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"Who's Crying Now"
Single by Journey
from the album Escape
B-side	"Mother, Father"
Released	July 9, 1981 (US)
Recorded	1981
Genre	Soft rock
Length	4:24 (single version) 5:01 (album version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Jonathan Cain Steve Perry
Producer(s)	Kevin Elson Mike Stone
Journey singles chronology
"The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)" (1981) "Who's Crying Now" (1981) "Don't Stop Believin'" (1981)

"Who's Crying Now" is a song by the American rock band Journey. It was written by Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry. It was released in 1981 as the first single from Escape and reached No. 4 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. The song charted at No. 46 in the UK Singles Chart, and was the band's highest charting single in the UK until "Don't Stop Believin'" (also released as a single from the Escape album in 1981) incurred a resurgence in UK popularity in 2009.

The song is highlighted by Steve Perry's lyrics (with vocal riffs highly reminiscent of Sam Cooke) and piano playing by Jonathan Cain which segues into a bass riff by Ross Valory, and other guitars.

Background

Singer Steve Perry said the chorus popped into his head while driving to Los Angeles, which he recorded on his personal mini cassette player. Once he arrived in LA, he went straight to keyboardist Jonathan Cain's house to show him the work in progress. Perry had come up with most of the melodies and rhythms, but was stumped on the lyrics. Cain helped write most of the verses.

At the end of the song, Neal Schon plays a repeating guitar solo that sounds similar to Santana. According to Schon on In the Studio with Redbeard (which devoted an entire episode to the making of Escape), originally he recorded an aggressive, experimental guitar solo which he liked but Perry and Cain did not. He then recorded a second solo, the "simplest thing he could play off the top of his head" as recalled by Perry. That one was appreciated much more by the rest of the band. Steve Smith's drumming is only found in the choruses and towards the end of the song.

Reception

Billboard praised "Who's Crying Now" as "one of Journey's strongest and classiest records," and "one of the most appealing love songs" of 1981. Record World said the song spotlights "haunting vocals" and "icy keyboards."

Cover version(s)

R&B singer Randy Crawford recorded a soulful version on her 1992 album Through the Eyes of Love. Her cover of this song also features jazz pianist Joe Sample of The Crusaders.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

1. "RIAA Certification". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
2. Kielty, Martin (April 25, 2020). "How Steve Perry Came Up with Journey's Hit 'Who's Crying Now'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
3. "Top Single Picks". Billboard Magazine. July 18, 1981. p. 75. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
4. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 18, 1981. p. 1. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
5. "The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Answers.com. August 23, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
8. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
9. "Ultimate Music Database". Umdmusic.com. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
10. "Journey: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
11. "Journey Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
12. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". October 17, 1981. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
13. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
14. "Number One Awards – Billboard's 1981 Year-End Charts : Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. December 26, 1981. p. YE-9. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
15. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1981". December 26, 1981. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
16. "American single certifications – Journey – Who's Crying Now". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 26, 2024.

• Journey (band) songs
• 1981 singles
• Songs written by Steve Perry
• Songs written by Jonathan Cain
• Song recordings produced by Mike Stone (record producer)
• 1981 songs
• Columbia Records singles