Cry to Me
Encyclopedia
"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 Africa
n 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.
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns , most commonly known as Bert Berns as well as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s...
, first recorded under the production of Bert Berns by Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
, reaching #5 on the R&B charts in 1962.
The song has been covered many times since: Betty Harris
Betty Harris
Betty Harridick is an American Soul Singer. Her recording career in the 1960s produced three hit records that made the Billboard R&B and pop charts: "Cry to Me" , "His Kiss" and "Nearer to You"...
' rendition (also produced by Bert Berns) reached #10 in September 1963, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
recorded the song for their 1965 album Out of Our Heads
Out of Our Heads
- American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America - American release:Initially issued in July 1965 in America (featuring a shot from the same photo session that graced the cover of 12 X 5 and The Rolling Stones No...
, The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
also recorded it in 1965, Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
recorded it for his 1980 album Darkness Darkness
Darkness Darkness
Darkness Darkness is an album by the former vocalist from The Animals, Eric Burdon. It was recorded in May 1978 at Roundwood House, County Laois in Ireland, using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. The album was released by Polydor in 1980...
and Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway
Loleatta Holloway was an American singer, mainly known for disco songs such as "Hit and Run" and "Love Sensation", both of which have been sampled extensively.-Biography:...
recorded it in 1975. A version by The Staccatos (a local South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n 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
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
/ producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
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
Freddie Scott
Freddie Scott was an American soul singer and songwriter. His biggest hits were "Hey, Girl", a top ten US pop hit in 1963, and "Are You Lonely For Me", a no.1 hit on the R&B chart in early 1967.-Life and career:...
, Professor Longhair and Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
.
The song received renewed exposure in 1987 with its inclusion in the pivotal love scene in the blockbuster motion picture Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
, and is the climactic song ending Act One of the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage.
Personnel
- Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
- lead vocals, percussion - Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
- lead guitar, backing vocals - Brian JonesBrian JonesLewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
- rhythm guitar - Bill WymanBill WymanBill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
- bass guitar, backing vocals - Charlie WattsCharlie WattsCharles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
- drums - Jack NitzscheJack NitzscheBernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche was an arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composer. He first came to prominence in the late 1950s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spector, and went on to work with the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others...
- organ