Fontella Bass - Rescue Me

First performance: 02/12/2002

Coverinfo

Bruce used the song 19 times as a snippet:
 
during MARY'S PLACE
 
during the Reunion Tour
 
2003-05-29 Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, England
2003-05-27 National Sports Stadium, London, England
2003-04-13 Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, AB
2003-04-09 ARCO Arena, Sacramento, CA
2003-03-26 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2003-03-22 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia
2003-03-20 Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Australia
2003-03-06 Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA
2003-03-04 Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL
2003-03-02 Frank Erwin Center, Austin, TX
2003-02-28 Arena At Gwinnett Center (The), Duluth, GA
2002-12-16 Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
2002-12-13 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY
2002-12-09 Carolina Center, Columbia, SC
2002-12-08 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
2002-12-04 Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
2002-12-02 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
2002-11-24 Ice Palace, Tampa, FL
2002-10-07 HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY 
 
 
 

Songinfo

"Rescue Me" is a rhythm and blues song first recorded and released as a single by Fontella Bass in 1965. The original versions of the record, and BMI, give the songwriting credit to Raynard Miner and Carl William Smith, although many other sources also credit Bass herself as a co-writer. It would prove the biggest hit of Bass's career. According to writer Robert Pruter in his book Chicago Soul, the song emerged from a songwriting and rehearsal, or "woodshedding", session at Chess Records: " 'Rescue Me' was a terrific example of the Chess studio system at its finest... One Saturday in August 1965, Bass was sitting in a rehearsal studio with producers-writers Carl Smith and Raynard Miner. They were fooling around with the song when arranger Phil Wright walked in, and the ensuing four-way jam session brought forth 'Rescue Me'. [Billy] Davis produced the side..." Bass claimed that, although Smith, Miner and Davis had assured her that her contribution to authorship of the song's lyrics would be acknowledged, this was never done. 
 
 
 

Bruce on the artist

Lyrics

Rescue me
Take me in your arms
Rescue me
I want your tender charm
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too
Come on and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Rescue me
Come on and take my heart
Take your love and conquer every part
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too
Come on and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
Come on, baby, and rescue me
'Cause I need you by my side
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Rescue me
Take me in your arms
Rescue me
I want your tender charm
'Cause I'm lonely
And I'm blue
I need you
And your love too
Come on and rescue me (come on baby)
Take me baby (take me baby)
Hold me baby (hold me baby)
Love me baby (love me baby)
Can't you see that I need you baby
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Rescue me
Come on and take my hand
C'mon, baby and be my man
'Cause I love you
'Cause I want you
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Take me baby (take me baby)
Love me baby (love me baby)
Need me baby (need me baby)
Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)
Can't you see that I'm lonely
Rescue me
Rescue me
Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm