A song, a broken heart and a river of tears – by Emily Grawitter
Cry Me a River
Now you say you’re lonely
You cry the whole night thorough
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Now you say you’re sorry
For bein’ so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you
You drove me, nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember all that you said
Told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and
Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Come on and cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
When i listen to music from the 50s or 60s there is many tears, lovers, crying and feelings of loss involved.
The song „Cry Me a River“ (written by Arthur Hamilton in 1953, and sung by Julie London later on) seems to be one of the most popular songs connected to crying. I have always adored the original version. Not because it is specifically sad or makes the listener cry, but the feeling of: „I was hurting, because you made me cry. Now it is your turn to show me that you really love me.“
There is something extremely toxic in the need to make each other cry, just to prove the love to each other. But i have always felt, when Julie sings it, she does it with such soothing and honesty, that you would do anything to shed a tear for her. Using tears to prove something, does make a lot of sense. To express extreme sadness, pain or emotion, tears are the ultimate „tool“. When there are tears, it is serious. Your inner feelings are shown to the outside world. So i think the term of „Crying a River“ is that popular, because crying as itself is so pure and emotional, that a whole river of tears, would not only be very emotional, but also very unrealistic and impossible to achieve. And in the end there could be two outcomes to this. Either the lover is able to achieve the goal of crying so much, that she takes him back, or, she already knows he wouldn’t be capable of crying a river and there is no realistic way, that she will take him back. What better way to know someone loves you, if they do the impossible for you?
This is not my personal opinion, but that is what i think Arthur Hamilton and Julie London wanted to get across. I felt like i had to analyze the song title a little, because it just screamed (or cried) at me when i listened to it.
You can listen to the song here: