Don't Cry
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"Don't Cry" | ||||
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U.S. commercial cassette single
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Single by Guns N' Roses | ||||
from the album Use Your Illusion I & II | ||||
A-side | "Don't Cry" (Original) (LP Version) | |||
B-side | "Don't Cry" (Alt. Lyrics) (LP Version) | |||
Released | September 17, 1991 | |||
Format | CD Single, 7", 12" | |||
Recorded | A&M Studios, Record Plant Studios, Studio 56, Image Recording, Conway Studios & Metalworks Recording Studios 1990-1991 |
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Genre | Hard rock | |||
Length | 4:45 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Writer(s) | Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Clink, Guns N' Roses | |||
Guns N' Roses singles chronology | ||||
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"Don't Cry" is a power ballad by the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, two versions of which were released simultaneously on different albums. The version with the original lyrics is the fourth track on Use Your Illusion I, while the version with the alternate lyrics is the 13th track on Use Your Illusion II. Only the vocal tracks differ, and even then only in the verses; however, in those verses, not only are the words entirely different, but the meter and melody are also slightly different. There is also a third version, officially released only on the single for the song, which was recorded during Appetite for Destruction sessions in 1986. The song reached the top 10 in many countries, including number 8 in the UK Singles Chart and number 10 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100.
Contents
Background
"Don't Cry" features Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon on backing vocals. Along with "Estranged" and "November Rain," it forms a narrative inspired in part by the short story "Without You" by Del James.[1] The song peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's fifth Top 10 hit there.
Track listing
- CD single Geffen 21651
- "Don't cry (original)" - 4:42
- "Don't cry (alt. lyrics)" - 4:42
- "Don't cry (demo)" - 4:42
Music video
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan and Mark Racco.[2] John Linson was the producer of the video.[3]
Rose commented on the difficulty of filming the video and how certain scenes inspired by the relationship with Erin Everly affected him emotionally:
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With our video for "Don't Cry," and the fight that Stephanie Seymour, (Axl's then-current girlfriend) and I had over the gun, you don't necessarily know what's going on. But in real life that happened with Erin Everly (Axl's ex-wife) and myself. I was going to shoot myself. We fought over the gun and I finally let her win. I was kind of mentally crippled after that. Before shooting our documentary, I said, "This seems really hard, 'cause it really happened." And the night we wrote the scene, my friend Josh said, "Okay, how are you going to play that?" He wanted to rehearse and I was like, "Look, leave me alone." But he kept pushing until, finally, I stood up. I had this cigarette lighter that looked like a real gun and I said, "Look, I'm gonna do it like this." And I just went over and slammed around in the hallway a bit and threw the gun and said, "Is that good enough for you?"[4]
Personnel
- W. Axl Rose – lead vocals
- Slash – lead guitar
- Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals
- Dizzy Reed – keyboards, backing vocals
- Matt Sorum – drums
- Additional musicians
- Shannon Hoon – backup vocals
- Steven Adler – drums (Demo version)
Live performances
"Don't Cry" was performed quite frequently during the early tours and the Use Your Illusion Tour. It was absent from the early legs (i.e. 2001-02) of the Chinese Democracy Tour but reappeared to an extent in 2006, as guitarist Bumblefoot began using an instrumental version of the song as a guitar solo spot. In 2007, during the Bumblefoot solo spot, Axl came on stage to sing along to the solo on two occasions, marking the first times since 1993 that Axl had sung it live.
"Don't Cry" made another return during the 2009/2010 World Tour, with Axl singing along with the solo spot on each occasion that it has been played.
A recording of the song from the Tokyo Dome was released on the album Live Era '87–'93 and a VHS/DVD.
Cover versions
A chill out cover of the song by Sao Vincente featuring Ituana was included on the 2006 tribute compilation Bossa n' Roses.
Marina V covers the song on her 2010 album My Star.
A version of Don’t Cry was recorded by Murder By Death and released on their 2011 “Skeletons in the Closet” album.
Chart positions
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA)[5] | 5 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 10 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] | 1 |
France (SNEP)[8] | 25 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[9] | 22 |
Irish Singles Chart[10] | 1 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] | 7 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] | 2 |
Norway (VG-lista)[13] | 2 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] | 9 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] | 3 |
U.S Billboard Hot 100[16] | 10 |
UK Singles Chart[17] | 8 |
Certifications
Region | Certification |
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Italy (FIMI)[18] | Gold |
United States (RIAA)[19] | Gold |
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0306922/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry" (in French). Les classement single.
- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". GfK Entertainment.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". Top 40 Singles.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". VG-lista.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". Singles Top 60.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Guns N' Roses – Don't Cry". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/303248/guns-n-roses/chart
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Guns N' Roses in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
External links
- Use mdy dates from April 2016
- Articles using small message boxes
- Singlechart usages for Germany2
- Certification Table Entry usages for Italy
- Certification Table Entry usages for United States
- 1991 songs
- 1991 singles
- 1990s ballads
- Geffen Records singles
- Guns N' Roses songs
- Hard rock ballads
- Music videos directed by Andy Morahan
- Song recordings produced by Mike Clink
- Songs written by Axl Rose
- Songs written by Izzy Stradlin