Come to My Window

When the song was being promoted, a portion of the song's beginning was omitted. This was to help accommodate some radio stations that wanted an instrumental beginning rather than a vocal one. The song's lyrics describes the intense love that Etheridge has for another person. It describes situations that she is willing to endure and how happy the other person makes her feel. In addition, the song implicitly alludes to the singer's sexual orientation and activism by the lyrics:

:"I don't care what they think.

:I don't care what they say.

:What do they know about this love, anyway?"{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Etheridge tells both in her autobiography and during the interview on the bonus DVD of her greatest hits album that out of all songs she has written, "Come to My Window" is the one that surprises her the most, and that she almost did not put it on the album. She states that while she wrote the song, she did not realize what she was actually writing and that it was not before meeting Tammy Lynn Michaels that she understood what this song means to other people. She also says that it has the best musical bridge part of all her songs.

The sound effect at the beginning was created by Mauricio Fritz Lewak who put coins inside of a pair of clash cymbals. This song was also about her girlfriend at the time.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote "Singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Melissa Etheridge is never short on provocative imagery in any of her songs. She delivers one of her most powerful yet, which is supported by an equally riveting video."{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Sholin|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/94/Gavin-1994-01-07.pdf|title=Gavin Picks — Singles|magazine=Gavin Report|date=January 7, 1994|page=|accessdate=March 10, 2022}} Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Melissa goes mellow, but her massive voice remains a major danger for crystal glasses. In short, the same things happen when you programme Rod Stewart."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-01-15.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=3|date=January 15, 1994|page=12|access-date=April 22, 2025}} Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer felt "Come to My Window" "features the same annoying strummed tag line that seems to infect too much of what is called women's music. Etheridge may have intended to pay homage to her ghettoized sisters, but flaunting the contrived, amateurish chordal figure does nothing to add to the authenticity of the song. It just sinks it."Wood, Sam (October 5, 1993). "Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop; Session with Stanley Turrentine". Philadelphia Inquirer.

The black-and-white music video for "Come to My Window", directed by American visual artist, cinematographer, and commercial, music video and film director Samuel Bayer, cuts between a mental patient played by actress Juliette Lewis and Etheridge playing her guitar and singing. The video also features "child-like" drawings in certain scenes. According to an episode of VH1's Pop Up Video, these drawings were created by a crew member's five-year-old daughter. Additionally, the video was to have included an appearance by a little girl; the mental patient's "lost childhood". While the appearance was filmed, it got lost during editing.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} "Come to My Window" was nominated for Best Clip of the Year in the category for Rock at the 1994 Billboard Music Video Awards.{{cite magazine|first=Deborah|last=Russell|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1994/BB-1994-10-15-P.pdf#page=12|title=Music Video Award Nominees Named|magazine=Billboard|date=October 15, 1994|page=12|access-date=May 30, 2025}}

Etheridge performed "Come to My Window" during The Concert for New York City, the benefit concert following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The song was played by the World Wrestling Federation in the background of a tribute to wrestler Owen Hart who died during a match.

Etheridge also appeared on an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, singing "Come to My Window" at a fundraiser for Homeless Not Toothless at Dorit and Paul Kemsley's home.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1341603/rhobh-has-melissa-etheridge-to-thank-for-stopping-another-dinner-party-from-hell|title=RHOBH Has Melissa Etheridge to Thank for Stopping Another Dinner Party from Hell |date=August 11, 2022 }}

All songs were written by Melissa Etheridge.

• US and UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Come to My Window|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1993|type=US CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=422-858-029-2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Come to My Window|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1993|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=CID 604, 858 029-2}}

1. "Come to My Window" – 3:55
2. "Ain't It Heavy" (live) – 5:34
3. "The Letting Go" (live) – 3:51
4. "I'm the Only One" (live) – 5:30

• US and Canadian cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Come to My Window|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1993|type=US & Canadian cassette single sleeve|publisher=Island Records|id=422-858 028-4}}

1. "Come to My Window" – 3:55
2. "Ain't It Heavy" (live) – 5:34

• European and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Come to My Window|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1993|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=74321 18241 2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Come to My Window|others=Melissa Etheridge|year=1993|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Island Records|id=858219-2}}

1. "Come to My Window" – 3:55
2. "Ain't It Heavy" (live) – 5:34
3. "The Letting Go" (live) – 3:51

• Vocals and acoustic guitar by Melissa Etheridge
• Drums and percussion by Mauricio Fritz Lewak
• Electric guitar by Waddy Wachtel
• Keyboards by Scott Thurston
• Bass by Pino Palladino
• Engineering by Hugh Padgham
• Assistant engineering by Greg Goldman, John Aguto, Mike Baumgartner
• Mixing by Hugh Padgham
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Come to My Windo|artist=Melissa Etheridge|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1993|certyear=2016}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

In 1997, the John Tesh Project featuring Brandon Fields on saxophone, covered the song from their album "Sax All Night."{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p2809|pure_url=yes}}|title=Sax All Night overview|work=Allmusic.com}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled (Bonus DVD)
• Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: The Truth Is..., Random House 2002
• [https://www.amazon.de/Come-My-Window-Melissa-Etheridge/dp/B000001G3K The single on amazon.de]

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{{Melissa Etheridge}}

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Category:1993 songs

Category:1994 singles

Category:Black-and-white music videos

Category:Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance

Category:Island Records singles

Category:LGBTQ-related songs

Category:Melissa Etheridge songs

Category:Music videos directed by Samuel Bayer

Category:Songs written by Melissa Etheridge