Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying

"Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" is a song written by Gerry Marsden, Freddie Marsden, Les Chadwick and Les Maguire, the members of British beat group Gerry and the Pacemakers. It was first recorded and issued as a single by Louise Cordet in February 1964. Shortly after Cordet's version failed to chart, the song was recorded by Gerry and The Pacemakers themselves in April 1964. The Gerry and The Pacemakers recording became an international hit, and remains one of their best known singles.

For the 1946 song first released by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five, see Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'.
"Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"
Single by Gerry and the Pacemakers
from the album Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
B-side
  • "Show Me That You Care" (UK and Canada)
  • "Away from You" (US)
ReleasedApril 1964
RecordedDecember 9, 1963 [1]
GenreMerseybeat, pop
Length2:38
LabelEMI Columbia (UK)
Laurie (US)
Warner Brothers (Canada, Australia, New Zealand)
Songwriter(s)Gerry Marsden, Freddie Marsden, Les Chadwick, Les Maguire
Producer(s)George Martin
Gerry and the Pacemakers singles chronology
"I'm the One"
(1964)		 "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"
(1964)		 "It's Gonna Be Alright"
(1964)

History

The song was given first to Louise Cordet, a singer who had previously toured with the group as well as with The Beatles. Her version was produced by Tony Meehan and released on Decca Records in February 1964.[2] The group then decided to issue their own version.[3] The record, like the group's earlier releases, was produced by George Martin.[2]

It was released in April 1964 as Gerry and the Pacemakers' fifth single in Britain, and spent 11 weeks on the United Kingdom's Record Retailer chart, reaching No. 6.[4] In the US, it was the breakthrough single for the group, spending 12 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 4.[5] The song debuted at No. 4 in the first issue of Canada's RPM "Top Forty-5s" chart,[6] while reaching No. 5 on Canada's CHUM Hit Parade,[7] and No. 6 on New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade".[8]

Gerry and the Pacemakers performed the song on their first US television show, The Ed Sullivan Show on 3 May 1964.[9] The group's earlier UK hit singles - "How Do You Do It?", "I Like It", "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "I'm the One" - were then reissued in the US to follow up its success, but "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" remained their biggest hit in the United States.[5]

Chart history

Cover versions

The song has been recorded by many other singers, including Steve Lawrence (1964), José Feliciano (1968), Rickie Lee Jones (1989), Gloria Estefan (1994), Paul Carrack (2010), Post Image with John Greaves (2011), and Nellie McKay (2015).[2]

References
  1. United Artists compilation, "The Best of Gerry and the Pacemakers: The Definitive Collection," copyright EMI Records, 1991
  2. "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" at Secondhandsongs. Accessed 14 November 2012
  3. Biography of Louise Cordet by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com. Accessed 14 November 2012
  4. Gerry and the Pacemakers - Full Official Chart History, Official Charts Company. Accessed September 27, 2015
  5. Gerry and the Pacemakers - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed September 27, 2015
  6. "Top Forty-5s", RPM Weekly, Volume 1, Ed. 18, June 22, 1964. Accessed September 27, 2015
  7. "CHUM Hit Parade – Week of June 22, 1964". CHUM. Archived from the original on November 7, 2006. Retrieved 2016-12-27.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) Chart No. 380.
  8. "Lever Hit Parade" 30-Jul-1964, Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed October 16, 2015
  9. "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" at SongFacts.com. Accessed 14 November 2012
  10. Flavour of New Zealand, 30 July 1964
  11. "Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 1964-04-22. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  12. UK 100 Best-Selling Singles of 1964
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