Walkin' My Baby Back Home is a jazz and pop standard written in 1930 by Roy Turk (lyrics) and Fred E. Ahlert (music). The first recording and release were by the Broadway Syncopators in 1930, and it began to chart in 1931 with versions by Nick Lucas, Ted Weems, The Charleston Chasers, and Lee Morse. The song tells a romantic story of walking home with a loved one after a night out.
Notable versions and facts:
- Nat King Cole recorded it in 1951, released by Capitol as catalog 2130, reaching No. 8 in 1952.
- Jo Stafford recorded it in 1945, released as Capitol 20049 and later appeared on her album Songs by Jo Stafford.
- Johnnie Ray had a charting version in 1952.
- The song was used as the title song for the 1953 film Walking My Baby Back Home, performed by Donald O’Connor.
- Monica Zetterlund recorded a Swedish version, Sakta vi gå genom stan, in 1962.
- Natalie Cole released a 2008 virtual duet with Nat King Cole, and Elvis Costello performed it in 2013.
The tune remains a beloved standard with numerous covers across decades.
