Songs where the artist breaks down and cries

I don't know how far this thread will go, but I thought about this last night after listening to my new BMG copy of The Very Best of Rod Stewart. My favorite song on it--and one of the most gorgeous tunes of the past 15 years--is Have I Told You Lately. I like Van Morrison's original a lot, but Stewart's version cuts it, and one big reason why is Stewart's breakdown during the last chorus.

I wonder how many other tunes we can name where this kind of thing happens?

 

Mr. Lonely--Bobby Vinton
Cry-Johnny Ray

 

Van The Mans version rules. Stewarts version has all the sincerity of a Hallmark greeting card read by Adam Sandler. He was actually probably trying to keep from laughing at the thought of another wife.

The Blue Nile-Family Life
Glen Campbell-By The Time I Get To Phoenix

 

I'd have to agree with Dave on this one. I kind of thought Rod's version sounded like what a Michael Bolton cover of the song would sound like. (IMHO for all you MB fans out there)

Related to the topic also, Van Morrison sings in Sometime We Cry: "Fore they put me in a jacket, and take me away, I'm not gonna fake it like Johnny Ray, somtimes we live , sometimes we die, sometimes we cry". I don't think Van was singing about Johnny Ray's record so much as his live performace of the song, where he'd break down and cry every time.

 

Re: Re: Songs where the artist breaks down and cries

Beagle, I thought you didn't like these kinds of threads.

Juan

 

Didn't David Crosby cry at the end of Ohio?

 

Cool it guys!

I will add:

"She's Out Of My Life"-Michael Jackson
"Under The Boardwalk"-The Drifters (the MONO single version)

 

Astral Weeks. I remember someone, either Connie Kay or Richard Davis, who said Van would be in tears after a take.

 

Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand and Witney Houstan during every f#$%ing song they ever sang in public.

 

Don't know if the "I've got blisters on my fingers" yell on Helter Skelter qualifies?

 

Actually it was a yell.

 

Rod Stewart on his Unplugged & Seated disc/video. At the end of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You", he kinda cracks up. He admitted it later too.

 

Doesn't Joe Cocker lose it at the end of "You Are So Beautiful"?

 

Re: Re: Re: Songs where the artist breaks down and cries

What! So I'm not the only one.

Um...what was that Sinead O'Connor video with the (faked) tears?

 

Every hymn Tammy Faye Baaker ever sang?

 

Timi Yuro- Hurt

 

The ultimate song for this is
(You've Been Quite A Doll) Raggedy Ann by Little Jimmy Dickens.I have seen some quite hard grown men cry when they hear this song(it's supposed to help if you've got kids I'm told)

 

I immediately thought of Maria Booker's performance of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi" on Wayne Shorter's Super Nova album. Very beautiful.

 

I can't remember which video, but Eric Clapton: My Father's Eyes.

 

Judy Garland

In the early 1950s in her stage show Judy Garland, when singing "Over the Rainbow" in her tramp outfit, would cry on the final "If happy little bluebirds fly... [sob]...why oh why can't I?" This can be heard on her interpretation of the song on her first Capitol LP/CD "Miss Show Business."

LAWRENCE SCHULMAN