Lover, Come Back to Me (song)

"Lover, Come Back to Me" is a popular song. The music was written 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. Its middle section is based on "June: Barcarolle" from Tchaikovsky's The Seasons, opus 37b.

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

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

In 1963, Streisand later re-recorded the song for her second album "The Second Barbra Streisand Album", which later appeared on the compilation "The Essential Barbra Streisand". In her first television special, "My Name is Barbra", she performs a bitterly jubilant version of the song, showcasing her versatility. 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 accompanying DVD release.

Official 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

Notable Recordings

 * Chet Atkins & Les Paul
 * Mildred Bailey with Benny Goodman on the Camel Caravan broadcast of Oct. 28, 1939 and for Columbia records with a small group in 1938.
 * Smith Ballew with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra 1929
 * Al Bowlly
 * The Cleftones
 * Nat King Cole - The Billy May Sessions (1993)
 * John Coltrane
 * Bobby Darin
 * The Four Evers
 * Tore Faye's Quartet. Recorded in Oslo on December 6, 1954. It was released on the 78 rpm record His Master's Voice A.L. 3468.
 * Ella Fitzgerald
 * Bryan Ferry (1999)
 * Aretha Franklin for her album The Tender, the Moving, the Swinging Aretha Franklin (1962)
 * Benny Golson
 * Annette Hanshaw
 * Coleman Hawkins
 * Thomas Hayward
 * Billie Holiday
 * Mario Lanza
 * Brenda Lee
 * Peggy Lee
 * Gordon MacRae and Dorothy Kirsten
 * Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
 * Tony Martin and Joan Weldon
 * Liza Minnelli
 * Anna Moffo and Sergio Franchi for their popular 1963 RCA Victor Red Seal album The Dream Duet
 * The performance featured in the 2004 Encores! revival of The New Moon, recorded on Ghostlight Records. It is sung first by Christiane Noll and later by Rodney Gilfry and a male chorus.
 * Anita O'Day
 * Jane Powell (1949)
 * Arthur Schutt
 * Artie Shaw
 * Frank Sinatra
 * Barbra Streisand
 * Rudy Vallee
 * Dinah Washington - Dinah Jams (1954, remastered 1990)
 * Al Hirt (on his 1961 album, He's the King and His Band)
 * Ben Webster
 * Cassandra Wilson on Loverly and Silver Pony
 * Earl Wrightson with Percy Faith & His Orchestra
 * Lester Young

Appearances in Popular Culture

 * Barbra Streisand's recording appeared in episode #7.02 of "Dancing With The Stars".
 * Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland performed a chorus of the song as part as a medley on The Judy Garland Show.
 * The Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy duet appeared in the film "That's Entertainment, Part II".
 * The Tony Martin and Joan Weldon duet appeared in the 1954 biopic "Deep In My Heart".
 * The song appeared in the 1930 short film "An Intimate Dinner in Celebration of Warner Bros. Silver Jubilee".
 * The song performed in the film "U-571" at the wedding reception while Dahlgreen is talking to Tyler.
 * The Annette Hanshaw rendition of this song was also use in the animated movie Sita Sings The Blues