Come Back To Me
Duke Ellington & Frank Sinatra Lyrics


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Hear my voice, where you are, take a train, steal a car,
Hop a freight, grab a star, come back to me.
Catch a flame, catch a breeze, on your hand, on your knees,
Swim up high, only please come on back to me.

On a mule, in a jet, with your hair in a net,
In a shower wet, I don't care.
This is where you should be, from the hills to the shore,
By the wind to my door, raise the highway dust,

Break the law if you must, throw the world, only just
Come back to me.

Blast your hide, you recall, must I fight City hall
Here and now, damn it all, come on back to me,
Where on earth must I be, still I yell till I'm blue,
In control then when you come on back to me.

Have you gone to the moon, or the corner saloon
And to crack and to croon, oh my girl, where in hell can you be?
In a crate, in a trunk, on a horse, on a junk,
In a road or a van, wrapped in mink or saran,

Anyway that you can, came back to me,




Come back to me, come back to me, come back,
Come back to me, me!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra's song "Come Back To Me" express the longing of someone who wants their loved one to come back. The lyrics suggest that the person can come back by any means possible, whether by train, car, plane, or even on a mule or in a crate. The urgency to reconnect is palpable, as the singer encourages their loved one to break the law if necessary in order to return to them. The repetition of the phrase "come back to me" underscores the song's central message, which is that the person is incomplete without their partner and needs them to return to feel whole again.


The lyrics suggest that the singer is more concerned with the fact that their loved one has left than with the specific reasons why. The mention of a "corner saloon" and the encouragement to "crack and croon" suggest that the person has gone out to have a good time, but the singer's emphasis is on the fact that they have left and not the reasons why. Similarly, the line "I don't care" in the third stanza underscores the fact that the singer is willing to overlook any transgressions their loved one may have committed in order to have them back.


Overall, the song suggests that love can be powerful enough to overcome obstacles and that the desire to be reunited with one's partner can be overwhelming.


Line by Line Meaning

Hear my voice, where you are, take a train, steal a car, Hop a freight, grab a star, come back to me.
No matter where you are, hear the sound of my voice, and find a way to return to me. Take any mode of transportation, even if it means stealing a car or hitching on a freight train, and come back to me. You are the one I need to be with.


Catch a flame, catch a breeze, on your hand, on your knees, Swim up high, only please come on back to me.
Find anything that can help you to return to me, be it a fire that signals your ambition, a gust of wind that guides you, or the strength to tread the waters or climb high above. I implore you to do whatever it takes to come back to me.


On a mule, in a jet, with your hair in a net, In a shower wet, I don't care.
Whether you ride a lowly mule, or fly in a jet plane, have your hair in a net, or catch a shower that wets your head and clothes, your appearance and mode of travel matter not to me. All I want is for you to return to my side.


This is where you should be, from the hills to the shore, By the wind to my door, raise the highway dust,
I believe that this is where you truly belong, from the hills to the shore, from any direction the wind takes you, and even if it means traveling at high speed on the highway, let nothing stop you from arriving at my doorstep.


Break the law if you must, throw the world, only just Come back to me.
Even if the only way for you to come back to my life is to break the law or disregard the rest of the world, do not be afraid to do so. The only thing that truly matters is you being with me.


Blast your hide, you recall, must I fight City hall Here and now, damn it all, come on back to me,
I am willing to go against City Hall if it means getting you back, so do not lose hope. No matter what it takes, and no matter how impossible the odds seem, know that you are important to me, and that I will stop at nothing to be with you again.


Where on earth must I be, still I yell till I'm blue, In control then when you come on back to me.
I do not know how much longer I can wait for your return, but I am determined to keep calling out to you until every breath in my body is spent. However, this agony will be silenced only when I have you back in my life.


Have you gone to the moon, or the corner saloon And to crack and to croon, oh my girl, where in hell can you be?
I do not know what part of the world you are in right now, whether it is the magnificent moon, or the dingiest saloon in some unknown corner of the world. If you're out there making music and living a meaningful life, then I know that you are in a good place, but I still yearn to be wherever you are.


In a crate, in a trunk, on a horse, on a junk, In a road or a van, wrapped in mink or saran,
You might be in a crate, in a trunk, or even atop a horse or some junk ridden vehicle. You may be walking on a road, riding a van, and could be bundled up in luxurious mink or saran plastic wrap, and I don't care as long as you are with me.


Anyway that you can, came back to me, Come back to me, come back to me, come back, Come back to me, me!
By any means possible, whether you crawl or sprint back to me, come back to me. I implore you to come back to me, and I will be waiting for you until the end of time.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN JAY LERNER, BURTON LANE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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