The Crying Game (song)

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"The Crying Game"
Single by Dave Berry
from the album Dave Berry
B-side"Don't Gimme No Lip Child"
Released17 July 1964[1]
StudioDecca, London
GenrePop
Length2:43
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Geoff Stephens
Producer(s)Mike Smith
Dave Berry singles chronology
"Baby It's You"
(1964) 		"The Crying Game"
(1964) 		"One Heart Between Two"
(1964)

"The Crying Game" is a song written by Geoff Stephens. It was first released by English rock singer Dave Berry in July 1964, becoming his first top-ten hit in the UK.[2][3]

The song was covered by Boy George, which reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one in Canada in 1992. Three versions of the song, by Dave Berry, Kate Robbins and Boy George, were used in the film titled after the song The Crying Game directed by Neil Jordan.[4]

Background[edit]

The song was written by Geoff Stephens. Stephens thought the main attraction of the song was the title; to him the title "seemed the perfect seed from which to grow a very good pop song." The sentiment of the song inspired the lyrics and the tune, which according to him, arrived in his "head simultaneously". He thought the line "One day soon, I'm going to tell the moon, about the crying game" was particularly effective. The line "I know all there is to know" was inspired by his father, according to Stephens. Stephens recorded a demo with fellow songwriter John Carter at the Southern Music studio in Denmark Street, and gave a copy to Decca producer Mike Smith. Mike Smith liked the song and arranged for Dave Berry to record the song.[5]

The song was included in Dave Berry's self-titled debut album, where session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played lead guitar on the tracks, and Jimmy Page supported (though he has said that did not play on "The Crying Game").[6][7] On "The Crying Game", Sullivan experimented with a DeArmond wah-wah pedal to change the sound of his guitar, and the song is seen as the first UK hit to feature this effect.[8][7]

Release and reception[edit]

"The Crying Game" was released as a single in July 1964 with the B-side "Don't Gimme No Lip Child". The B-side features Page playing harmonica and was later notably covered by the Sex Pistols for the soundtrack to the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle.[9] "The Crying Game" became Berry's first UK top-ten hit and he would go no to achieve two further top-ten hits with "Little Things" and "Mama".

Reviewed in Record Mirror, the song was described as an "ultra-commercial tuneful over-echoed number with interesting slow guitar work and a good listenable tune. Emotional and extremely commercial with a very plaintive feel about it".[10] Don Nicholl for Disc, it was described as "a slow wistful ballad ... that has a gentle, intriguing background and a good topline".[11]

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1964) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 73
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 7
UK Disc Top 30[14] 5
UK Melody Maker Top 50[15] 4
UK New Musical Express Top 30[16] 6
UK Record Retailer Top 50[3] 5

Boy George version[edit]

"The Crying Game"
Single by Boy George
from the album The Crying Game: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side"I Specialise in Loneliness"
Released7 September 1992 (1992-09-07)[17]
Label
Songwriter(s)Geoff Stephens
Producer(s)Pet Shop Boys
Boy George/Jesus Loves You singles chronology
"After the Love"
(1991) 		"The Crying Game"
(1992) 		"Sweet Toxic Love"
(1992)
Music video
"The Crying Game" on YouTube

English singer and songwriter Boy George covered and released "The Crying Game" in September 1992 by Spaghetti and Polydor, and both this version and the original Dave Berry recordings were used as the theme to the 1992 Neil Jordan movie The Crying Game. George's version of the song was produced by the Pet Shop Boys and reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart, numbers 15 and 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and number one in both Canada and Iceland. It became the biggest solo hit that George achieved in the US or Canada. The songs are heard during the end credits of the movie.

This version was also featured in the Jim Carrey comedy film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. This was a joke reference to the film The Crying Game, with which it shared a plot point.

Background[edit]

The Pet Shop Boys became involved in producing the song through the producer of The Crying Game film, Stephen Woolley. The duo had previously contributed the song "Nothing Has Been Proved", sung by Dusty Springfield, for the Woolley-produced 1989 film Scandal. Neil Tennant told NME in 1993, "I think George sings that song really well, he sounds a bit like Roy Orbison."[18]

Critical reception[edit]

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented George's "genius reading" of the song.[19] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report concluded, "It's been said again and again that all any performer needs is the right material to have a hit. Boy George is just the right singer to resurrect this song".[20] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times wrote, "Those who have seen the movie will understand why Boy George is the perfect choice to sing the moody, Pet Shop Boys-produced title song--easily George’s best vocal since the early Culture Club days."[21] A reviewer from Music & Media felt it has the same "ethereal ambiance" as the one to TV series Twin Peaks, "punctuated by a similar big twanging guitar."[22]

Alan Jones from Music Week described it as "a strange little ballad, it's been pumped up in commercial house style by George, whose fragrantly fragile vocals never fail to impress."[23] Frank DeCaro from Newsday found that the singer's version of "The Crying Game" is "the most mesmerizing vocal since Annie Lennox first asked "Why" last summer. And, it's produced by (and sounds like) Pet Shop Boys, another fave." He also declared it as a "lush, synth update" of Dave Berry's 1964 Brit Hit.[24] Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "The gender-bending karma chameleon teams up with the Pet Shop Boys for a stunning version of the title song that drips with bittersweet languor."[25] Charles Aaron from Spin said, "Heard it in a mall, wanted to weep in my Orange Julius."[26]

Track listings[edit]

  • UK and European 7-inch
A. "The Crying Game"
B. "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)
  • US 7-inch (red vinyl)
A. "The Crying Game"
B. "Stand by Your Man" (by Lyle Lovett)
  • European and UK 12-inch and CD single
1.(A) "The Crying Game"
2.(B1) "The Crying Game" (extended dance mix)
3.(B2) "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)
  • US cassette single
A. "The Crying Game" (Boy George)
B. "The Crying Game" (Dave Berry)

Charts[edit]

Other versions[edit]

  • Brenda Lee charted the first US version of "The Crying Game." She reached number 87 in January 1965.[45]
  • Ian and the Zodiacs released a charting version in 1964 in the US.[46]
  • Kylie Minogue covered the song on her Fever Tour in 2002, incorporating it in a medley with several other ballads.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Dave Berry's next" (PDF). Disc. 18 July 1964. p. 7. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  2. ^ Cad, Saint (31 July 2012). "Top 10 Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". Listverse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b "DAVE BERRY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  4. ^ Pramaggiore, Maria (2008). Neil Jordan. University of Illinois Press. pp. 91–92. ISBN 9780252075308.
  5. ^ Thompson, Gordon (2008). Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out. Oxford University Press. pp. 175–177. ISBN 9780195333183.
  6. ^ Russell Newmark (The Beat Magazine). "Extraordinary Wounded, Vulnerable Delivery". The Official Dave Berry Website. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  7. ^ a b "The Crying Game by Dave Berry". Songfacts. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  8. ^ Thompson, Gordon Thompson, Gordon (2008). Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out. Oxford University Press. p. 14. ISBN 9780195333183.
  9. ^ Power, Martin (2016-10-10). No Quarter: The Three Lives of Jimmy Page. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-78323-536-0.
  10. ^ "Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 18 July 1964. p. 9. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Singles" (PDF). Disc. 25 July 1968. p. 8. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  12. ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Crying Game". Irish Singles Chart.
  14. ^ "Top Thirty" (PDF). Disc. 5 September 1964. p. 3. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  15. ^ "National Chart" (PDF). Melody Maker. 12 September 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  16. ^ "NME Top Thirty". New Musical Express. 5 September 1964.
  17. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 September 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  18. ^ Staunton, Terry (29 May 1993). "'The Smiths You Can Dunce To'". New Musical Express. pp. 28–30.
  19. ^ Flick, Larry (10 April 1993). "Dance Trax: D.C. Gets In Step With AIDS-Related Issues" (PDF). Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  20. ^ Sholin, Dave (19 February 1993). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 52. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  21. ^ Hunt, Dennis (11 April 1993). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  22. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 44. 31 October 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  23. ^ Jones, Alan (8 August 1992). "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  24. ^ DeCaro, Frank (6 March 1993). "Boy George is back with 'The Crying Game'". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  25. ^ Wood, Sam (2 March 1993). "Intriguing Music from Two Movies". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  26. ^ Aaron, Charles (July 1993). "Singles". Spin. p. 84. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  27. ^ "Boy George – The Crying Game". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  28. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1713." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  29. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1785." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  30. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 39. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Boy George – The Crying Game" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  32. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (11.06.1993 – 17.06.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 10 June 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Crying Game". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  34. ^ "Boy George – The Crying Game". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  35. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  36. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 19 September 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  37. ^ "Boy George Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  38. ^ "Boy George Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  39. ^ "Boy George Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  40. ^ "Boy George Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  41. ^ "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 36. 15 May 1993. p. 12. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  42. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 13 September 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  43. ^ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 13 September 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  44. ^ "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  45. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  46. ^ "Ian & The Zodiacs". Bill Harry's Sixties Snapshots. The Crying Game [...] reached the No. 1 spot in Texas
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