Come Back to Me (David Cook song)

Last updated
"Come Back to Me"
Davidcookcomebacktome .JPEG
Single by David Cook
from the album David Cook
B-side "Bar-ba-sol"
ReleasedMarch 23, 2009 (iTunes)
April 6, 2009 (Radio)
Recorded2008
Genre Pop rock
Length4:07
Label RCA
Songwriter(s) Amund Bjørklund, Espen Lind, Zac Maloy
Producer(s) Rob Cavallo
David Cook singles chronology
"Light On"
(2008)
"Come Back to Me"
(2009)
"Permanent"
(2009)

"Come Back to Me" is the second official single released from American Idol season 7 winner David Cook's major label debut studio album, David Cook (2008). It was released as a joint double-A single with "Bar-ba-sol".

Contents

Song information

"Come Back to Me" was written by Espionage, the Norwegian songwriting and music production team consisting of Amund Bjørklund and Espen Lind, along with Zac Maloy. The song was produced by Grammy winning producer Rob Cavallo. Cook described the song as being about "loving someone you can't be near." [1]

Release

"Come Back to Me" was confirmed as a joint single with "Bar-ba-sol" to be released in March 2009 in an Entertainment Weekly piece on February 27, 2009. [2] Cook publicly debuted the song through a performance on American Idol on April 1, 2009.

Reception

Billboard's Chris Williams review stated that "Cook gives an earnest, restrained vocal performance, reflective of the pensive lyric about letting a loved one go so that person can grow." [3]

Acclaims

Music video

The "Come Back to Me" music video was filmed at Los Angeles International Airport on March 5, 2009 and was directed by Gavin Bowden. In the video, Sarah Roemer plays Cook's girlfriend. After a bulletin sent by David Cook's official fan page, the video was released on April 1, 2009. First, it was released as a sneak peek on American Idol prior to Cook's performance of "Come Back to Me" and then it was released through AT&T later the same day. Cook stated that he had to learn to sing the song backwards.

It was similar to many past music videos, which were also shot backwards. Popular "The Scientist" by Coldplay has been a big comparison. Many similarities such as Cook jumping over the wall is seen in The Scientist as well, the main difference is when the music video ends with everything reversing and starts to move forward again, where this is not seen in The Scientist. Both singers had to learn the song backwards for the music videos.

The video was shot in a backward motion. It starts with Cook washing his face and singing to himself while looking into the mirror. He then walks backwards and enters a room where he plays the piano with his band. He then gets up and walks backwards through a parking lot and a forest, where he enters a taxi. He is then exits the taxi and walks backwards through the airport, where couples are embracing. He gets onto an escalator and heads to the terminal where he meets his love interest. They hug and kiss, and as they kiss, time stops and everyone is frozen except the two of them. As they finish their kiss, a tear is shown rolling into the girl's eye. At this point everything begins moving forward again. She walks away from Cook to her plane and he stares after her.

Chart performance

"Come Back to Me" debuted at number 49 on the Billboard Pop 100 chart issued April 9, 2009. It also debuted and peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart dated April 18, 2009 due to high digital downloads and airplay after David Cook performed the song on season 8 of American Idol. The song has also reached number six on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks and number eleven on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2009)Peak
Position
Canada Hot AC ( Billboard ) [6] 39
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 63
US Billboard Pop 100 [8] 49
US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) [9] 6
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [10] 15

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [11] 34
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard) [12] 16

Sales and certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States514,000 [13]

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesMarch 23, 2009 Digital download RCA Records / 19 Records
March 30, 2009 Hot adult contemporary [14]
April 6, 2009 Contemporary hit radio [15]

Covers

Bar-ba-sol

"Bar-ba-sol"
Single by David Cook
from the album David Cook
A-side "Come Back to Me"
ReleasedMarch 23, 2009
Genre Hard rock, post-grunge
Length4:27
Label RCA/19 Records
Songwriter(s) David Cook, Danny Grady, Jade Lemons, Steve Slovisky, Chris Wojtal
Producer(s) Rob Cavallo
David Cook singles chronology
"Light On"
(2008)
"Bar-ba-sol"
(2009)
"Permanent"
(2009)

"Spun Again" is a song written and recorded by American hard rock band Injected. [16] David Cook recorded a cover version, titled "Bar-ba-sol", for his eponymous debut studio album (2008). He is credited as a co-writer for the changes he made to the song. "Bar-ba-sol" was released in conjunction with "Come Back to Me" in March 2009 as the album's second single.

Release

"Bar-ba-sol" was released as a dual-A-side single with "Come Back to Me", being promoted to mainstream rock and modern rock radio while the latter impacted the mainstream, hot adult contemporary, and adult contemporary formats. [14]

Reception

Reception of "Bar-ba-sol" was generally positive.

Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt called "Bar-ba-sol" one of the more notable anthems on the album. [17]

Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called "Bar-ba-sol" the hardest-rocking (and best) song of the album. [18]

Blender magazine's Chuck Eddy, despite giving the full album a negative review, wrote that the "power-chorded "Bar-ba-Sol," ... is the only place Cook flexes any muscle" [19]

Newsday magazine's Glenn Gamboa wrote that "He stretches boundaries creatively with the metallic, grinding "Bar-Ba-Sol" - part Pearl Jam fist-pumper, part Alice in Chains slither." [20]

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesMarch 23, 2009 Digital download RCA Records / 19 Records
March 30, 2009 Mainstream rock [14]
Modern rock

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References

  1. Come Back To Me Songfacts
  2. "Idol Update"
  3. "Billboard - David Cook's Come Back to Me".
  4. "2010 BMI Pop Awards".
  5. "2010 BMI London Pop Awards".
  6. "David Cook Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  7. "David Cook Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  8. "David Cook - Awards". AllMusic . Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  9. "David Cook Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  10. "David Cook Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  11. "Adult Contemporary Songs : Page 1" (Year End 2009). Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  12. "Adult Pop Songs : Page 1" (Year End 2009). Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  13. Mansfield, Brian (11 January 2011). "'Idol' track sales: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jason Castro". USA Today . Gannett Company . Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  14. 1 2 3 Santilli, MJ (9 March 2009). "David Cook Vlogs – Video for Come Back to Me Finished, Barbasol set for Rock Radio – VIDEO". MJ's Big Blog (MJSBIGBLOG). Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  15. Franklin, Mark (29 March 2009). "CD Spotlight: David Cook goes platinum already". Idol Chatter. YD Talk. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  16. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "David Cook - David Cook". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  17. "Entertainment Weekly Music review of "David Cook" album". Archived from the original on 2015-01-19. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  18. Allmusic review of "David Cook" album
  19. "Blender review of "David Cook" album". Archived from the original on 2009-02-11. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  20. Newsday review of "David Cook" album