Crying in the Rain explained

Crying in the Rain
Cover:Everly Brothers Crying in the Rain.jpg
Type:single
Artist:the Everly Brothers
B-Side:I'm Not Angry
Released:January 1962
Length:1:59
Label:Warner Bros.
Composer:Carole King
Lyricist:Howard Greenfield
Prev Title:Muskrat
Prev Year:1961
Next Title:That's Old Fashioned"/"How Can I Meet Her?
Next Year:1962

"Crying in the Rain" is a song composed by Carole King with lyrics by Howard Greenfield, originally recorded by American duo the Everly Brothers. The single peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1962.

The song was the only collaboration between songwriters Greenfield and King, both of whom worked for Aldon Music at the time of the song's composition. On a whim, two Aldon songwriting partnerships decided to switch partners for a day – Gerry Goffin (who normally worked with King) partnered with Greenfield's frequent writing partner, Jack Keller, leaving King and Greenfield to pair up for the day. Despite the commercial success of their collaboration, King and Greenfield never wrote another song together.[1]

Charts

Chart performance for "Crying in the Rain"
Chart (1962–1966)Peak
position
Australia[2] 7
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[3] 8

Tammy Wynette version

Crying in the Rain
Cover:Tammy Wynette--Crying in the Rain.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Tammy Wynette
Album:You Brought Me Back
B-Side:"Bring My Baby Back to Me"
Recorded:January 1981
Studio:Moman's Recording Studio,
Las Vegas
Genre:Country
Label:Epic
Composer:Carole King
Lyricist:Howard Greenfield
Producer:Chips Moman
Prev Title:Cowboys Don't Shoot Straight (Like They Used To)
Prev Year:1981
Next Title:Another Chance
Next Year:1982

In 1981, "Crying in the Rain" was notably covered by American country artist Tammy Wynette. It became a major hit after being released as a single that year.

Wynette's version was produced by Chips Moman at the Moman Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada. The recording session also included nine additional tracks that would appear on Wynette's 1981 studio album.[4]

The song was released as a single in July 1981. It reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart that same year. "Crying in the Rain" became Wynette's third single to reach the country songs top 20 in the 1980s decade. The song was issued on Wynette's twenty-second studio album, You Brought Me Back (1981).[5] Additionally, "Crying in the Rain" peaked at number 11 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada around the same time. It was her highest-charting solo song on the RPM survey since 1979.[6]

Track listing

A. "Crying in the Rain" – 3:12

B. "Bring My Baby Back to Me" – 3:25

Charts

A-ha version

Crying in the Rain
Cover:a-ha Crying in the Rain.jpg
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:A-ha
Album:East of the Sun, West of the Moon
B-Side:(Seemingly) Nonstop July
Released:October 1, 1990
Recorded:1989
Length:4:25
Label:Warner Bros.
Composer:Carole King
Lyricist:Howard Greenfield
Producer:Christopher Neil
Prev Title:There's Never a Forever Thing
Prev Year:1989
Next Title:I Call Your Name
Next Year:1990

In 1989, Norwegian band A-ha covered the song. It was the first single taken from their fourth studio album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990). Following its success, A-ha became closer to the Everly Brothers, who had originally recorded the song. The band members were presented a set of guitars by the Everly Brothers that A-ha continues to use.[8]

Commercial performance

"Crying in the Rain" was A-ha's last single to reach the top 40 on a Billboard chart in the United States to date, peaking at number 26 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart during the week ending April 6, 1991. It was more popular in other countries, topping the charts in the band's native Norway, and peaking at number 13 in the UK Singles Chart. It was the 32nd most successful song of the year 2010 in Romanian Top 100, although it peaked outside the Top 20.[9]

Music video

The video was directed by Steve Barron. The theme of the video is a robbery gone wrong. It is actually the second version of this video. The first version did not feature any of the scenes of Morten Harket singing alone. The video was filmed entirely with a specific technique of mobile cameras, and it was filmed in Big Timber, Montana. Academy Award-nominated actor John Hawkes had a small role as a robber in the music video for "Crying in the Rain" by A-ha in 1990. [10]

Track listings

  1. "Crying in the Rain" (LP version) – 4:25
  2. "(Seemingly) Nonstop July" – 2:55
  3. "Cry Wolf" (LP version) – 4:05

A. "Crying in the Rain" (LP version) – 4:25

B. "(Seemingly) Nonstop July" – 2:55

A. "Crying in the Rain" (LP version) – 4:25

B1. "(Seemingly) Nonstop July" – 2:55

B2. "Cry Wolf" (LP version) – 4:05

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Crying in the Rain"
Chart (1990–1991)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 131
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)[12] 9
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 14
Italy (Musica e dischi)[14] 9

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Crying in the Rain"
Chart (1990)Position
Germany (Official German Charts)[15] 86
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 92

Other cover versions

"Crying in the Rain" has been covered by many other artists. In 1969, The Sweet Inspirations recorded a rendition which reached number 38 on the US R&B chart. It was their second Everly Brothers cover hit, having charted two years earlier with "Let It Be Me."

In 1972, Penny DeHaven in duet with Del Reeves released a Country version on a single only (number 54 on the Billboard country chart).[17]

Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds released a version of the song on their 1980 EP, Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Sing The Everly Brothers.[18]

In 1994, Art Garfunkel had a Canadian Pop and AC hit with the song.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Emerson, Ken . 2005 . Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era . New York . Viking . 111 . 0-670-03456-8.
  2. Australian Chart Book 1940-1969 p.64 David Kent
  3. Web site: Flavour of New Zealand, 5 April 1962 . March 28, 2020 . October 10, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211010080445/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20lever&qartistid=71#n_view_location . dead .
  4. Web site: Tammy Wynette – You Brought Me Back (1981, Vinyl) . . 1981 . 24 December 2019.
  5. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research.
  6. Web site: Search results for "Tammy Wynette" under Country Singles . RPM . July 17, 2013. 8 December 2019.
  7. Wynette . Tammy . "Crying in the Rain"/"Bring My Baby Back to Me" (7" vinyl single) . . August 1981 . 14-02439.
  8. Web site: Phil Everly dies a-ha live. a-ha-live.com. 2019-08-21.
  9. News: Topul celor mai difuzate piese în România în 2010 . . ro . 21 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110103025823/http://www.romanialibera.ro/arte/muzica/exclusiv-topul-celor-mai-difuzate-piese-in-romania-in-2010-211604.html . 3 January 2011 .
  10. Web site: A-ha: Crying in the Rain. IMDb.
  11. Web site: Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received May 29, 2015. September 18, 2015. Imgur.
  12. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles . . 7 . 44 . November 3, 1990 . IV . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  13. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . Finnish . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
  14. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e dischi. it. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "A-Ha".
  15. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1990 . de . Offizielle Deutsche Charts . December 15, 2020.
  16. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990 . nl . . December 15, 2020.
  17. News: Oermann. Robert K.. [Updated] Lifenotes: Penny DeHaven Passes]. February 25, 2014. MusicRow. February 25, 2014.
  18. Web site: Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds Sing The Everly Brothers. Discogs. October 1980 . December 3, 2016.