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"Bring It On Home to Me", like its A-side, "Having a Party", was written while Cooke was on tour for Henry Wynn. The song was initially offered to fellow singer Dee Clark, who turned it down. While in Atlanta, Cooke called co-producer Luigi Creatore and pitched both numbers; Creatore liked the songs, and booked a recording session in Los Angeles, scheduled for two weeks later. The session's mood "matched the title" of the song, according to biographer Peter Guralnick, as many friends had been invited. "It was a very happy session," recalled engineer Al Schmitt. "Everybody was just having a ball. We were getting people out there , and some of the outtakes were hilarious, there was so much ad lib that went on." René Hall assembled an eighteen-piece backing group, "composed of six violins, two violas, two cellos, and a sax, plus a seven-piece rhythm section that included two percussionists, two bassists, two guitars, and a piano."
The song is a significant reworking of the 1959 single "I Want to Go Home" by Charles Brown and Amos Milburn, and it retains the gospel flavor and call-and-response format; the song differs significantly in that its refrain ("Bring it to me, bring your sweet lovin', bring it on home to me") is overtly secular. The song was the first serious nod to his gospel roots (" felt that he needed more weight, that that light shit wouldn't sustain him," said J.W. Alexander). The song was aiming for a sound similar to Cooke's former group, the Soul Stirrers. The original, unreleased first take includes vocals from Lou Rawls, J.W. Alexander, Fred Smith (former assistant A&R rep at Keen Records), and "probably" the Sims Twins. A second, final take leaves Lou Rawls as the only echoing voice.
The most significant later versions of the song include recordings by:
The Big Three, 1964 single, Decca Records – the first British recordings of the song
The Animals in 1965 as a single, recorded in tribute to the then-recently killed Cooke. It was their last single to include original organist Alan Price. Their version reached number 7 in the UK and number 32 on the US Hot 100. Cash Box said it is performed in "an effective funky, emotion-packed style." Record World said that "British clan gives tough treatment to the terrific Sam Cooke song. They pound out that beat with increasing intensity."
Eddie Floyd's version hit number 4 on the R&B charts and number 17 on the Hot 100 in 1968 as a single from his 1968 studio album I've Never Found a Girl.
John Lennon included the song on his Rock 'n' Roll album in 1975. He first heard the song in Liverpool in his early 20s, and liked the song very much, jamming to it frequently. He was hesitant to release his interpretation following so closely on the heels of versions by Dave Mason and Rod Stewart.
Jamaican singer Johnny Clarke had local success with his version in 1976.
Mickey Gilley hit number one on the country chart in 1976 with his recording taken from his 1976 studio album Gilley's Smokin'. He also reached number 101 on the Billboard Pop chart.
The Chicks (originally known as the Dixie Chicks) stripped the song down to vocals, finger snaps and plucked bass fiddle in 1990 on the album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans. Their version, less than two minutes long, revealed their blues-style harmonies.
The song is featured in Episode 5 of the 2016 American science fiction thriller miniseries 11.22.63.
The song is featured in a 2018 Walmart Christmas commercial about a teddy bear that wanders the store's aisles at night until he is brought home to a little girl for Christmas.
The TV show Ozark featured the song in episode 1 of season 4, during the pool scene with Ruth, Jonah and Wyatt at the Lazy-O. It also appeared in season 4 episode 14, "A Hard Way to Go".
