[5][2] A critically lauded interpretation was recorded by Nils Lofgren at the start of his solo career in 1975 and has been a mainstay of his concert performances since.

[6][7] The song has also been recorded by many other artists, including Marianne Faithfull, the New Seekers, the Pretenders, Diana Ross, Richard Thompson, and Phil Collins, as well as by Carole King herself.

[9] Springfield's version of "Goin' Back" was recorded on June 15, 1966 at Philips Studios, Stanhope Place, London, with musical accompaniment by Peter Knight and production by Johnny Franz.

[13] The Byrds' recording of "Goin' Back" was released as a single on October 20, 1967 and reached number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100, but failed to chart in the United Kingdom.

[2] The band's decision to record "Goin' Back" led to tensions within the group, principally due to rhythm guitarist David Crosby's lack of enthusiasm towards the song.

[20] He was therefore dismayed to find that his own song, "Triad", was in direct competition with "Goin' Back" for a place on The Notorious Byrd Brothers.

[21] Cash Box said of the single that it is "soft, slow blues ballad material with combined folk and electronic frosting" with "sweet harmony into the vocal end and serves up the usual grade-A guitar sound.

[2] Additionally, an early, alternate version of "Goin' Back" was included as a bonus track on the 1997 Columbia/Legacy reissue of The Notorious Byrd Brothers.

[26] The album was only made available to radio stations and some in the music press,[31] but "Goin' Back" was included on it, with Lofgren saying during the opening, "I'd like to thank Carole King for this next tune."

[31] As a retrospective review, the New Rolling Stone Record Guide (1983), which gave Nils Lofgren a five-star rating, writes that "the highlight of the album was probably the album-closing 'Goin' Back.'

[34] Continuing into the 2000s, press material and advertisements for Lofgren concert appearances listed "Goin' Back" as one of the three or four songs to identify him by.

"Goin' Back" was recorded by Freddie Mercury in 1973 and released under the pseudonym of Larry Lurex on the B-side of a single that also featured fellow Queen bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor on guitar and drums respectively.