"Crying" is a ballad written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson that was a hit for Orbison.
Dave Marsh calls the song a "rock-bolero" with "blaring strings, hammered tympani, a ghostly chorus, the gentle strum of a guitar, [and] a hint of marimba". Billboard observes an "expressive reading" on the "country-flavored ballad." The personnel on the original recording included Orbison session regulars Bob Moore on bass, Floyd Cramer on piano, Buddy Harman on drums, and Boudleaux Bryant, Harold Bradley and Scotty Moore on guitar.
Release and reception
The song was released as a 45-rpm single by Monument Records in July 1961 and reached No. 1 on the United States Cashbox chart for a week on October 7, 1961, and peaking at No. 2 on the rival Billboard Hot 100. Despite not reaching the summit in the latter publication, Billboard ranked the record as the No. 4 song of 1961.
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. The duet version was a minor US chart hit for the pair, peaking at No. 42 on the hot country singles chart, though it was a more substantial hit in the UK in 1992, reaching No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart.
In 2002, "Crying" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2010, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it 69th on their list of the "500 greatest songs of all time".
Don McLean recorded by far the most successful cover of the song, taking it to No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1981. His version of "Crying" also reached No. 2 adult contemporary and No. 6 Country. It was yet more successful in the UK, where it reached No. 1, spending three weeks atop the UK Singles Chart. McLean issued an album in 1981; however, "Crying" was taken from his 1978 album, Chain Lightning. It became his second greatest hit.
In 1962, Waylon Jennings released his version ("Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)") on BAT Records as one of his first singles.
Del Shannon included the song in his 1964 album Handy Man.
A version by Jay and the Americans reached No. 25 in the US in 1966.
Dottie West recorded it on her 1968 album What I'm Cut Out to Be.
Lynn Anderson recorded it for her 1968 album Big Girls Don't Cry.
B. J. Thomas included the song on his 1975 album Reunion
Experimental art rock guitarist Adrian Belew recorded a simple solo acoustic version of the song on his 1993 album The Acoustic Adrian Belew.
The Brazilian duo Chitãozinho & Xororó performed a Portuguese version of the song entitled "Lágrimas" in their 1998 album Na Aba do Meu Chapéu.
Gene Pitney included the song in his 1999 album Gene Pitney Sings Great Ballads.
Rebekah Del Rio performed an a cappella Spanish language version of the song entitled "Llorando" in the 2001 David Lynch film Mulholland Drive.
Belgian singer Dana Winner recorded a version for her 2002 album Unforgettable Too
South African singer Nicholis Louw recorded a version in 2004.
In 2007, Billy Gilman released it as a single.
Russian Red covered the song in 2009
Mark Vincent covered the song for his 2010 album Compass (Mark Vincent album)
Clay Aiken recorded the song with Linda Eder on his 2010 album Tried and True.
La India covered the song in a salsa style on her 2010 album, Unica.
Il Divo included the song on the album Wicked Game in 2011.
Austra recorded a version for their deluxe edition 2011 album Feel It Break.
Billy Joe Royal released a version of the song.
Three other cover versions made country music charts over time. Charting with the song were:
Arlene Harden (No. 28 in 1970),
Ronnie Milsap (No. 79 in 1976)
Stephanie Winslow (No. 14 in 1980).
Glen Campbell also covered this song on an album.
Carrie Underwood performed this song in the "Top 3" episode of the popular singing show American Idol. Underwood later won the competition.
Emily Vinette performed this song in the "Top 10" episode of Canadian Idol's third season. Vinette was voted off the next night. Ashley Coulter performed the song in the "Top 6" episode of season four. She was also voted off the next night.
In the final round of season two of the talent show America's Got Talent, ventriloquist Terry Fator used his puppet turtle "Winston" to perform this song, while impersonating Roy Orbison. Fator received the highest number of votes and won the competition along with the one million dollar prize.
In 2009 "Crying" was performed by Jamie 'Afro' Archer on the UK version of The X Factor.
American Idol season 12 finalist Kree Harrison performed "Crying" during Music of the American Idols week.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band covered the song live in May 1988, in Madison Square Garden.
Captain Soncho performed this song in New Delhi, India at Hard Rock Cafe.
In 2016, The Voice US finalist Billy Gilman performed this song at the Live Playoffs round.
U.S. Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney mentioned this song among his top 10 songs of all time in March 2012.
In 2011, "Crying" was featured in the American comedy-drama film 50/50.
"Crying" was featured in an episode of Only Fools and Horses. The episode "Stage Fright" featured Raquel and a guest character Tony Angelino (played by Philip Pope) singing this song at a function. Angelino had a rhotacism, causing him to pronounce his Rs incorrectly.
"Crying" is featured near the start of the first of the Australian telemovie trilogy Small Claims starring Rebecca Gibney and Claudia Karvan.
"Crying" was featured in the movie Gummo. After huffing glue, Tummler remarks that his cross-dressing brother used to sing "Crying". Tummler then proceeds to weakly sing parts of the song. The original version of the song is used during the last scenes of the movie.
The song is featured in the 1999 film Paperback Hero, sung by Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan.
"Llorando" was featured in a famous scene in Mulholland Drive and during the closing scenes of Prison Break in season 3.
On February 2, 2008, k.d. lang, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live program, said that Roy had told her that this song was written after he had seen an ex-girlfriend at a burger stand.
In early 2008, "Crying" was featured in an anti-drunk-driving commercial. It is sung karaoke-style.
In Sports Night, season 2, episode 14 ("And the Crowd Goes Wild"), Casey McCall wears sunglasses during the course of a day following an eye exam. His colleagues ridicule him for this, one of them saying, "Hit the high note in 'Crying' and I'll be impressed," in reference to Orbison and his trademark sunglasses.
In The Sopranos, season 5, episode 2 ("Rat Pack"), the song is playing at a diner while Tony is meeting with contractor Jack Massarone.
In Heroes, season 3, episode 23 ("1961"), "Crying" is playing in the background.
In The Walking Dead, season 7, episode 3 ("The Cell"), Daryl Dixon gives in to tears of guilt and sorrow while the song is played.
