Dion & the Belmonts were a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. … Read Full Bio ↴Dion & the Belmonts were a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo (October 5, 1937 – April 4, 2016), Fred Milano (August 22, 1939 - January 1, 2012), and Angelo D'Aleo - in late 1957.

After an unsuccessful first single, the group were signed to Laurie Records. Their breakthrough came when "I Wonder Why" made # 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the group appeared for the first time on the Dick Clark TV show. They followed it with the ballads "No One Knows" (#19) and "Don't Pity Me" (#40).
This success won Dion and the Belmonts their first major tour in late 1958, with The Coasters, Buddy Holly and Bobby Darin, and this was followed up by the "Winter Dance Party" tour with Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. On 2 February 1959, after playing at Clear Lake, Iowa, Dion decided that he could not afford the $36 cost of a flight to the next venue. The plane crashed, and Holly and the other stars were killed. However, the tour continued, with Jimmy Clanton and Bobby Vee being added to the bill.
In March 1959, Dion and the Belmonts’ next single, "A Teenager in Love", was released, making #5 in the Billboard Hot 100 and #28 in the UK Singles Chart, and this was followed by an album, Presenting Dion and the Belmonts. Their biggest hit, "Where or When", was released in November 1959, and reached #3 on the U.S. chart.
However, in early 1960, Dion checked in to hospital for heroin addiction, a problem he had had since his mid-teens. Further single releases for the group that year were less successful, there were musical and financial disputes between Dion and members of the Belmonts, and in October 1960 Dion decided to quit for a solo career. The Belmonts also continued to release records, but with less success.
Dion and the Belmonts reunited in 1966 for the unsuccessful album Together Again on ABC Records, and again in 1972 for a one-off show at Madison Square Garden, recorded and released as a live album.

I've Cried Before
Dion & The Belmonts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Any fool can see
That you′re tired of me
The little things you do
Tell me that we're through

Well I′ve cried before
Guess I'm gonna cry some more

When you said goodnight
You used to hold me tight
And say you loved me so
But that was long ago

Well I've cried before
Guess I′m gonna cry some more

Everytime we have a day
You turn up in our alley
When your folks are not at home
You make sure we′re not alone
If you leave me now
I'll make else somehow
And if my smile can′t hide
The pain I feel inside

Well I, I'd be fooled
Guess I′m gonna cry some more

Overall Meaning

In the song "I've Cried Before" by Dion & The Belmonts, we see the singer's desperation as they try to cling onto a failing relationship. From the opening lines "Any fool can see, That you’re tired of me, The little things you do, Tell me that we’re through" to the final lines of the song, the singer is holding onto the hope that their partner still loves them despite all the evidence to the contrary. The singer admits to crying before and knows that they will cry again but still cannot help holding out for their lover.

In the second verse, we get a glimpse of the singer's anger and pain as they describe how their partner used to hold them tight and profess their love, but now seems distant and uninterested. The third verse tells us that their partner only shows up during the day when their folks are not home, indicating a sense of shame or guilt on their part, and highlighting the secrecy of the relationship. The singer pleads with their partner not to leave them, but knows that they will have to find a way to move on if they do. The last line of the song "Guess I’m gonna cry some more" is a sad acceptance of their fate.

Overall, the lyrics convey the desperation and heartbreak that come with a failing relationship. The singer is unable to let go of their partner despite the signs that the relationship is over, and is left to deal with the pain of rejection and loss. The song is a reminder that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, relationships can still fall apart.

Line by Line Meaning

Any fool can see
It's obvious to anyone that you're tired of me.

That you're tired of me
You're clearly no longer interested in being with me.

The little things you do
Your actions indicate that our relationship is over.

Tell me that we're through
Your behavior is a clear sign that our relationship has ended.

Well I've cried before
I've been through this heartbreak before.

Guess I'm gonna cry some more
I know there's more heartbreak to come.

When you said goodnight
Back when you used to say goodnight to me...

You used to hold me tight
You used to show affection towards me.

And say you loved me so
You used to verbally express your love for me.

But that was long ago
Those actions and words are a distant memory now.

Everytime we have a day
Whenever we spend time together...