Crying (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Crying" is a rock and roll ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison.
Contents |
[edit] History
The song was released as a 45rpm single by Monument Records in July 1961 and went to No. 2 on the Billboard pop music charts.
The song contains "a vivid combination of hurtful romantic longing combined with near operatic vocals" (Roy Orbison Biography, no date). It is remarkable in that Roy Orbison begins singing the climactic, final note slightly flat, sliding up by the end of the note to just under the correct pitch. That this was done for effect was confirmed in a live performance, Roy Orbison - Live at Austin City Limits, where he sang that note perfectly on key.
The song also appears on Orbison's 1962 album with the title Crying and his 1989 posthumous album A Black & White Night Live from the 1988 HBO television special.
In 1987, Orbison rerecorded the song as a duet with k.d. lang as part of the soundtrack for the motion picture, Hiding Out. Their collaboration won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Rebekah Del Rio performed an a cappella Spanish language version of the song, entitled "Llorando" in the 2001 David Lynch film Mulholland Dr.. The song had also previously been used on the soundtrack for the 1997 cult film Gummo, directed by Harmony Korine.
In 2002, "Crying" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2004,Rolling Stone Magazine named it as one of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
In May 2005, Carrie Underwood performed the song on the TV Talent show, American Idol (Season 4). She later went on to win the show, and is now a successful country music artist.
In a 2006 poll for a Channel 5 program Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs, "Crying" was voted 13th.
[edit] Other versions
The Lettermen recorded a version of "Crying" in 1964; it was included on their album She Cried. A version by Jay and the Americans reached #25 in the US in 1966. Don McLean also recorded a version of "Crying" in 1978. By 1980, it was an international number one hit.
Other artists have covered the song include Gene Pitney, Del Shannon, and Bobby Vinton.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "Suicide Is Painless" by Mash |
UK number one single (Don McLean version) May 18, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Xanadu" by Olivia Newton-John & ELO |
[edit] Reference
Roy Orbison Biography. (no date). Retrieved July 19, 2006, from http://www.hotshotdigital.com/OldRock/RoyOrbisonBio.html
 |
This 1960s pop song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
