"Come Tomorrow" is a song written by American songwriters Bob Elgin, Dolores Phillips and Frank Augustus for rhythm and blues singer Marie Knight, who issued it as a single in October 1961 through Okeh Records, a release which received good reviews, though failed to chart.
[1] Knight, originally from the US, had become important for the blossoming merseybeat scene in the UK, with a visit to the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1958 bringing her to the attention of the skiffle groups of the time.
[3] Her best performing single on the Billboard Hot 100 up until that point was a duet with Rex Garvin, "I Can't Sit Down", which had reached number 94 in 1959.
The staff writer for Billboard calls it a "rich, moving vocal", further stating it to be a "spiritual-favored theme" with "strong emotional impact.
"[6] In Cash Box, the single was chosen as a pick of the week, calling it a "powerhouse release", claiming that Knight never sounded better than she did on "Come Tomorrow".
[11] Like many other songs by Manfred Mann during this era, "Come Tomorrow" was introduced to the band by lead singer Paul Jones, who owned a copy of it.
[18] Focusing on the success of their recent singles in the United States, the release for "Come Tomorrow" was targeted for that territory through Ascot Records on January 7, 1965.
[21] The release of the ballad came as a surprise for many of the group's fans, with Mann stating that "it was a complete break away for us" and that the single gave them the recognition of being the "top Ballroom-draw" in the United Kingdom.
[24] Russo attributes this lack of chart success to the fact that Manfred Mann did not tour the United States due to costs.