The Crying Game (song)

"The Crying Game" is a song written by Geoff Stephens. It was first released by English rock singer Dave Berry in July 1964.[1] It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.

"The Crying Game"
Single by Dave Berry
B-side"Don't Gimme No Lip Child"
ReleasedJuly 1964
GenrePop
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Geoff Stephens
Producer(s)Mike Smith
Dave Berry singles chronology
"Baby It's You"
(1964)		 "The Crying Game"
(1964)		 "One Heart Between Two"
(1964)

The song was covered by Boy George which reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one in Canada in 1992. Three versions of the song, by Dave Berry, Kate Robbins and Boy George, were used in the film titled after the song The Crying Game directed by Neil Jordan.[2]

Background

The song was written by Geoff Stephens. Stephens thought the main attraction of the song was the title; to him the title "seemed the perfect seed from which to grow a very good pop song." The sentiment of the song inspired the lyrics and the tune, which according to him, arrived in his "head simultaneously". He thought the line "One day soon, I'm going to tell the moon, about the crying game" was particularly effective. The line "I know all there is to know" was inspired by his father, according to Stephens. Stephens recorded a demo with fellow songwriter John Carter at the Southern Music studio in Denmark Street, and gave a copy to Decca producer Mike Smith. Mike Smith liked the song and arranged for Dave Berry to record the song.[3]

The song was included in Dave Berry's self-titled debut album, where session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played lead guitar on the tracks, and Jimmy Page supported.[4] On "The Crying Game", Sullivan experimented a DeArmond pedal to change the sound of his guitar.[5]

The song became Dave Berry's first top 10 hit, peaking at No. 5 on the British singles chart.

Charts
Chart (1964) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 73
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 7
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 5

Boy George version
"The Crying Game"
Single by Boy George
from the album The Crying Game: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side"I Specialise in Loneliness"
Released7 September 1992 (1992-09-07)[9]
Label
Songwriter(s)Geoff Stephens
Producer(s)Pet Shop Boys
Boy George/Jesus Loves You singles chronology
"After the Love"
(1991)		 "The Crying Game"
(1992)		 "Sweet Toxic Love"
(1992)
Music video
"The Crying Game" on YouTube

English singer Boy George covered and released "The Crying Game" in 1992, and both this version and the original Dave Berry recordings were used as the theme to the 1992 Neil Jordan movie The Crying Game. George's version of the song was produced by the Pet Shop Boys and reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart, number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number one in Canada and Iceland. It became the biggest solo hit that George achieved in the US or Canada. The songs are heard during the end credits of the movie.

This version was also featured in the Jim Carrey comedy film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. This was a joke reference to the film The Crying Game, with which it shared a plot point.

Background

The Pet Shop Boys became involved in producing the song through the producer of The Crying Game film, Stephen Woolley. The duo had previously contributed the song "Nothing Has Been Proved", sung by Dusty Springfield, for the Woolley-produced 1989 film Scandal. Neil Tennant told NME in 1993, "I think George sings that song really well, he sounds a bit like Roy Orbison."[10]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented George's "genius reading" of the song.[11] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report concluded, "It's been said again and again that all any performer needs is the right material to have a hit. Boy George is just the right singer to resurrect this song".[12] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times wrote, "Those who have seen the movie will understand why Boy George is the perfect choice to sing the moody, Pet Shop Boys-produced title song--easily George’s best vocal since the early Culture Club days."[13] A reviewer from Music & Media felt it has the same "ethereal ambiance" as the one to TV series Twin Peaks, "punctuated by a similar big twanging guitar."[14]

Alan Jones from Music Week described it as "a strange little ballad, it's been pumped up in commercial house style by George, whose fragrantly fragile vocals never fail to impress."[15] Frank DeCaro from Newsday found that the singer's version of "The Crying Game" is "the most mesmerizing vocal since Annie Lennox first asked "Why" last summer. And, it's produced by (and sounds like) Pet Shop Boys, another fave." He also declared it as a "lush, synth update" of Dave Berry's 1964 Brit Hit.[16] Sam Wood from Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "The gender-bending karma chameleon teams up with the Pet Shop Boys for a stunning version of the title song that drips with bittersweet languor."[17] Charles Aaron from Spin said, "Heard it in a mall, wanted to weep in my Orange Julius."[18]

Track listings
  • UK and European 7-inch
A. "The Crying Game"
B. "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)
  • US 7-inch (red vinyl)
A. "The Crying Game"
B. "Stand by Your Man" (by Lyle Lovett)
  • European and UK 12-inch and CD single
1.(A) "The Crying Game"
2.(B1) "The Crying Game" (extended dance mix)
3.(B2) "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)
  • US cassette single
A. "The Crying Game" (Boy George)
B. "The Crying Game" (Dave Berry)

Charts

Other versions
  • Brenda Lee charted the first U.S. version of "The Crying Game." She reached number 87 in January 1965.[36]
  • Ian and the Zodiacs released a charting version in 1964 in the U.S.[37]
  • Kylie Minogue covered the song on her Fever Tour in 2002, incorporating it in a medley with several other ballads.

References
  1. Cad, Saint (31 July 2012). "Top 10 Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". Listverse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. Pramaggiore, Maria (2008). Neil Jordan. University of Illinois Press. pp. 91–92. ISBN 9780252075308.
  3. Thompson, Gordon (2008). Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out. Oxford University Press. pp. 175–177. ISBN 9780195333183.
  4. Russell Newmark (The Beat Magazine). "Extraordinary Wounded, Vulnerable Delivery". The Official Dave Berry Website. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  5. Thompson, Gordon Thompson, Gordon (2008). Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out. Oxford University Press. p. 14. ISBN 9780195333183.
  6. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
  7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Crying Game". Irish Singles Chart.
  8. "Dave Berry: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  9. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 September 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. Staunton, Terry (29 May 1993). "'The Smiths You Can Dunce To'". New Musical Express. pp. 28–30.
  11. Flick, Larry (10 April 1993). "Dance Trax: D.C. Gets In Step With AIDS-Related Issues" (PDF). Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  12. Sholin, Dave (19 February 1993). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 52. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  13. Hunt, Dennis (11 April 1993). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  14. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 44. 31 October 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  15. Jones, Alan (8 August 1992). "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  16. DeCaro, Frank (6 March 1993). "Boy George is back with 'The Crying Game'". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  17. Wood, Sam (2 March 1993). "Intriguing Music from Two Movies". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  18. Aaron, Charles (July 1993). "Singles". Spin. p. 84. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  19. "Boy George – The Crying Game". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  20. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1713." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  21. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1785." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  22. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 39. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  23. "Boy George – The Crying Game" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  24. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (11.06.1993 – 17.06.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 10 June 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  25. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Crying Game". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  26. "Boy George – The Crying Game". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  28. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 19 September 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  29. "Boy George Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  30. "Boy George Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  31. "Boy George Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  32. "Boy George Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  33. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 13 September 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  34. "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 13 September 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  35. "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  36. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  37. "Ian & The Zodiacs". Bill Harry's Sixties Snapshots. The Crying Game [...] reached the No. 1 spot in Texas
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