Billie Holiday：Meaning of Baby Won't You Please Come Home Songmeaning

The song "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" was written by Charles Warfield and Clarence Williams. It was first recorded in 1919 by blues singer Bessie Smith. Billie Holiday recorded her version in 1939 and it became one of her most popular and frequently performed songs. The lyrics speak of a woman begging her lover to return home. She is alone and her heart is broken since he left. She tries to call his name, but he doesn't answer. She expresses her love and need for him, asking him to come back to her. She pleads with him, saying that his mother also needs him and that he should come home. The song has a melancholic and emotional tone, typical of Billie Holiday's style. It reflects the pain of separation and the desperation of wanting someone back. The song has been interpreted as a metaphor for the racial segregation and the longing for equality during the Civil Rights era. Overall, "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" is a poignant and classic jazz standard that showcases Billie Holiday's powerful and soulful voice.