Cyprus-born (of Armenian ancestry) Canadian-American songwriter, singer, guitarist, actor, and voice actor specializing in jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley classics. Recognized by his Panama hat, dark sunglasses, and black tie, he first appeared on stage in Toronto, Canada, in the early 1970s. As well as music, he also appeared on film and television in acting and voice-over roles.
Redbone, who had a distinctive deep voice, began his career in the 1970s. His work encompassed pre-war jazz, ragtime, & blues styles with modern arrangements that still retain a vintage feel.
While living in Canada in the early 1970s, Redbone began performing in public at Toronto area nightclubs and folk music festivals. At one point, it was rumored that he was actually comedian Andy Kaufman, who sometimes took on other identities, or Frank Zappa, who somewhat resembled Redbone. However, Redbone has performed since the deaths of Kaufman and Zappa, and the rumors have subsided. David Letterman once proposed that he was Don Novello, the comedian famous for playing Father Guido Sarducci.
In 1974, Rolling Stone magazine ran a feature article on Redbone, a full year before he had a recording contract. The article described his performances as "so authentic you can hear the surface noise [of an old 78 rpm]." His first album, On the Track, was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975. He was introduced to a larger public as a semi-regular musical guest on NBC's Saturday Night Live throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s. In a late-'70s appearance on the The Merv Griffin Show, he was introduced as "Andy Kaufman ...maybe or maybe not," alluding to the eccentric comedian as being his possible true identity.
During the 1980s-90s Redbone was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. It was apparent from the on-air exchanges between host and guest that Carson was a fan of Redbone's work.
Redbone survived the crash of a small plane in Clarksburg WV on Feb. 12, 1979.
Baby Won't You Please Come Home
Leon Redbone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll give the world if I could only
Make you understand
It surely would be grand
I'm gonna telephone my baby
Ask her, "Won't you please come home?"
'Cause when you're gone
I'm worried all day long
Baby won't you please come home?
'Cause your papa's all alone
I have tried in vain
Evermore to call your name
When you left you broke my heart
That will never make us part
Every hour in the day
You gonna hear me say
Baby won't you please come home?
Baby won't you please come home?
Baby won't you please come home?
'Cause your papa's all alone
I have tried in vain
Evermore to call your name
When you left you broke my heart
That will never make us part
Every hour in the day
You gonna hear me say
Baby won't you please come home? I say
Baby won't you please come home?
In the Leon Redbone's song "Baby Won't You Please Come Home," the songwriter is expressing his feelings of loneliness and heartbreak. He sings about the world he would give if only he could make his lover understand how he feels, and how grand it would be if she were to come back to him. He is worried all day long and is left feeling forlorn when his lover is gone.
The singer then resolves to take action by calling his lover on the phone and asking her to come home. He pleads with her, telling her that her papa is all alone and has been calling her name in vain since she left, breaking his heart in the process. The song's chorus repeats the plea for the lover to come home and emphasizes how every hour of the day, the singer yearns for her to return.
The lyrics are simple, yet they convey a deep sense of desperation and a longing for companionship. The song's slow pace, along with Redbone's distinctive voice and guitar playing, creates a melancholic but soulful atmosphere that speaks to the depths of one's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got the blues, I feel so lonely
I am feeling really sad and lonely.
I'll give the world if I could only
Make you understand
I am willing to do anything to make you understand how I am feeling.
It surely would be grand
It would be amazing if you could understand how I am feeling.
I'm gonna telephone my baby
Ask her, "Won't you please come home?"
I am going to call my significant other and ask them to come home because I miss them.
'Cause when you're gone
I'm all forlorn
I'm worried all day long
I feel sad and worried when you are not around.
Baby won't you please come home?
'Cause your papa's all alone
I have tried in vain
Evermore to call your name
Please come home because I miss you and have been trying to reach you.
When you left you broke my heart
That will never make us part
I was heartbroken when you left, but I still love you and want you to come back.
Every hour in the day
You gonna hear me say
Baby won't you please come home?
I will keep asking you to come home because I miss you so much.
I say
Baby won't you please come home?
Once again, I am asking you to come home because I miss you.
Writer(s): CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Contributed by Julian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.