I'll Come Running Back to You

Album: Two Sides Of Sam Cooke (1956)
Charted: 18
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Cooke was fired by Specialty Records' owner Art Rupe when producer Bumps Blackwell presented Rupe with the tape of Cooke singing a secular song, "You Send Me." Blackwell was fired as well, and Rupe told him that he could keep the tape. Shortly thereafter, Blackwell and Cooke signed with Keen Records, which promptly released the single.
  • As "You Send Me" was rocketing towards the #1 spot on the Hot 100 (eventually selling almost 2 million copies), Rupe had a change of heart and scoured the vault for any similar recordings by Cooke. The closest he could get was this -- which hit #1 on the R&B and disk jockey charts after it was released. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for above 2

Comments: 2

  • C.g. Dee from Big D, Texas, UsaI found out about Sam's career in Gospel in the 1990s, meaning I found a CD with his name all over it. Yes, in the American Black Church, moving from Gospel to Pop/R and B/Blues, etc could get one in serious trouble. The CD showcased Sam's earliest secular recordings, as well. This tune is a sleeper, covered by a few people, most famously, perhaps, by Eddie Hinton, the most tragic blue eyed soul man of all time. I heard his version during this Corona nastiness(Letters from Mississippi), and went on a Three, Four week Sam Cooke run. Still on it. Thanks, Eddie and Sam, always. Oh, those tears of joy...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 5, 1958, Sam Cooke was a guest on the NBC-TV Sunday night musical variety program, 'The Steve Allen Show'...
    At the time Mr. Cooke had four records on Billboard's Top 100 chart, "You Send Me" {at #9}, "I'll Come Running Back to You" {at #37}, "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" {at #44}, and "Desire Me" {at #48}...
    Between 1957 and 1966 Mr. Cooke had forty-three records on the Top 100; five made the Top 10 with one reaching #1*, "You Send Me", for 3 weeks in 1957...
    Sadly, Samuel Cooke passed away at the young age of 33 on December 11th, 1964...
    May he R.I.P.
    * He just missed having a second #1 record when "Chain Gang" peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} in 1960; the two records that kept it out of the top spot were "My Heart Has A Mind of Its Own" by Connie Francis and "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New York

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."