Crying (Roy Orbison song) Last updated August 22, 2025 1961 song by Roy Orbison
"Crying " is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third studio album of the same name (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number-two hit in the United States for Orbison and was covered in 1978 by Don McLean , whose version reached number one in the United Kingdom in 1980. Orbison later re-recorded the song as a duet with Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang , giving them a number-two hit in Canada.
Don McLean version Don McLean 's recording of the song went to No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1981. [ 17] It also reached No. 2 adult contemporary and No. 6 Country. It fared even better in the UK, where it reached No. 1 in 1980, spending three weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart . [ 18] "Crying" was taken from his 1978 album, Chain Lightning . It became his second biggest hit in America.
Charts Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank Australia [ 26] 119 Netherlands [ 27] 5 South Africa [ 28] 19 UK Singles Chart [ 29] 15
Chart (1981) Rank Canada [ 30] 49 US Billboard Hot 100 [ 31] 40 US Cash Box [ 32] 52
References ↑ Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1961). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1961 Music July-Dec 3D Ser Vol 15 Pt 5 . United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 1 2 Weize, Richard (2001). Orbison 1955-1965 (7-CD Deluxe Box Set) (booklet). Bear Family Records. BCD16423. Retrieved October 11, 2021 . ↑ Marsh, Dave (1999). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made . Da Capo Press . pp. 75– 76. ISBN 030680901X . ↑ "Spotlight Singles of the Week" . Billboard . July 31, 1961. p. 27. Retrieved December 18, 2012 . ↑ Full Committee Hearing on Assessing the Impact of the Copyright Royalty Rates on Recording Artists and Webcasters . U.S. Government Printing Office. 2007. ISBN 9780160802638 . ↑ "RIP Scotty Moore" . Royorbison.com . Retrieved April 22, 2021 . ↑ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The Authorized Roy Orbison . Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex,, Slate, Jeff (First ed.). New York: Center Street. ISBN 9781478976547 . OCLC 1017566749 . ↑ "Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart" . Billboard . ↑ "Chart Toppers" . Billboard . December 25, 1961. p. 10. ↑ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" . Rolling Stone . April 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2015 . ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade, week of October 09, 1961" . 1 2 "Roy Orbison: Artist Chart History" . Official Charts Company . ↑ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Hot 100)" . Billboard . ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles week ending October 7, 1961" . cashboxmagazine.com . ↑ "Chart Toppers - Hot 100 for 1961 - Top Sides of the Year" (PDF) . The Billboard . January 6, 1962. p. 33. ↑ "British single certifications – Roy Orbison – Crying" . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 3, 2025 . ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart History : "Crying" - Don McLean" . Song-database.com. Retrieved March 29, 2014 . ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 382. ISBN 1-904994-10-5 . ↑ "Don Mclean – Crying" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50 . Retrieved September 9, 2016. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Crying" . Irish Singles Chart . Retrieved June 22, 2023. ↑ "Top 40-lijst van week 10, 1980" . Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016 . ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart" . Nztop40.co.nz . October 19, 1980. Retrieved September 26, 2016 . ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M)" . Rock.co.za. Retrieved September 8, 2018 . ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002 ↑ "Top 100 1981-03-28" . Cashbox Magazine . Retrieved May 27, 2015 . ↑ "Australian Chart Books" . Australianchartbooks.com.au . Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2021 . ↑ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl" . dutchcharts.nl . ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980" . Retrieved December 26, 2018 . ↑ "UK Singles of the Year" (PDF) . Record Mirror . London: Spotlight Publications. December 27, 1980. p. 30. Retrieved June 13, 2016 . ↑ The 1981 Top 100 Singles chart is identified by the RPM Year-End article "Top 100 Singles (1981)" . RPM . Retrieved January 5, 2018 . ↑ "Top 100 Hits of 1981/Top 100 Songs of 1981" . Musicoutfitters.com . Retrieved September 26, 2016 . ↑ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1981" . Cashbox Magazine . Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2016 . ↑ "Dutch single certifications – Roy Orbison – Crying" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved July 16, 2022 . Enter Crying in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1980 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen" . ↑ "British single certifications – Don McLean – Crying" . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved August 26, 2024 . ↑ Crying (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Virgin Records . 1987. 7-99388. ↑ Crying (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Virgin Records. 1992. VUS 63, 7243 8 90012 73. ↑ Crying (UK cassette single sleeve). Virgin Records. 1992. VUSC 63, 7243 8 90012 42. ↑ Crying (UK CD1 liner notes). Virgin Records. 1992. VUSCD 63, 7243 8 90012 28. ↑ Crying (UK CD2 liner notes). Virgin Records. 1992. VUSCX 63, 7243 8 90025 22. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0941 ." RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8898 ." RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 0945 ." RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ "Roy Orbison with k.d. lang – Crying" . Top 40 Singles . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Adult Contemporary)" . Billboard . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Hot Country Songs)" . Billboard . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 161. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF) . Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 37. September 12, 1992. p. 15. Retrieved July 22, 2020 . ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved March 19, 2019. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 . Record Research. p. 180. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of '88" (PDF) . RPM . Vol. 49, no. 10. December 24, 1988. p. 9. Retrieved March 24, 2019 . ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . August 8, 1992. p. 19. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . August 15, 1992. p. 21. ↑ "クライング | ロイ・オービソン" [ Crying | Roy Orbison] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved September 14, 2023 . ↑ Whitburn, p. 179 ↑ Whitburn, p. 279 ↑ Whitburn, p. 472 ↑ Taubin, Amy (September–October 2001). "In Dreams", Film Comment, 37 (5), p. 51–55. External links
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