verse 1
Now you say you love me
But you cry the whole night through
You can cry me a river
Oh yes you're goin' to cry me a river
'Coz I cried a river over you
But you cry the whole night through
You can cry me a river
Oh yes you're goin' to cry me a river
'Coz I cried a river over you
verse 2
Now you say you're sorry for being so untrue
You may cry a river
You may cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Yes I did child, yes I did my child
You may cry a river
You may cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Yes I did child, yes I did my child
verse 3
You drove me nearly out of my head
You stood by and never shed a tear
But I remember every word that was said
Oh yes, I remember, never fear
You stood by and never shed a tear
But I remember every word that was said
Oh yes, I remember, never fear
verse 4
You may cry me a river, c'mon now
Cry me a river
You may cry me a river
I cried a river for you (Oh how I cried)
Cry me a river
You may cry me a river
I cried a river for you (Oh how I cried)
verse 5
You nearly drove me out of my own sweet head
You stood by, you never shed a tear for me.
I remember every cruel word, everything that was said
Yes I remember, never you fear
You stood by, you never shed a tear for me.
I remember every cruel word, everything that was said
Yes I remember, never you fear
bridge
You may cry me a river
I cried a river for you
Yes I cried a river for you
I cried a river for you
Yes I cried a river for you
verse 6
Turn back the tide of life,
I cried, salty water runnin' down
I cried I love you
I cried I love you
I cried, I cried
I cried, salty water runnin' down
I cried I love you
I cried I love you
I cried, I cried
verse 7
You may cry, oh, she may cry now, a river of tears
A river of tears for you
You may cry now, she may cry, oh, she may cry now
You may cry, oh, she may cry now a river of tears
A river of tears for you
A river of tears for you
You may cry now, she may cry, oh, she may cry now
You may cry, oh, she may cry now a river of tears
A river of tears for you
outro
I cry you can cry me a river
Lord loves a cheerful giver
C'mon and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now, c'mon down and cry me a river
Lord loves a cheerful giver
C'mon and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now and cry me a river of tears
C'mon now, c'mon down and cry me a river
song info:
Verified yes
LanguageEnglish
GenreJazz
Rank−
Duration00:05:01
Charts
Copyright ©DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music
WriterArthur Hamilton
Lyrics licensed byLyricFind
AddedAugust 16th, 2013
Last updatedSeptember 20th, 2023
About"Cry Me a River" is a popular American torch song, written by Arthur Hamilton, first published in 1953 and made famous in 1955 with the version by Julie London.
In 2001, the Julie London version of "Cry Me a River" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Origins and early recordings
Arthur Hamilton later said of the song: "I had never heard the phrase. I just liked the combination of words... Instead of 'Eat your heart out' or 'I'll get even with you,' it sounded like a good, smart retort to somebody who had hurt your feelings or broken your heart." He was initially concerned that listeners would hear a reference to the Crimea, rather than "..cry me a...", but said that "..sitting down and playing the melody and coming up with lyrics made it a nonissue."
A bluesy jazz ballad, "Cry Me a River" was originally written for Ella Fitzgerald to sing in the 1920s-set film, Pete Kelly's Blues (released 1955). According to Hamilton, he and Julie London had been high school classmates, and she contacted him on behalf of her husband, Jack Webb, who was the film's director and was looking for new songs for its soundtrack. After the song was dropped from the film, Fitzgerald first released her version on Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! in 1961. The song was also offered to Peggy King, but Columbia Records A&R chief Mitch Miller objected to the word "plebeian" in the lyric.
The song's first release was by actress and singer Julie London on Liberty Records in 1955, backed by Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on bass. London had been urged to record the song by Bobby Troup, whom she would later marry after her divorce from Webb. A performance of the song by London in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It, helped to make it a bestseller (reaching no. 9 on US and no. 22 on the UK Singles Chart). It became a gold record, and in 2016, it was inducted by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry.
In 2001, the Julie London version of "Cry Me a River" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Origins and early recordings
Arthur Hamilton later said of the song: "I had never heard the phrase. I just liked the combination of words... Instead of 'Eat your heart out' or 'I'll get even with you,' it sounded like a good, smart retort to somebody who had hurt your feelings or broken your heart." He was initially concerned that listeners would hear a reference to the Crimea, rather than "..cry me a...", but said that "..sitting down and playing the melody and coming up with lyrics made it a nonissue."
A bluesy jazz ballad, "Cry Me a River" was originally written for Ella Fitzgerald to sing in the 1920s-set film, Pete Kelly's Blues (released 1955). According to Hamilton, he and Julie London had been high school classmates, and she contacted him on behalf of her husband, Jack Webb, who was the film's director and was looking for new songs for its soundtrack. After the song was dropped from the film, Fitzgerald first released her version on Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! in 1961. The song was also offered to Peggy King, but Columbia Records A&R chief Mitch Miller objected to the word "plebeian" in the lyric.
The song's first release was by actress and singer Julie London on Liberty Records in 1955, backed by Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Leatherwood on bass. London had been urged to record the song by Bobby Troup, whom she would later marry after her divorce from Webb. A performance of the song by London in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It, helped to make it a bestseller (reaching no. 9 on US and no. 22 on the UK Singles Chart). It became a gold record, and in 2016, it was inducted by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry.
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