Come Back Baby - part 2

Well, I guess it's been too long since the last post about the roots of the song "Come Back Baby" - one of my all time favorite Folk/Blues songs.

I finally got a hold of the double CD collection of Walter Davis recordings from the Document label...but beyond that, I also sat down to listen to and transcribe the lyrics to a few more versions of the song, following the trail of cover recordings that seems to start about 10 years after Walter Davis recorded his original 2 versions.
Here are the verses sung by some of my favorite artists, as I may have mentioned earlier, the Bert Jansch and Dave Van Ronk versions have been my favorite ones for many years - they have a very delicate but powerful and haunting melodic style both in the vocals and the acoustic guitar.


COME BACK, BABY (Lightnin' Hopkins rec. 1950)

Come back, baby. Baby, please don't go.
Way I love you, you'll never know
Come back, baby. Can't we talk it over one more time.

You know this world darlin', wasn't made in one day.
Why we can't talk it over, 'fore you go away.
Come back, baby. Let's talk it over one more time.

You know it's been a long time, since I seen you smile.
Made me think about, when you was a child.
Come back, baby. Can't we talk it over one more time.

If you ain't coming back baby, darlin' please tell me so
Then I won't have to worry, about you coming back no more.
Come back, baby. Let's talk it over one more time.



COME BACK BABY (Mance Lipscomb - rec 1964)

Come back, baby, Please don't go
The way I love you baby, you'll never know.
Come back, baby, let's talk it over, one more time

My hearts in trouble, head's in misery,
Ain't got nobody talk sweet talk to me,
Come back baby, let's talk it over one more time

Lone, lonesome day,
Seem like tomorrow gonna be the same old way.
Come back baby, can't we talk it over one more time

I left her standing, in the doorway crying
Hated to go, leave that girl behind,
Come back baby, let's talk it over one more time

I love you baby, I cain't help myself
Don't get you, don't want nobody else
Come back baby, let's talk it over one more time

Went up on the mountain, looked down at the sun,
Ain't seen nobody love me like you have done,
Come back baby, let's talk it over one more time

I love you baby, I cain't help myself
Don't get you, don't want nobody else
Come back baby, let's talk it over one more time

Come back baby, can't we talk it over one more time

Come back, baby, Please don't go
The way I love you baby, you'll never know.
Come back, baby, let's talk it over, one more time

Down to the river, couldn't get accross
Jumped on an alligator, thought it was a horse
Come back, baby, let's talk it over, one more time


Bert Jansch does a great version on his 1967 album - Nicola



Please come back baby, please don't go
for the way I love you you'll never know.
So come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time.

Woke up this morning, just past dawn,
Read the note, baby,
Saying you had gone,
Come back, baby, let's talk it over, one more time.

You know I love you, tell the world I do,
For the way I love you, baby,
You'll never know.
So come back, baby, let's talk it over,
One more time.


Dave Van Ronk recorded this a number of times,
and it was a regular part of his performing repertoire throughout his career

Please come back baby, please don't go
for the way I love you you'll never know.
Come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time

I love you baby tell the world I do
I don't want no one else but you
Come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time

Long old train, mean engineer
Took my baby, left me standing here
Come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time

If I could holler like a mountain jack
I'd climb this mountain, call my baby back
Come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time

Hey come back baby, please don't go
for the way I love you you'll never know.
Well come back baby, let's talk it over, one more time

Ray Charles had a top 10 R & B hit with his version in 1955,
Ray embellished the tune with a little traditional blues bridge (the last verse)
which is not found in any of the Folk or Country Blues versions of the song

Come back, baby, Please don't go
For the way I love you baby, how you'll never know
Oh, come back, baby, yeah yeah let's talk it over
oh one more time, oh now now

Well I admit Baby that I was wrong
Don't you know baby, aw you been gone too long
Oh, come back, baby, yeah yeah let's talk it over
oh one more time, oh now now

Say if I could holler like a mountain jack
Yeah yeah oh people I'd call my baby back
Oh come back, baby, yeah yeah let's talk it over
oh one more time, oh now now

Now one of these days baby, and it won't be long yeah
You gonna look for me child you know, and I'll be gone
So come back, baby, yeah yeah let's talk it over
oh one more time, oh now now