"Come Softly to Me" is a popular

song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

recorded by The Fleetwoods, composed of Gretchen Christopher, Barbara Ellis, and Gary Troxel, who also wrote it. The original title was "Come Softly", but was changed en route to its becoming a hit. Bob Reisdorf, the owner of Dolphin Records, which in 1960 changed to Dolton Records, was responsible for the title change. He thought that "Come Softly" might be too obvious and considered risqué, so he had it changed to "Come Softly to Me." The title phrase never appears in the song's lyrics. Recording the song at home, the group sang it

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

with the rhythmic shaking of Troxel's car keys. The tape was then sent to

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where the sparse instrumental accompaniment was added, including an acoustic guitar played by Bonnie Guitar, herself a successful singer-songwriter ("Dark Moon") and Reisdorf's in-house record producer. Released in 1959, the single reached #1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in April.

Chart positions

All-time charts

Cover versions

The song has been

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by other artists, including Sandy Salisbury, Marcel Amont "Tout doux, tout doucement" (1958),

Henri Salvador Henri Salvador (18 July 1917 – 13 February 2008) was a French Caribbean singer, comedian and cabaret artist. Biography Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of an Indigen ...

(1959), Paul & Paula (1963),

Four Jacks and a Jill Four Jacks and a Jill is a South African folk rock ensemble. Career They originally formed in 1964 without a "Jill" under the name "The Nevadas". Subsequently, they became the first group in South Africa to wear their hair long and they changed ...

(1965), The Serendipity Singers on United Artists in 1968, and Bob Welch (with

Christine McVie Christine Anne McVie (; Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician. She was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists and songwriters of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, notably Chic ...

on backing vocals). * Frankie Vaughan with The Kaye Sisters had a hit in the

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with the song, reaching No. 9 in the UK in 1959; *

The New Seekers The New Seekers were a British pop group, formed in London, in 1969, by Keith Potger, after the break-up of his group, the Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music wou ...

also recorded the song, and their version reached No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 60 in

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, and No.20 on the UK charts in 1972-73. * Jane Olivor recorded the song on her 1976 album First Night, releasing it as a single backed by Some Enchanted Evening. * Brenton Wood titled his 1977 album, Come Softly, after the song. *

Mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts. In the social and le ...

released a version of the song on their 1969 album, ''Love Can Make You Happy''; *

Lesley Gore Lesley Gore (born Lesley Sue Goldstein, May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015) was an American singer and songwriter. At the age of 16, she recorded her first hit song " It's My Party", a US number one in 1963. She follow ...

recorded a duet version of the song with Oliver in 1970, on Crewe Records. *A cover version performed by

The Roches The Roches were an American vocal trio of sisters Maggie, Terre and Suzzy Roche, from Park Ridge, New Jersey. Career In the late 1960s, eldest sister Maggie (October 26, 1951 – January 21, 2017) and middle sister Terre (pronounced "Terry" ...

, from their 1985 album ''Another World'', is repeated several times on the soundtrack of the 1988 film '' Crossing Delancey''. * Buck Dharma of Blue Öyster Cult covered the song on his 1982 solo album, '' Flat Out''.

Popular culture

*The song was featured in the film ''Stand by Me'', although did not feature on the official soundtrack. *This song is used in the opening scene of the movie '' Dead Silences trailer. Retrieved September 29, 2011 *It is included in the closing credits of the

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'' Roger and Val Have Just Got In''. *The song was also featured in the soundtrack of '' Mafia II''. *The French rendition of the song, ‘’Tout Doux Tout Doucement’’, is featured in Ted Lasso, Season 3 Episode 8, playing over the closing credits. *The song was also featured in the film '' The Bikeriders''.

Samples

Eliza Doolittle Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character and the protagonist in George Bernard Shaw's play '' Pygmalion'' (1913) and its 1956 musical adaptation, ''My Fair Lady''. Eliza (from Lisson Grove, London) is a Cockney flower seller, who comes to Prof ...

sampled it for the song "Missing" on her debut album.

References