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"Crying Time"
Single by Ray Charles
from the album Crying Time
B-side	"When My Dreamboat Comes Home"
Released	November 1965
Genre	Country soul blues
Length	2:53
Label	ABC-Paramount Records
Songwriter(s)	Buck Owens
Producer(s)	Sid Feller
Ray Charles singles chronology
"The Cincinnati Kid" (1965) "Crying Time" (1965) "Together Again" (1966)

"Crying Time" is a song from 1964 written and originally recorded by the American country music artist Buck Owens. It gained greater success in the version recorded by Ray Charles, which won two Grammy Awards in 1967. Numerous other cover versions have been performed and recorded over the intervening years.

History

Owens recorded the original version of his song and released it as the B side to the 45 single "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail" in 1964, Capitol 5336, but it failed to reach the music charts. A cover version of "Crying Time" was then recorded by R&B singer Ray Charles, and his version proved to be a hit. Featuring backing vocals by the Jack Halloran Singers and The Raelettes, the song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1966. Charles' version of the song also peaked at number five on the R&B chart and spent three weeks at number one on the easy listening chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 50 on the UK Singles Chart. In addition, Charles' version of "Crying Time" won two Grammy Awards in 1967, in the categories Best R&B Recording and Best R&B Solo Performance.

Style

Charles intended his version of Owens' song to be a tribute to the country music style he appreciated (Charles had successfully covered other country music songs in the past, such as "I Can't Stop Loving You"). He was quoted as saying that he did not record "Crying Time", and other country songs written by Owens, "out of disrespect for Buck. I'm crazy about Buck. But I heard something that fit my style. The key was keeping my style while watching my style work in different ways."

Chart history

Notable cover versions

• Lorrie Morgan recorded a cover of the song for the soundtrack to the 1993 film The Beverly Hillbillies. Her version peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1966 (U.S.)

References

1. ^ "Top 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 1966". 45cat.com. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
2. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 231. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
3. ^ "Crying Time - Ray Charles - Song Info - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
5. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
6. "Official Charts Company - Ray Charles - Cryin' Time". Archive.is. 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1966-02-14. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
8. "Cryin' Time | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
9. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
10. "Contact Support". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
11. "Top 100 Hits of 1966/Top 100 Songs of 1966 | Music Outfitters". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
12. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1966". Tropicalglen.com. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
13. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.

• 1964 songs
• 1965 singles
• Torch songs
• Buck Owens songs
• Ray Charles songs
• Barbra Streisand songs
• Lorrie Morgan songs
• Songs written by Buck Owens
• ABC Records singles