"Walkin' My Baby Back Home" is a popular song written in 1930 by Roy Turk (lyrics) and Fred E. Ahlert (music).[1]
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The song first charted in 1931 with versions by Nick Lucas (No. 8), Ted Weems (also No. 8), The Charleston Chasers (No. 15) and Lee Morse (No. 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.
- Maurice Chevalier recorded the song on February 22, 1931 for Victor Records in New York.
- A major hit version of it was recorded by Nat King Cole at the Capitol Studios at 5515 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, on September 4, 1951 and released by Capitol Records as catalog number 2130. It went to No. 8 in 1952.
- The song charted again in 1952 at No. 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.[2]
- It was used as the title song for the 1953 film Walking My Baby Back Home, starring Donald O'Connor, Janet Leigh, Buddy Hackett, and Scatman Crothers.[3] In the film, the song was performed by O'Connor.[4]
- 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.
- 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.