The Crying Game (song)

"The Crying Game" is a song written and composed by Geoff Stephens. It was first released by Dave Berry in July 1964.[1] It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart. Session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan played lead guitar on Berry's version of the song, and Jimmy Page supported.[2]

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

Boy George version
"The Crying Game"
Single by Boy George
B-side"I Specialise in Loneliness"
ReleasedAugust 1992
LabelSpaghetti
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

"The Crying Game" was covered by Boy George 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. Boy 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.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented George's "genius reading" of the song.[3] Dave Sholin from Gavin Report commented, "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".[4] Music & Media wrote that it "has the same ethereal ambiance as the one to TV series Twin Peaks, punctuated by a similar big twanging guitar."[5] 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."[6] Frank DeCaro from Newsday said that Boy George'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 noted it as a "lush, synth update" of Dave Berry's 1964 Brit Hit.[7]

Track listing

UK and European 7"

A. "The Crying Game"
B. "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)

US 7" (red vinyl)

A. "The Crying Game"
B. "Stand by Your Man" (by Lyle Lovett)

European and UK 12" and CD single

1.(A) "The Crying Game"
2.(B1) "The Crying Game" (Extended Dance Mix)
3.(B2) "I Specialise in Loneliness" (edit)

US 12" promo

A1. "The Crying Game" (Digifunky String Mix)
A2. "The Crying Game" (Digifunky Diva Dub)
A3. "The Crying Game" (album version)
B1. "The Crying Game" (Third Floor Trance Mix)
B2. "The Crying Game" (Third Floor Trance Dub)
B3. "The Crying Game" (DJ EFX's Tribal as a Mofo Mix)

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 #87 in January of 1965.[25]
  • Kylie Minogue covered the song on her Fever Tour in 2002, incorporating it in a medley with several other ballads to rapturous response.

References
  1. Cad, Saint. "Top 10 Famous Songs With Unknown Originals". Listverse.com. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. Russell Newmark (The Beat Magazine). "Extraordinary Wounded, Vulnerable Delivery". The Official Dave Berry Website. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  3. Flick, Larry (10 April 1993). "Dance Trax: D.C. Gets In Step With AIDS-Related Issues" (PDF). Billboard. p. 26. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  4. Sholin, Dave (19 February 1993). "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 52. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  5. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 31 October 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  6. "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 8 August 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. "Boy George is back with 'The Crying Game'". Gainesville Sun. 6 March 1993. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Boy George – The Crying Game". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1713." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  10. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1785." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  11. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9 no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 39. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Boy George – The Crying Game". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (11.06.1993 – 17.06.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Crying Game". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – Boy George – The Crying Game". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  17. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 19 September 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  18. "Boy George Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  19. "Boy George Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  20. "Boy George Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  21. "Boy George Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  22. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  23. "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  24. "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  25. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
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