Crying (1961)

"Crying" is a song written by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third album Crying (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number-two hit in the United States for Orbison and was covered in 1978 by Don McLean, whose version reached number one in the United Kingdom in 1980. Orbison later re-recorded the song as a duet with the Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang, giving them a number-two hit in Canada.

Composition

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 mid-July 1961 and reached No. 1 on the United States Cashbox chart for a week on October 7, 1961. On the rival Billboard Hot 100 it peaked at No. 2. Despite not reaching the summit in the latter publication, Billboard ranked the record as the No. 4 song of 1961.

In 2002, "Crying" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked it 69th on their list of the "500 greatest songs of all time".

Don McLean version

Don McLean's recording of the song went to No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1981. It also reached No. 2 adult contemporary and No. 6 Country. It fared even better in the UK, where it reached No. 1 in 1980, spending three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart. "Crying" was taken from his 1978 album, Chain Lightning. It became his second biggest hit in America.

Roy Orbison and k.d. lang version

Orbison re-recorded the song as a duet with k.d. lang as part of the soundtrack to the motion picture Hiding Out and released it as a single in 1987. Their collaboration won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. It reached No. 2 in Lang's native Canada, and No. 28 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 42 on the Hot Country Singles chart in the US. In 1992, it reached the charts in the UK and Ireland, peaking at No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 9 on the Irish Singles Chart. It returned to the US Adult Contemporary chart in 1993, peaking at No. 40.

Notable cover versions

A version by Jay and the Americans reached No. 25 in the US in 1966.

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).

Rebekah Del Rio performed an a cappella Spanish language version of the song entitled "Llorando" in the 2001 David Lynch film Mulholland Drive.

Hugh Jackman sang the first verse and final chorus karaoke-style in the Australian comedy Paperback Hero.