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)

1. After Hours   
2. John Alford      
3. 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
4. Backporch Blues    
5. Chris Bailey   
6. Jimmy Barnes 
7. Bates   
8. Jo Jo Benson  
9. Eric Bibb    ---    on 'Home To Me' (2000)
10. Michael Bolton   
11. 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.
12. The Bonnevilles    
13. Ken Booth    
14. Eric Burdon, after the Animals he went on. He performed in Germany's 'Rockpalast' in 1976. Even more like a blues now.
15. Al Christian    ---    different
16. The Commitments    ---    easy
17. L.C. Cooke    -    On his tribute album to his brother "LC Cooke Sings the Great Years of Sam Cooke"
18. Rita Coolidge
19. James Cotton  
20. Crosscut
21. Britt Daniel    -    on 'Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR Covers Compilation'
22. Dave Clarke Five
23. Skeeter Davis
24. Brad DeHart   
25. Detroit Junior
26. Dixie Chicks
27. Joey Dees    
28. Johnny Dollar
29. The Drifters   
30. David Elliot    ---    Kid who performed it in the 'Ali' movie, so very close to the live version
31. Shirley Ellis
32. The Embers    
33. Fantasy
34. Faroe Boys   
35. The Flatlanders   
36. Eddie Floyd    
37. Aretha Franklin    ---    very different, almost big-bang jazz like
38. Mickey Gilley    
39. Ted Hawkins    ---    basic staccato strumming, small
40. ZZ Hill        ---    decent
41. John Holt    ---    reggea
42. Linda Hornbuckle   
43. Jimmy Hughes
44. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
45. Jimmy Johnson       ---    electric blues with piano
46. Jim Neversink    ---    not recorded and released yet but they played it in Johannesburg, South Africa in February 2007
47. King Curtis
48. La Lupe    
49. Dennis LaSalle    
50. John Lennon        
51. Louisiana Red*  
52. Kevin Mahogany
53. JJ Malone
54. The Manfreds
55. Dave Mason    ---    from 'Dave Mason LP'
56. Paul McCartney    
57. Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry   
58. Ed McGuirl    
59. Suzie McNeil - she performed it on tv, as can be seen on YouTube.
60. Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters
61. Memphis Soul Revue   
62. The Merseybeats   
63. Midnight Blue*   
64. Zoot Money    
65. Rudy Ray Moore    -
66. Van Morrison*    ---    Morrison-style, lot slower
67. Willy Murphy
68. Hazell O'Conner - there's even a video of it but beware.
69. Tony Orlando    ---    good voice and nice horns
70. Lisa Otey    ---    laidback
71. Wilson Pickett    ---    too slow for his voice
72. Rebecca Pidgeon    ---    girl with piano
73. Arthur Prysock    ---    his voice is great, female countersinger
74. Joey Ramone
75. Lou Rawls*    ---    good hooks, interesting that he covered a song he was important in
76. Otis Redding and Carla Thomas**    ---    great horn section
77. Righteous Brothers
78. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels    ---    normal, many voices
79. Sam & Dave    ---    they have done better, somehow the vocals don't match like Sam & Lou
80. Buddy Scott    ---    good guitar
81. The Silvertones
82. Joe Simon
83. Wendi Slaton    ---    slow
84. Sonny & Cher    ---    nice duet
85. The Speckulations    ---    there are some really false bits and the answer part is really bad
86. The Starliters    ---    Merseybeat style
87. Status Quo
88. Rod Stewart    
89. The Supremes    ---       On the "We Remember Sam Cooke" album
90. Wayne Toups & Van Broussard    
91. Pat Travers
92. Trischka, Tony & Skyline   
93. Ruby Turner    ---   she sings 'true love' instead of 'jewelry'
94. Billy Vera & Judi Clay
95. The Von Bondies
96. Johnny Winter
97. Charly Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
98. Marva Wright    ---    normal
99. Zydeco Flames
100. The Zombies