All I Could Do Was Cry
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| "All I Could Do Was Cry" | ||||
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Gwen Gordy | ||||
| Etta James singles chronology | ||||
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"All I Could Do Was Cry" is a doo-wop/rhythm and blues single recorded in 1960, and released in March that year by the singer Etta James.[1] It was written for James by Chess songwriter Billy Davis, Berry Gordy and his sister Gwen Gordy.[1] The song eventually peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 33 on the pop chart.[2] James would later re-record the song in the early 1990s.[3]
Background
The song was said[bluesy vocals.[citation needed]
Chart performance
- Etta James version
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 100 | 33 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B Sides | 2 |
Cover versions
- Ike & Tina Turner released a version of the song on their live album The Ike & Tina Turner Show - Vol. 2 in 1965.[4] They also included another live rendition on their 1969 live album In Person, and a previously unissued studio version was released on the compilation album The Kent Years in 2000.[5]
- Beyoncé covered the song while filming her role depicting James in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records.[3]
- Motown vocalist Yvonne Fair covered this standard in 1969, but the recording wasn't released until it appeared on the "Motown Unreleased 1969" CD series, released in 2019.
References
- ^ a b "Etta James - All I Could Do Was Cry". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 290.
- ^ a b "This Day in Black History: May 2, 1961". BET. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
- ^ "Ike & Tina Turner – The Ike & Tina Turner Show - Vol. 2". Discogs.com. 1966.
- ^ "The Kent Years - Ike & Tina Turner | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
