Cryin'
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Cryin'" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Aerosmith | ||
| from the album 'Get a Grip' | ||
| B-side(s) | "Head First" | |
| Released | 1993 | |
| Format | Cassette, CD | |
| Recorded | 1993 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 5:08 | |
| Label | Geffen | |
| Writer(s) | Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Taylor Rhodes | |
| Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |
| Certification | Gold | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Aerosmith singles chronology | ||
| "Fever" (1993) | "Cryin'" (1993) | "Amazing" (1993) |
"Cryin'" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes. It was released in the summer of 1993 as the third single from the hugely successful album Get a Grip.
Contents |
[edit] Success
The song can be credited also as the song that really broke Get a Grip into the mainstream. The song had a long chart-life, spending 20 weeks in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 (the most for any Aerosmith single). It peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (where it remained for five weeks), and #17 in the UK.
[edit] Lyrical Interpretation
The song tells the story of a relationship gone bad between a man and a woman ("I was cryin' when I met you, now I'm tryin' to forget you") and how "love is sweet misery".
[edit] Song Structure
The song begins with loud guitars playing in sync with the drum beat. It then slows down during the first verse, borrowing the chords from Pachelbel's Canon in D, only to pick up into a more upbeat-sounding song during the first chorus. The song picks up in even more steam during the second verse, only to slow down somewhat during the third verse. The chorus repeats several times throughout the song.
The song is also highlighted by the clear guitar parts of Brad Whitford and Joe Perry, who each play guitar solos on the song. There is also a notable harmonica solo by Steven Tyler towards the end of the song before the last refrain of the chorus.
A strong rhythm section is provided by bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer, as well as synthesizers.
[edit] Video
The video for the song features the first appearance of Alicia Silverstone in the band's videos, as well as the band performing in a church in Fall River, Massachusetts. The song flashes back and forth between the band and Alicia Silverstone, who plays a teen who has a falling out with her boyfriend (played by Stephen Dorff) after catching him cheating. She pushes him out of the car when he tries to make out with her and drives off, leaving him in the dust. She begins a phase of rebellion and individuality and gets a navel piercing, which has largely been credited as introducing navel piercing to mainstream culture, fueling a popular trend of navel piercing by young women which continues to this day. After having her purse playfully stolen by another young man seeking her attention (played by Josh Holloway of Lost), she chases him down and knocks him to the ground. She then abandons her car and proceeds to threaten to jump off a bridge. Her ex-boyfriend arrives on the scene, along with numerous police officers, encouraging her to come down from the overpass. She jumps only to really be attached to a harness, preventing her from falling all the way down to the ground. She gives "the finger" at the end of the video.
The video was a smash success on MTV, becoming one of the most requested videos in 1993, and earning the band several awards at the Video Music Awards.
[edit] Awards
- MTV Video Music Award for Best Video of the Year, 1994
- MTV Video Music Award - Viewer's Choice, 1994
- MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video, 1994
[edit] Legacy
The song was the most successful single from Get a Grip and has consistently been a staple on rock radio stations, and even seeing considerable airplay on Top 40/pop stations.
The song has always been a concert staple for Aerosmith, for nearly every tour they have done since The Get a Grip Tour in 1993.
The song has also been featured on several compilations (Big Ones, O, Yeah! The Ultimate Aerosmith Hits) and live albums (A Little South of Sanity).
Steven Tyler and Christina Milian sang and performed the song in the movie Be Cool.
"Mama Kin" | "Dream On" | "Same Old Song and Dance" | "Train Kept A-Rollin'" | "Sweet Emotion" | "Last Child" | "Home Tonight" | "Walk This Way" | "Back in the Saddle" | "Draw the Line" | "Kings and Queens" | "Come Together" | "Chip Away the Stone" | "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" | "Lightning Strikes" | "Let the Music Do the Talking" | "Shela" | "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" | "Hangman Jury" | "Angel" | "Rag Doll" | "Love in an Elevator" | "Janie's Got a Gun" | "What it Takes" | "The Other Side" | "F.I.N.E." | "Monkey On My Back" | "Eat the Rich" | "Livin' on the Edge" | "Fever" | "Cryin'" | "Amazing" | "Shut Up and Dance" | "Deuces Are Wild" | "Crazy" | "Blind Man" | "Walk on Water" | "Nine Lives" | "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" | "Hole in My Soul" | "Pink" | "Taste of India" | "Full Circle" | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" | "What Kind of Love Are You On" | "Angel's Eye" | "Jaded" | "Fly Away From Here" | "Sunshine" | "Just Push Play" | "Girls of Summer" | "Baby, Please Don't Go" | "Devil's Got a New Disguise"
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