:
- Lou Rawls (first background
vocal, answer vocal)
- Ernie Freeman
(piano)
- Frank Capp (Drums, percussion)
- Cecil Figelski (cello)
- Elliot Fisher (violin)
- William Green (saxophone)
- René Hall (guitar)
- Armand Kaproff (cello)
- Wilbert Nuttycombe
(viola)
- Ray Pohlman (bass)
- Myron Sandler (violin)
- Joseph Saxon (violin)
- Ralph Schaeffer (violin)
- Marshall Sosson (violin)
- Tommy Tedesco (guitar)
- Irving Weinper (viola)
Orchestra Conducted by Rene Hall
Charts: Reached #11 in the U.S., #2 R&B
Singles
- RCA 8036 b/w Having A Party (May
8, 1961)
- RCA 0705 b/w Having A Party
- RCA 1296 b/w Having A Party (UK)
- RCA 101299 b/w Having A Party (Australia)
- RCA 14146 b/w Nothing Can Change This Love
- RCA 20301 b/w Having A Party (Australia)
- RCA 47730 b/w Having A Party
Albums: All
Hits / The Best of Sam Cooke
/ Forever / The Golden Age
of Sam Cooke / Greatest
Hits / Hits!
/ The Man And His Music / My
Kind Of Soul - Late And Great Sam Cooke
/ Portrait Of A Legend / This is Sam
Cooke / 20 Greatest Hits
/ Wonderful World
Live Version
Information: Maybe the ultimate Sam Cooke song,
especially because I believe this is how he really wanted his music to sound,
but he was limited by the studios and what a song should sound like to be in the
charts. In this version however he uses his old gospel techniques of call and
answer with the audience, lifting them to a climax and even having to mellow
because it went a little too far.
This live version was also used, but sung by David Elliot, in
the movie 'Ali' in the opening scenes.
Albums: Live at the Harlem Square Club
/ The Man Who Invented Soul - 4 CD-box
Lyrics: Simple
Chords.
If you ever change your mind
About leaving, leaving me behind
Bring it to me, bring your sweet loving,
bring it on home to me, yeah
You know I tried to treat you right
But, you stay out, stay out every night
Bring it to me, bring your sweet lovin
Bring it on home to me.
I know I laughed when you left
But now I know I only hurt myself
Baby, bring it to me,
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it home to me
I'll give you jewelry and money too
That ain't all, all I do for you,
Baby if you bring it to me,
bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me, oh honey
You know I'll always be your slave
'til I'm buried, buried in my grave
Bring it to me, bring your sweet loving,
bring it on home to me.
But I forgive you, yeah
Also Done By (Bold is verified)
- After Hours
- John Alford
- The Animals
- people often think this is an Animals song but it is of course a Sam Cooke
song. Eric Burdon highlights the blues roots of this song. One of the best
versions. Watch them sing it on Hullabaloo
in 1965
- Backporch Blues
- Chris Bailey
- Jimmy Barnes
- Bates
- Jo Jo Benson
- Eric Bibb
--- on 'Home To Me' (2000)
- Michael Bolton
- Bon Jovi with Steve Perry
--- I found an mp3 with them singing it, quality isn't
that great and I don't think it has ever been officially released.
- The Bonnevilles
- Ken Booth
- Eric Burdon, after the Animals he
went on. He performed in Germany's 'Rockpalast'
in 1976. Even more like a blues now.
- Al Christian
--- different
- The Commitments
--- easy
- L.C. Cooke
- On his tribute album to his brother "LC Cooke Sings the
Great Years of Sam Cooke"
- Rita Coolidge
- James Cotton
- Crosscut
- Britt Daniel
- on 'Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR Covers
Compilation'
- Dave Clarke Five
- Skeeter Davis
- Brad DeHart
- Detroit Junior
- Dixie Chicks
- Joey Dees
- Johnny Dollar
- The Drifters
- David Elliot
--- Kid who performed it in the 'Ali' movie, so very close
to the live version
- Shirley Ellis
- The Embers
- Fantasy
- Faroe Boys
- The Flatlanders
- Eddie Floyd
- Aretha Franklin
--- very different, almost big-bang jazz like
- Mickey Gilley
- Ted Hawkins
--- basic staccato strumming, small
- ZZ Hill
--- decent
- John Holt
--- reggea
- Linda Hornbuckle
- Jimmy Hughes
- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- Jimmy Johnson
--- electric blues with piano
- Jim Neversink
--- not recorded and released yet but they played it
in Johannesburg, South Africa in February 2007
- King Curtis
- La Lupe
- Dennis LaSalle
- John Lennon
- Louisiana Red*
- Kevin Mahogany
- JJ Malone
- The Manfreds
- Dave Mason
--- from 'Dave Mason LP'
- Paul McCartney
- Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry
- Ed McGuirl
- Suzie McNeil - she performed it on
tv, as can be seen on YouTube.
- Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters
- Memphis Soul Revue
- The Merseybeats
- Midnight Blue*
- Zoot Money
- Rudy Ray Moore -
- Van Morrison*
--- Morrison-style, lot slower
- Willy Murphy
- Hazell O'Conner - there's even a video
of it but beware.
- Tony Orlando
--- good voice and nice horns
- Lisa Otey
--- laidback
- Wilson Pickett
--- too slow for his voice
- Rebecca Pidgeon
--- girl with piano
- Arthur Prysock
--- his voice is great, female countersinger
- Joey Ramone
- Lou Rawls*
--- good hooks, interesting that he covered a song he
was important in
- Otis Redding and Carla Thomas**
--- great horn section
- Righteous Brothers
- Mitch
Ryder and the Detroit Wheels --- normal,
many voices
- Sam & Dave
--- they have done better, somehow the vocals don't match
like Sam & Lou
- Buddy Scott
--- good guitar
- The Silvertones
- Joe Simon
- Wendi Slaton
--- slow
- Sonny & Cher
--- nice duet
- The Speckulations
--- there are some really false bits and the answer part
is really bad
- The Starliters
--- Merseybeat style
- Status Quo
- Rod Stewart
- The Supremes
--- On the
"We Remember Sam Cooke" album
- Wayne Toups & Van
Broussard
- Pat Travers
- Trischka, Tony & Skyline
- Ruby Turner
--- she sings 'true love' instead of 'jewelry'
- Billy Vera & Judi Clay
- The Von Bondies
- Johnny Winter
- Charly Wright & The Watts 103rd
Street Rhythm Band
- Marva Wright
--- normal
- Zydeco Flames
- The Zombies