Cry (Kelly Clarkson song)

Last updated
"Cry"
Single by Kelly Clarkson
from the album All I Ever Wanted
ReleasedMarch 12, 2010 (2010-03-12)
Recorded
Various
Genre Pop rock
Length3:34
Label RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Howard Benson
Kelly Clarkson singles chronology
"All I Ever Wanted"
(2010)		"Cry"
(2010)		"Don't You Wanna Stay"
(2010)
Audio
"Cry" on YouTube

"Cry" is a song by American singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson, taken from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). It was written by Clarkson, Jason Halbert and Mark Townsend, with production being done by Howard Benson. It was released as the album's fourth single (fifth and final overall) only in Australia and Germany; it was released as a digital download on March 12, 2010 in Germany and added to Australian radio stations on March 15, 2010.

Contents

"Cry" is a pop rock ballad, with Clarkson adding that it is a "waltz" ballad with influences of country music. Inspired by a friendship that went sour, lyrically, "Cry" talks about betrayal. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who agreed the song matched Clarkson's ability to dominate a ballad, while also praising her vocals on the track. The song was covered by Lea Michele on a season three episode of Glee , and her version charted in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Composition and lyrics

The song was written by Kelly Clarkson, Jason Halbert and Mark Townsend. Production was done by Howard Benson, who was also responsible for providing keyboards and programming. Drums were played by Josh Freese, Paul Bushnell provided bass and guitar was played by Phil X. Mike Plotnikoff was responsible for recording, while digital editing was added by Paul Decarli, with additional engineering being done by Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki. [1] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing Company, "Cry" was written in the key of B♭ major, with a moderate tempo of 70 beats per minute. Clarkson's vocals span from the low note of B♭3 to the high note of F5. [2]

"Cry" is a power ballad, [3] written as a "waltz" song, according to Clarkson, who also explained that it is "very much influenced by country." [4] [5] Lyrically, "Cry" talks about betrayal with Clarkson describing it as "the most personal song on the album." [4] She also explained that the main inspiration behind the song was about a friendship that went wrong and she decided to write in the form of a relationship, because "usually people relate to those songs." She further added: "With that song, I went through a really shitty thing with someone who betrayed me. When I started writing the song I was like, 'I'm gonna write this like it's a guy and a relationship.'" [5] In the chorus, she wonders, "Is it over yet? Can I open my eyes?." [6]

Release and reception

Clarkson originally wanted "Cry" to be released as the third single from the album, but her record label RCA decided to release "Already Gone" instead. Later, "Cry" was released as the album's fourth single in Germany and Australia. It was released as a digital download in Germany on March 12, 2010, [7] and was sent to Australian radio on March 15, 2010, [8] where it became the second most-added song to radio that week. [9]

Critical response

The song received positive reviews by music critics. Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times considered an "old-fashioned tear-jerker that Clarkson does so well." [10] J. Freedom du Lack of The Washington Post agreed, also calling it a "big, bereft tear-jerker, a Clarkson specialty." [11] Kerri Mason of Billboard noted that the song is "memorable", [12] while Evan Davies of Now called it a "requisite (and equally decent) ballad that make[s] use of her impressive range." [13] While analysing her vocal performance on the album, Daniel Brockman wrote for The Boston Phoenix that her "tone-deaf emotional bludgeoning tends to work in her favor on monstrous power ballads like 'Cry' and 'Already Gone,' which linger in your memory long after the Max Martin love hangover fades." [3] Eric R. Danton of The Hartford Courant noted that she "shines brightest" on the album's ballads. [14] Jon Dolan of Blender noted that, on "Cry", "breaking up triggers an eye-flood of biblical proportion." [15]

For Elle J Small of BBC Music, "'Cry' gleams from the rest of the pack with its beautiful guitar riffs and gushing melodies. Clarkson is the cherry on the cake of this future hit." [16] Michael Cragg of musicOMH described it as "particularly dreary", [17] whilst Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called it "a shouter of a breakup song." [18] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone agreed with Clarkson definition of the song, naming it "a big waltz-time ballad whose tune holds a hint of Nashville-pop twang. Clarkson grew up in Texas listening to country; 'Cry' serves notice that she could give Carrie Underwood a run for her money." [19] Huffington Post's Mike Ragogna noted that her vocals on the track "blow[s] away any comparisons to her youngish peers, such as those of the Disney variety." [20] In a less favorable review, Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine stated that "the use of electronic vocal enhancement throughout the album [...] strips the natural warmth of her voice on 'Cry', making her delivery sound distant and tinny". [21]

Credits and personnel

Recording

Credits adapted from All I Ever Wanted booklet liner notes. [1]

Release history

RegionDateFormat
Germany [7] March 12, 2010 Digital download
Australia [8] March 15, 2010 Contemporary hit radio

Glee version

"Cry"
Single by Glee Cast
ReleasedMay 1, 2012 (2012-05-01)
Recorded2012
Genre Pop rock
Length3:31
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Kelly Clarkson, Jason Halbert, Mark Townsend

The song was covered by actress Lea Michele in the Glee episode "Choke", which first aired on May 1, 2012. It was later available for digital download. [22]

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Canadian Hot 100 [23] 96
Irish Singles Chart [23] 100
UK Singles Chart [24] 116

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Clarkson</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1982)

Kelly Brianne, known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA Records. Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100, and became the country's best-selling single of 2002. It was included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003), which entered the Billboard 200 at number one, and also yielded the top-10 single "Miss Independent". Trying to reinvent her image, Clarkson parted ways with Idol management and shifted to pop rock for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). Supported by four US top-ten singles – the title track, "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes", and "Because of You" – Breakaway sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Since U Been Gone</span> 2004 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Since U Been Gone" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). The song, which was written and produced by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, was released as the lead single from Breakaway two weeks before the album was released. It is an uptempo pop rock and power pop power ballad that infuses electronic sounds with a mixture of a soft and loud pop rock sound. Martin originally wrote "Since U Been Gone" with Pink in mind, but she turned it down. It was then given to Hilary Duff, but she rejected the song because she could not reach its higher notes. The song was finally given to Clarkson after Clive Davis convinced the writers to give it to her. Clarkson decided to add heavier guitars and harder drums to the song after noticing that the demo had an obvious pop sound. Lyrically, the song is written from a woman's point of view where she expresses her sense of relief with the end of her troubled relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2004 song by Kelly Clarkson

"Breakaway" is a power ballad song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song, written by Matthew Gerrard, Bridget Benenate, and Avril Lavigne, was originally intended for Lavigne's debut studio album, Let Go (2002). After being deemed unsuitable for the album, it was passed to Clarkson to be recorded as a soundtrack for the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). Clarkson, who was finishing her second studio album at that time, recorded "Breakaway" to tide her fans over until the first single from her new album was released. However, the song's success prompted its inclusion on Clarkson's second album, while the record label decided to name the album after the song. "Breakaway" was first released as the first single from The Princess Diaries 2 soundtrack on July 19, 2004. In May 2006, "Breakaway" was reissued as the fifth and final single from the album of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2003 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Low" is a song by American singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson from her debut album, Thankful (2003). The song was written by Jimmy Harry and produced by Clif Magness. It was released as the album's second official single, on August 3, 2003, while it was also released as a double A-side single with "The Trouble with Love Is" in the United Kingdom. This release reached only number 35, but "Low" was more successful in Australia and Canada, reaching numbers 11 and two, respectively, while also peaking at number 58 in the United States. The song received favorable reviews from music critics who complimented her vocals and the song's lyrics. On March 5, 2013, Billboard ranked the song at number 90 in its list of "Top 100 American Idol Hits of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Because of You (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2005 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Because of You" is a song recorded by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). It was written by Clarkson along with its producers David Hodges and Ben Moody, both from Evanescence. It was released on August 16, 2005, by RCA Records, as the third single from Breakaway. Clarkson originally wrote "Because of You" when she was 16 years old to cope with the emotional distress caused by her parents' divorce. She wanted the song to be included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003), but her record label rejected the song. She then polished the song with Hodges and Moody before successfully convincing her label to include it on Breakaway.

<i>All I Ever Wanted</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Kelly Clarkson

All I Ever Wanted is the fourth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on March 6, 2009, by RCA Records. After the controversies that surrounded her previous studio album, My December (2007), which was seen as much darker than her two previous albums, Clarkson went on to record a more pop-oriented album. In order to do so, she enlisted her previous collaborators Max Martin, Dr. Luke,, Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, and new collaborators, Ryan Tedder, Howard Benson and Dre & Vidal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Life Would Suck Without You</span> 2009 single by Kelly Clarkson

"My Life Would Suck Without You" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). The song features songwriting credits from Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly and production credits from Martin and Gottwald under his production moniker, Dr. Luke. Clarkson co-wrote the track but refused to include her name in the credits, citing a refusal to be associated with Gottwald. "My Life Would Suck Without You" was released as the lead single from the album and premiered on January 13, 2009, in the United States on New York City's Z100 radio station and was made available to download three days later. The song has met with positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's pop composition, which incorporates rock and dance elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All I Ever Wanted Tour</span> 2009–10 concert tour by Kelly Clarkson

The All I Ever Wanted Tour was the fifth headlining concert tour by American pop rock recoding artist Kelly Clarkson in support of her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). It began on October 2, 2009, in Uncasville, Connecticut and finished on May 8, 2010, in Macau. The tour visited North America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Do Not Hook Up</span> 2009 single by Kelly Clarkson

"I Do Not Hook Up" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson for her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009), released as the second single from the album. It was written by Kara DioGuardi, Greg Wells and Katy Perry. Perry had originally written the song for One of the Boys, but following her removal from Def Jam, she gave the song and "Long Shot" to Clarkson. RCA Records serviced the song to mainstream radio in the United States on April 14, 2009. The song is a dance-rock and power pop song that is structured upon a muscular arrangement with lyrics about empowerment and healthy relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Already Gone (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2009 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Already Gone" is a song performed by American pop singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted. It is co-written by Clarkson and Ryan Tedder, who also produced it. The song was released as the album's third single in August 2009. Lyrically, "Already Gone" is about the breakup of a relationship; the music consists of an arrangement using a piano, drums, and string instruments.

"All I Ever Wanted" is a song by American rock band Aranda, from their debut studio album, Aranda (2008). The song was written and produced by Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello and Dameon Aranda. In 2009, the song was covered by American singer Kelly Clarkson, for her album of the same name, and it was released as a single on March 9, 2010.

<i>Stronger</i> (Kelly Clarkson album) 2011 studio album by Kelly Clarkson

Stronger is the fifth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on October 21, 2011, by RCA Records. The thirteen-song track-list features Clarkson collaborating with various new producers as well as with Howard Benson, whom she collaborated with on her previous album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). Wanting to stray away sonically from her previous albums, Clarkson's main objective was to record her vocal performances as it is heard in her live sets, and used as little auto-tune processing as possible. The album also marked the first release by Clarkson that did not cause a conflict with RCA; her previous records, most notably My December (2007), were released amidst conflict and controversy.

"If I Can't Have You" is a song performed by American singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson, derived from her fourth studio album All I Ever Wanted (2009). The song was composed by Clarkson and American songwriter and producer Ryan Tedder, who was at helm for the song's production. "If I Can't Have You" is an electro song. The song has garnered comparisons to Miley Cyrus' "Fly on the Wall".

"Whyyawannabringmedown" is a song recorded by American rock band Aranda, from their debut studio album, Aranda (2008). Written by Dameon Aranda with co-writing and co-production by Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, the song was released as the album's second and final single through Astonish Entertainment on July 1, 2009.

"Save You" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). Written by Ryan Tedder and Aimée Proal, and produced by Tedder, "Save You" is a rock ballad that about a someone's desire to save someone from a self-destructive behaviour. The song, set in the key of E major features an experimental piano bridge based on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's works.

"Be Still" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson, from her third studio album, My December (2007). Written by Clarkson and her guitarist Aben Eubanks, and produced by David Kahne, "Be Still" is an acoustic folk blues ballad set moderately slow acoustic and electric guitars. Clarkson wrote the song as an introspective ballad based on her exhaustive experience from touring and promoting her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). Inspired by one of her favorite Bible verses, Psalm 46:10, the song is about taking a break from everyday things and taking a moment to appreciate one's life.

<i>Piece by Piece</i> (Kelly Clarkson album) 2015 studio album by Kelly Clarkson

Piece by Piece is the seventh studio album by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson. It was released on February 27, 2015, by RCA Records. It was her final album under her recording contract with the label, to which she signed after winning the first season of American Idol in 2002. She then made the switch to Atlantic in 2016. The album saw Clarkson reuniting with frequent collaborators Greg Kurstin, Jesse Shatkin, Jason Halbert, Eric Olson, and Chris DeStefano. She also gathered material from songwriters such as Sia, Matthew Koma, MoZella, Bonnie McKee, David Jost, Semi Precious Weapons lead singer Justin Tranter, and former Cobra Starship member Ryland Blackinton, among others. Inspired by the orchestral production on Wrapped in Red, Clarkson wanted all the songs on Piece by Piece to resonate like its own film soundtrack, taking a cue from the soundtracks of the feature motion pictures Cruel Intentions (1999) and Love Actually (2003) and commissioning orchestral arrangements by Joseph Trapanese.

"Long Shot" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson, from her fourth studio album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). The song was written by Katy Perry, Glen Ballard, and Matt Thiessen, it was originally recorded by Perry for an unreleased album and was later re-recorded by Clarkson. It is a pop song about taking a chance on pursuing a flawed relationship in spite of it being a "long shot."

"Someone" is a song by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson from her seventh studio album, Piece by Piece (2015). The song was written by Matthew Koma and produced by Greg Kurstin. It is a pulsatic trance track, about a defunct relationship, in which a singer sings of a false apology to a former lover while also wishing him to find someone to love in the future. "Someone" was released by RCA Records as the fifth and final promotional single from Piece by Piece on February 27, 2015. The song received mainly positive views from music critics.

References

  1. 1 2 All I Ever Wanted (booklet). Kelly Clarkson. 19 Recordings Limited under exclusive license to RCA Records. 2009. 8697465972.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ "Kelly Clarkson "Cry" Sheet Music". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 2009-08-10. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Brockman, Daniel (March 23, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson | All I Ever Wanted - CD Reviews". Boston Phoenix . Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Robertson, Jessica (2009-02-03). "Kelly Clarkson Gets What She Wants". Popeater.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  5. 1 2 Rolling Stone (April 23, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson on Boyfriends and Backlash". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ Montgomery, James (February 24, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson Wants You Back … Maybe". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Cry - Single von Kelly Clarkson in iTunes". iTunes (in German). 12 March 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Kelly Clarkson – Cry (SME)". The Music Network (778). Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Kelly Clarkson - Cry - Issue 779 - The Music Network". The Music Network. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ Ann Powers (2009-02-27). "Kelly Clarkson's 'All I Ever Wanted': 3.5 stars | Pop & Hiss | Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  11. ↑ du Lac, J. Freedom (March 10, 2009). "Review of Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted"". The Washington Post . Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  12. ↑ Kerri Mason (2009-03-14). "All I Ever Wanted". Billboard . Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
  13. ↑ Davies, Evan (March 25, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson | NOW Magazine". Now . Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ R. Danton, Eric (March 10, 2009). "Review: "All I Ever Wanted" By Kelly Clarkson". The Hartford Courant . Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ "All I Ever Wanted". Blender . March 10, 2009. Archived from the original on March 15, 2009.
  16. ↑ J Small, Elle (2009). "BBC - Music - Review of Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted". BBC Music . Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  17. ↑ Michael Cragg (March 3, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted". musicOMH. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013.
  18. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (March 8, 2009). "New CDs From Kelly Clarkson, Chris Cornell and Madeleine Peyroux - The New York Times". The New York Times . Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ Rosen, Jody (March 3, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted Album Review | Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  20. ↑ Ragogna, Mike (March 3, 2009). "HuffPost Reviews: Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted / Gin Blossoms Playlist Your Way". The Huffington Post . Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  21. ↑ Keefe, Jonathan (March 2, 2009). "Kelly Clarkson: All I Ever Wanted | Album Review | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine . Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Exclusive Online Premiere - Glee Covers Kelly's "Cry"". KellyClarkson.com. April 27, 2012. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  23. 1 2 "Cry by Glee Cast - Music Charts". Music Charts. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update". Zobbel.de. May 12, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.