Walkin' My Baby Back Home (song)

"Walkin' My Baby Back Home" is a popular song written in 1930 by Roy Turk (lyrics) and Fred E. Ahlert (music). It first charted in 1931 with versions by Nick Lucas (#8), Ted Weems (also #8), The Charleston Chasers (#15), and Lee Morse (#18).

A recording made by Jo Stafford on November 9, 1945, was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 20049, and on her album, Songs by Jo Stafford (catalog number B-D23).

Harry Richman recorded the song on November 4, 1947. This version was released by Decca Records as catalog number 24391.

A major hit version of it was recorded by Nat King Cole, on September 4, 1951 and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 2130. It went to #8 in 1952. The song charted again in 1952 at #4 in a version recorded in February 1952 by Johnnie Ray, released by Columbia Records as catalog number 39750. Ray's version peaked at number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1952.^[1] It was the title song from the 1953 film starring Donald O'Connor, Janet Leigh, Buddy Hackett, and Scatman Crothers.^[2] In the film the song was performed by O'Connor.^[3]

In 1962, Monica Zetterlund with Georg Riedel's Orchestra recorded a version of this song with Swedish lyrics by Beppe Wolgers entitled Sakta vi gå genom stan (lit. "Slowly we walk through the city"). It is a subtle tribute to Stockholm, and has in recent years been voted the most popular song about the Swedish capital (in a poll by Radio Stockholm). Zetterlund has had a Stockholm park named after her. The song was released on the Philips label.

In 1967, Ronnie Dove covered the song for his album Cry (Ronnie Dove album).

In 2008, Natalie Cole recorded the song as a virtual duet with her father and it was the first single for her album Still Unforgettable, released on September 9, 2008.

Elvis Costello (with acoustic guitar) performed a version as an encore in his Auckland, New Zealand concert, January 19, 2013 and in Troy, New York on November 6, 2013.

Notable recorded versions

References