| "Cry to Me" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Solomon Burke Betty Harris |
|
| Released | 1962 (Solomon Burke) 1963 (Betty Harris) |
| Recorded | 1961 (Solomon Burke)[1] 1963 (Betty Harris) |
| Length | 2:33 |
| Label | Atlantic (Solomon Burke) Jubilee (Betty Harris) |
| "Cry to Me" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Rolling Stones from the album Out of Our Heads | |
| Released | 30 July 1965 |
| Recorded | 13 May 1965, RCA Studios, Hollywood |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 3:09 |
| Label | London PS429 (stereo), LL3429 (mono) |
| Writer | Bert Russell |
| Producer | Andrew Loog Oldham |
"Cry to Me" is a song written by Bert Russell a/k/a Bert Berns, first recorded under the production of Bert Berns by Solomon Burke, reaching #5 on the R&B charts in 1962.
The song has been covered many times since: Betty Harris' rendition (also produced by Bert Berns) reached #10 in September 1963, The Rolling Stones recorded the song for their 1965 album Out of Our Heads, The Pretty Things also recorded it in 1965, Eric Burdon recorded it for his 1980 album Darkness Darkness and Loleatta Holloway recorded it in 1975. A version by The Staccatos (a local South African group) charted for 38 weeks in 1969 and reached the #1 spot in that country.
The song, about loneliness and longing ("...nothing can be sadder than a glass of wine alone"), was written and produced by the legendary New York songwriter / producer Bert Berns. One of many Berns / Burke collaborations, the song is remembered as one of the most significant of Solomon Burke's career. It was followed up in a ballad arrangement by Betty Harris, The Rolling Stones, Freddie Scott, Professor Longhair and Tom Petty.
The song received renewed exposure in 1987 with its inclusion in the pivotal love scene in the blockbuster motion picture Dirty Dancing, and is the climactic song ending Act One of the musical, Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage.