| When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along) | |
| Cover: | Robin Bobbin.jpg |
| Caption: | Sheet music cover, 1926 |
| Published: | 1926 by Irving Berlin, Inc. |
"When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" is a popular song written, both words and music, by Harry Woods in 1926.The song became the signature song for singer and actress Lillian Roth, who performed it often during the height of her musical career from the late 1920s to the late 1930s.
The song was a hit in 1926 for: "Whispering" Jack Smith; Cliff Edwards; Paul Whiteman; and the band the Ipana Troubadors (vocal by Franklyn Baur). The most successful recording in 1926, however, was by Al Jolson.[1] Jolson recorded it again on December 5, 1947, for Decca Records.[2]
Also in the 1950s, a version was released by Peter Pan Records, with "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" on the reverse side of the single.
The song featured an early example of the motivational three-word phrase "Live, Laugh, Love", that became a popular slogan on motivational posters and home decor in the late 2000s and early 2010s.[9]
The song helped inspire the name of the American casual dining restaurant chain Red Robin: the owner of the original restaurant, in the University District of Seattle, sang in a barbershop quartet which frequently sang the song, and in the 1940s he renamed his restaurant "Sam's Red Robin".[10]
The English football club Charlton Athletic play Billy Cotton's version of the song as the team come out on to the pitch at their home ground The Valley.
The English rugby league club Hull K.R. use an edited version of the song as their club anthem.
From Sesame Street, Robin says the title of the song during the end of the Elmo's World episode "Birds" before she leaves out the window
The song is sung by the title character in the final episode of Reilly, Ace of Spies.
In the season 3 episode of I Love Lucy, titled "Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress" (1953), a portion of the song is sung by Fred Mertz and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance).
In the season 2 episode 5 of Ally McBeal, Vonda Shepard performed a cover of this song.
Rosemary Clooney performs the song in an episode of her 1956–1957 television series.[11]