Lover, Come Back to Me

For the unrelated song by Dead or Alive, see Lover Come Back to Me (Dead or Alive song).

"Lover, Come Back to Me" is a popular song composed by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway show The New Moon, where the song was introduced by Evelyn Herbert and Robert Halliday (as Robert Misson). The song was published in 1928.

Film versions

The song was performed by Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore in New Moon, the 1930 film adaptation of The New Moon, and by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in the 1940 adaptation, also titled New Moon.

Barbra Streisand version

"Lover, Come Back to Me"
Single by Barbra Streisand
from the album The Second Barbra Streisand Album
A-side	"My Coloring Book"
Released	November 23, 1962 (1962-11-23)
Recorded	1962
Studio	Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City
Label	Columbia
Composer	Sigmund Romberg
Lyricist	Oscar Hammerstein II
Producer	Mike Berniker
Barbra Streisand singles chronology
"Happy Days Are Here Again" / "When the Sun Comes Out" (1962) "My Coloring Book" / "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1962) "People" / "I Am Woman" (1964)

Arranged and conducted by George Williams, the song was released as Barbra Streisand's second single in November 1962 as a double single with "My Coloring Book".^[1]

Produced by Mike Berniker, and recorded before Streisand's first album sessions, the single was sent to radio.^[2]

In 1963, Streisand re-recorded the song for her second album The Second Barbra Streisand Album, which appeared on the compilation The Essential Barbra Streisand. In her first television special, My Name is Barbra, she performed a bitterly jubilant version of the song. In 2000, she performed the song on her Timeless Tour, and a live recording was included on the live album Timeless: Live in Concert and the DVD.

Billie Holiday versions

• "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1944 version)
• "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1952 Clef Records)

Streisand versions

• "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1962 version)
• "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1963 version) / (album version) - 2:18
• "Lover, Come Back to Me" (live from Timeless: Live in Concert, 2000)
• "Medley: Hooray for Love / After You've Gone / By Myself / S'Wonderful / (I Like New York In June) How About You? / Lover, Come Back to Me / You and the Night and the Music / It All Depends On You" (live from The Judy Garland Show) - 4:34

Other notable recordings

• Peggy Lee (Miss Wonderful 1944-1955, released 2009)
• Arden-Ohman Orchestra (Victor, 1929) – Joel Whitburn estimates this recording would have charted at No. 6 if the Billboard Hot 100 had existed.^[3]
• Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra (Columbia, 1929)^[4] – Joel Whitburn estimates this recording would have charted at No. 3 if the Billboard Hot 100 had existed.^[5]
• Perry Askam (Victor, 1930) – Joel Whitburn estimates this recording would have charted at No. 20 if the Billboard Hot 100 had existed.^[6]
• Mildred Bailey – recorded for Vocalion Records in 1938^[7]
• Artie Shaw – a major instrumental hit record for Shaw, recorded 17 January 1939 for Victor Records and released on their subsidiary Bluebird record label as the "A" side of record number B-10126. Shaw had risen from almost total obscurity less than six months earlier, to having won the Downbeat Magazine Annual Reader's Poll at the end of 1938, and was leading the preeminent swing band in the US throughout 1939, recording numerous hits and dominating record charts as a popular and jazz artist. He performed the song regularly throughout his career until his retirement as a performing clarinetist and bandleader in 1954.
• Nat King Cole – a single in 1953 which reached the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 16^[8]
• Barbara Cook – Oscar Winners: The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II (1997)^[9]
• Bobby Darin – Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile (1966)
• Ella Fitzgerald – Sweet and Hot (1955)
• Anita O'Day – Trav'lin' Light (1961)
• Chet Atkins and Les Paul – Chester & Lester - (RCA Victor, 1976)
• Django Reinhardt with Larry Adler – recorded the song twice together in May 1938^[10]
• Mel Torme, Brenda Lee, John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Lester Young, Art Pepper, Brook Benton, Count Basie, Joe Williams, Brian Ferry

Usage

• The Annette Hanshaw rendition of this song was also used in the animated movie Sita Sings The Blues.

See also

• List of 1920s jazz standards

References

1. "Barbra Archives: Records/First Singles". Archived from the original on July 17, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
2. The Barbra Streisand Music Guide Archived 2008-10-26 at the Wayback Machine
3. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 31. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
4. Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-19-993739-4.
5. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 451. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
6. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 36. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
7. "The Online Discographical Project". 78discography.com. Retrieved September 23, 2018.
8. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 89. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
9. "Oscar Winners: The Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II - Barbara Cook | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
10. "Djangopedia". Djangopedia. Retrieved October 1, 2021.

External links

• Lover Come Back to Me at jazzstandards.com