Crying Time
Encyclopedia
"Crying Time" is a song from 1964 written by country music
artist Buck Owens
.
Owens recorded a version of his song, but it failed to reach the music charts. A cover version
of "Crying Time" was then recorded by R&B
singer Ray Charles
, and his version proved to be a hit. Featuring backing vocals by the Jack Halloran
Singers, the song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in February 1966. Charles' version of the song also peaked at number five on the R&B chart
and spent three weeks at number one on the easy listening chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 38 on the British pop chart
. In addition, Charles' version of "Crying Time" won two Grammy Award
s in 1967
, in the categories Best R&B Recording and Best R&B Solo Performance
.
Charles intended his version of Owens' song to be a tribute to the country music style he appreciated (Charles had successfully covered other country music songs in the past, such as "I Can't Stop Loving You
"). He was quoted as saying that he didn't record "Crying Time" and other country songs written by Owens "out of disrespect [sic] for Buck. I'm crazy about Buck. But I heard something that fit my style. The key was keeping my style while watching my style work in different ways."
Ray Charles and Barbra Streisand
performed the song as a duet on her 1973 album Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments
. This cover was featured in the episode, "The Glass Is Always Cleaner", of the NBC
drama series Las Vegas
. Streisand also included a solo version of the song on her 1974 album ButterFly
.
Dutch singer Andre Hazes
recorded it for his 1989 blues-album Dit Is Wat Ik Wil (This Is What I Want) as Jammer (It's a pity), a Jan Akkerman
-assisted warning for earth-pollution. It was released as a single, backed with a non-translated version of Working in a Coal Mine.
Wanda Jackson
and Elvis Costello
recorded a version which appears on Jackson's 2003 album Heart Trouble.
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
recorded a live version on the 1974 album Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
.
Owens recorded a version of his song, but it failed to reach the music charts. A cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Crying Time" was then recorded by R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, and his version proved to be a hit. Featuring backing vocals by the Jack Halloran
Jack Halloran
Jack Halloran was an American composer and choral director. He died at 81 of a stroke.-Early life:Born in Rock Rapids, Iowa in 1916, Halloran earned degrees in music from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and Northwestern University.-Choral and pop culture involvement:He sang with a male...
Singers, the song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in February 1966. Charles' version of the song also peaked at number five on the R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and spent three weeks at number one on the easy listening chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 38 on the British pop chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. In addition, Charles' version of "Crying Time" won two Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s in 1967
Grammy Awards of 1967
The 9th Grammy Awards were held March 2, 1967. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1966. The 9th Grammy Awards is notable for not presenting the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...
, in the categories Best R&B Recording and Best R&B Solo Performance
Grammy Award for Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male or Female
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance - Male or Female was awarded at the Grammy Awards of 1967 for music released in the previous year. For this year only it replaced the awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The award was won by Ray...
.
Charles intended his version of Owens' song to be a tribute to the country music style he appreciated (Charles had successfully covered other country music songs in the past, such as "I Can't Stop Loving You
I Can't Stop Loving You
"I Can't Stop Loving You" is a popular song written and composed by country singer, songwriter and musician Don Gibson, who first recorded it on December 30, 1957, for RCA Victor Records...
"). He was quoted as saying that he didn't record "Crying Time" and other country songs written by Owens "out of disrespect [sic] for Buck. I'm crazy about Buck. But I heard something that fit my style. The key was keeping my style while watching my style work in different ways."
Ray Charles and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
performed the song as a duet on her 1973 album Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments
Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments
Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments is a studio album by Barbra Streisand, released in 1973. The material on the album was drawn from Streisand's fifth television special which had aired earlier in the same year, on which Streisand had sung a selection of her best-known tracks and...
. This cover was featured in the episode, "The Glass Is Always Cleaner", of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
drama series Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
. Streisand also included a solo version of the song on her 1974 album ButterFly
ButterFly (Barbra Streisand album)
ButterFly is a studio album by Barbra Streisand, recorded and released in 1974. The credited producer is Streisand's then-boyfriend Jon Peters, with arrangements by Tom Scott. The album contains contemporary material from a diverse selection of writers, as well as interpretations of standards...
.
Dutch singer Andre Hazes
André Hazes
André Gerardus Hazes was a Dutch singer in a genre called levenslied which is a form of emotional folk music about everyday life sung in the Dutch language. André Hazes was one of the most successful singers in this genre...
recorded it for his 1989 blues-album Dit Is Wat Ik Wil (This Is What I Want) as Jammer (It's a pity), a Jan Akkerman
Jan Akkerman
Jan Akkerman is a Dutch guitarist. Akkerman is a distinctive guitarist, constantly experimenting with new equipment and guitars. Akkerman's distinctive guitar sound is characterised by his pioneering use of volume swells which produce a smooth, fluty, sustained tone, and other complex techniques...
-assisted warning for earth-pollution. It was released as a single, backed with a non-translated version of Working in a Coal Mine.
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
recorded a version which appears on Jackson's 2003 album Heart Trouble.
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen is an American country rock band founded in 1967. Core members included founder George Frayne, John Tichy, Billy C. Farlow, Bill Kirchen, Andy Stein, Paul "Buffalo" Bruce Barlow, Lance Dickerson, and Bobby Black....
recorded a live version on the 1974 album Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas
Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas
Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas is the fourth album by the country rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. It was recorded live at the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas, and features cover art of armadillos by Jim Franklin. Unlike many live albums, it is mostly new...
.