The Sky Is Crying (song)

"The Sky Is Crying" is a blues standard[2] written and initially recorded by Elmore James[1] in 1959. Called "one of his most durable compositions",[3] "The Sky Is Crying" became a R&B record chart hit and has been interpreted and recorded by numerous artists.[2]

"The Sky Is Crying"
Single by Elmore James
B-side"Held My Baby Last Night"
ReleasedMarch 1960 (1960-03)
RecordedChicago, November 3 or 4, 1959
GenreBlues
Length2:47
LabelFire
Songwriter(s)Elmore James[1]
Producer(s)Bobby Robinson

Original song

"The Sky Is Crying" is a slow-tempo twelve-bar blues notated in 12/8 time in the key of C.[4] It is an impromptu song inspired by a Chicago downpour during the recording session:[3]

The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street (2×)
I'm waiting in tears looking for my baby, and I wonder where can she be?

The songs features prominent slide guitar by James with his vocals, accompanied by his longtime backing band, the Broomdusters: J. T. Brown on saxophone, Johnny Jones on piano, Odie Payne on drums, and Homesick James on bass. James' unique slide guitar sound on the recording has generated some debate; Homesick James attributed it to a recording studio technique, others have suggested a different amplifier or guitar setup, and Ry Cooder felt that it was an altogether different guitar than James' usual Kay acoustic with an attached pickup.[5]

The single, with the artist credit "Elmo James and His Broomdusters", reached number 15 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart in 1960,[6] making it James' last chart showing before his death in 1963. James recorded a variation of the song, "The Sun Is Shining", in April 1960,[7] five months after the recording date of "The Sky Is Crying" (although some places "Sun" as a precursor to "Sky",[8] possibly because the bulk of James' recordings for Fire/Fury/Enjoy took place after the Chess recordings).

Other recordings

"The Sky Is Crying" has been interpreted and recorded by many blues and other artists. In 1963, blues harmonica player and singer Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded the song as a country blues-style duet with Matt Murphy on acoustic guitar for his Keep It to Ourselves album. In 1964, Eric Clapton with The Yardbirds recorded a live slow blues which included a couple of lines from "The Sky Is Crying" (Blueswailing July '64 (Live)). In 1966, with Jeff Beck on slide guitar, the Yardbirds made a live recording of "The Sun Is Shining" for the BBC (BBC Sessions). Hound Dog Taylor recorded a live version with Little Walter on harmonica at the 1967 American Folk Blues Festival (Fontana). He later recorded another live version with the HouseRockers in Boston in 1972 (Live at Joe's Place).

In 1969, Albert King recorded the version that became one of his signature songs on the album Years Gone By, later adopted by Stevie Ray Vaughan. King recorded several live versions of the song during his career. Luther Allison also recorded the song in 1969 on his first LP, Love Me Moma, and frequently included the song in his live performances. The Allman Brothers Band played the song at Duane Allman's funeral in 1971 and has since become one of their staples.[3] Eric Clapton released a studio version on his 1975 There's One in Every Crowd album. In 1977, George Thorogood recorded it for his second album Move It on Over. A live version was included on his 1986 album Live Thorogood and also on his 30th Anniversary Tour:Live album.[9]

Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded the song during the 1984 Couldn't Stand the Weather sessions, and again during the 1985 Soul to Soul sessions, but neither version was released until the posthumous compilations Blues at Sunrise (2000) and The Sky Is Crying (1991), respectively. Gary Moore recorded it for his 1992 album Blues Alive. A live version appears on Johnny Winter's Live in NYC '97 album. In 1998, John Martyn recorded it on his album of covers The Church with One Bell. Etta James recorded the song for her 2004 Grammy Award-winning Blues to the Bone album. Gary B.B. Coleman recorded the song for his 1992 album Too Much Weekend.

Recognition

In 1991, Elmore James' "The Sky Is Crying" was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in the "Classics of Blues Recordings" category.[10] Record producer Bobby Robinson noted that the song is "a magnificent vehicle both for Elmore’s emotion-packed blues vocal and his ringing slide guitar".[10]

References
  1. "Elmore James was given one hundred percent writer credit for [the] song" on his original filing with BMI, however, over the years, several names have appeared alongside his on various reissues and covers of the song. Franz, Steve (2003). The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James. Bluesource Publications. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-9718038-1-7.
  2. Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Sky Is Crying (The)". Encyclopedia of the Blues. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. p. 471. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
  3. Morris, Chris; Haig, Diana (1992). Elmore James: King of the Slide Guitar (Box set booklet). Elmore James. Nashville, Tennessee: Capricorn Records. pp. 12–13. 9 42006-2.
  4. Hal Leonard (1995). "The Sky Is Crying". The Blues. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard. p. 187. ISBN 0-79355-259-1.
  5. Franz (2003), pp. 100-101.
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1988). Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 216. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
  7. Chess Records 1756
  8. Koda, Cub (1996). "Elmore James". In Erlewine, Michael (ed.). All Music Guide to the Blues. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. pp. 132–33. ISBN 0-87930-424-3.
  9. George Thorogood 30th Anniversary Tour:Live album
  10. O'Neal, Jim (November 10, 2016). "1991 Hall of Fame Inductees: The Sky is Crying – Elmore (Elmo) James (Fire, 1959)". The Blues Foundation. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
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