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Cry Like a Baby
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Wikipedia article
"'Cry Like a Baby'" is a 1968 song written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, and performed by The Box Tops. The song reached #2 in April 1968 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks. It was kept out of the top spot by Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey", which stayed at #1 for five weeks. "Cry Like a Baby" also reached #2 on 'Cashbox' for one week. It stayed on the Hot 100 for 15 weeks and 'Cashbox' for 14 weeks. It was awarded a gold disc for selling over one million copies in the United States.
Spooner Oldham explained in an interview how the song came to be:
In contrast with "The Letter", which was played by the band, "Cry Like a Baby" used the Memphis Boys, American Sound Studio's house band, in the instrumental backing, which features session guitarist Reggie Young playing an electric sitar. Author Peter Lavezzoli cites this part as an example of the widespread influence of Indian classical music on rock and pop music in the late 1960s, in the wake of the Beatles' popularisation of the sitar in songs such as "Within You Without You", from their 1967 album 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. Oldham played keyboards on "Cry Like a Baby" in addition to co-writing it. Chilton, who sang lead vocals on the song, was only 17 years old at the time of recording. This version of the song also features a female backup chorus, a brass section, a string section, bass guitar, organ, piano, and drums.
'Billboard' described the single as an "easy beat rhythm item" that "is loaded with play and sales potential."
The original recording is available on numerous compilations, including 'Billboard Top Rock'n'Roll Hits: 1968', 'Classic Rock' (Time-Life Music), and 'AM Gold' (Time-Life Music).
Chart performance
'Billboard' Hot 100 (15 weeks, entered March 2): Reached #2 (2 weeks)
'Cashbox' (14 weeks, entered March 2): 62, 44, 35, 23, 15, 7, 5, 4, 4, 2, 3, 11, 35, 42
Kim Carnes' version of the song spent 8 weeks on US Hot 100 in 1980, peaking at #44.
Cover versions
*1968: The Royal Guardsmen, as part of a medley with "The Letter," on the album 'Snoopy for President'
*1968: Betty Wright, on the album 'My First Time Around' (Atco SD-33-260)
*1968: Barry St. John, on the album 'According to St. John' (Major Minor MMLP43)
*1969: Arthur Alexander, non-album single
*1969: Cher, on the album '3614 Jackson Highway' (Atco SD 33-298)
*1969: Lulu, on the album 'Lulu's Album' (Columbia SCX 6365)
*1971: Petula Clark, on the album 'Warm and Tender' (Warner WS 1885)
*1980: Kim Carnes, on the albums 'Romance Dance' and 'Live at Savoy, 1981'
*2006: Hacienda Brothers
*2008: Kiki Dee, on the album 'Cage the Songbird'
References
Category:1968 singles
Category:The Box Tops songs
Category:Kim Carnes songs
Category:Cher songs
Category:Lulu (singer) songs
Category:Betty Wright songs
Category:Songs written by Dan Penn
Category:Song recordings produced by Chips Moman
Category:Songs written by Spooner Oldham
Category:1968 songs
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