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Cry (Churchill Kohlman song)

"Cry" is a 1951 popular song written by Churchill Kohlman. The song was first recorded by Ruth Casey on the Cadillac label.[1] The biggest hit version was recorded in New York City by Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads on October 16, 1951. Singer Ronnie Dove also had a big hit with the song in 1966.

Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads version[edit]

Johnnie Ray recorded the song at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City,[2] with his version of the song being released on Columbia Records subsidiary label Okeh Records[3] as catalog number Okeh 6840. It was a No.1 hit on the Billboard magazine chart that year, and one side of one of the biggest two-sided hits, as the flip side, "The Little White Cloud That Cried," reached No.2 on the Billboard chart. This recording also hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers lists and the flip side, "The Little White Cloud that Cried," peaked at number six.[4] When the single started to crack the charts the single was released on Columbia Records catalog number Co 39659.


Stan Freberg satirized this song, under the title "Try", and reported getting more angry feedback than from any of his many other parodies.[3][5]

"Cry"

"Autumn Rhapsody"

Nov. 1966 (U.S.)

1966

3:16

Phil Kahl, Ray Vernon

"Simple Words"

January 1972 (U.S.)

1971

3:10

"Crazy in the Heart"

July 1986 (U.S.)

1986

4:18

Dutch-language versions[edit]

In 1982, singer/comedian André van Duin recorded it as "Als je huilt" (a double A-side with his take on Edith Piaf's "Les Trois Cloches") which became a #1-hit in the Dutch Top 40 by mid-August.[15] During TV-promotion he wore specially designed specs with an in-built water-sprayer for audience-exposure.[16]

did a 1952 parody of Johnnie Ray's version of "Cry" entitled "Try", in which he did an emotional "sobbing out of tune" performance with different lyrics. The lyrics include the title of the B-side song "The Little White Cloud That Cried", in the line "even little white clouds do it". Johnnie Ray was not initially pleased with this parody. However, he later accepted Freberg's version.[17] It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Stan Freberg

recorded the song for her 1961 Emotions album.

Brenda Lee

recorded the song for his album 100 Lbs. of Clay! in 1961.

Gene McDaniels

recorded the song in 1961 for her album Hurt!

Timi Yuro

recorded the song as a B-side of "I'm Coming Home" in 1962 on ABC-Paramount 45–10338.

Paul Anka

recorded the song on her 1963 debut album I'll Cry If I Want To.

Lesley Gore

recorded the song on his 1964 album Sweet & Sour Tears. (#44 Canada[18])

Ray Charles

recorded the song on her 1968 album, Take Me to Your World / I Don't Wanna Play House.

Tammy Wynette

sang the song on her 1968 live album Mina alla Bussola dal vivo.

Mina

took a version to #99 on the country singles charts in 1975.

Diana Trask

included a cover of the song on his 1978 album, Dynamite Daze.

Kevin Coyne

did a cover of the song for his 2002 album Then and Now.

David Cassidy

recorded a version on her 2002 CD Liza's Back.

Liza Minnelli

recorded a version for Bar None Records in 2014.[19]

Eros and the Eschaton

recorded the song for her 2009 A Moment in Time album.

Lorrie Morgan