The second song on Paul McCartney’s 2012 album Kisses On The Bottom was a cover version of ‘Home (When Shadows Fall)’, written in 1931 by Peter Van Steeden, Harry Clarkson and Jeff Clarkson.
The song had a long history for McCartney; The Quarrymen and The Beatles performed it in their various early incarnations between 1957 and 1960. It was dropped from The Beatles’ live set shortly after The Mills Brothers released their own recording in June 1960.
There’s a track called ‘Home’ that I remember from my dad’s era. It’s funny, when I suggested that one, Diana [Krall] said, ‘Oh my gosh, I thought I was the only person on earth who knew that song.’ I actually used to do an instrumental version of it, before The Beatles. I liked the chords, so I used to play a little guitar instrumental when me and John were just getting it together. So I had nice memories of that one.
‘Home (When Shadows Fall)’ became an instant hit for van Steeden and the Clarksons. In the first year it was recorded by The Dorsey Brothers, Ruth Etting, Arthur Tracy and Merle Johnston with Smith Ballew. The following year Louis Armstrong recorded it for the first time; he taped another version in 1957.
Other famous readings of ‘Home (When Shadows Fall)’ came from Dean Martin (1966), Nat King Cole (1950), the Harry James Orchestra (1944) and Slim Whitman (1972). However, perhaps the most famous is Sam Cooke’s, first released on his 1964 album Ain’t That Good News.
In the studio
The basic track for ‘Home (When Shadows Fall)’ was recorded at Avatar Studios in New York, with the orchestra overdubbed at Abbey Road Studios in London. The rhythm arrangement was by Diana Krall.
Lyrics
Evening marks the close of day
Skies of blue begin to grey
Crimson hues are fading in the west
Evening ever brings to me
Dreams of days that used to be
Memories of those I love the best
When shadows fall
And trees whisper, ‘Day is ending’
My thoughts are ever wending home
When crickets call
My heart is forever yearning
Once more to be returning home
When the hills conceal the setting sun
Stars begin a-peeping, one by one
Night covers all
And though fortune may forsake me
Sweet dreams will ever take me home
When the hills conceal the setting sun
Stars begin a-peeping, one by one
Night covers all
And though fortune may forsake me
Sweet dreams will ever take me home
