Cry Me A River
Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass Lyrics
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You cry the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
'Cause I cried, I cried, I cried a river over you
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
You told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and
And now you say, you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
'Cause I cried a river over you
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
Told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and
Now, now you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Come on and cry, cry, cry me a river
Cry me a river
'Cause I cried a river over you
If my pillow could talk, imagine what it would have said
Could it be a river of tears I cried instead?
So you can cry me a river
Daddy, go ahead and cry me a river
'Cause I cried, how I cried a river, river over you
How I cried a river over you
In Ella Fitzgerald's song "Cry Me a River," the singer speaks to a former lover who has returned, expressing loneliness and regret. The singer tells the lover that they can "cry me a river" since they have caused the singer so much pain and heartbreak in the past. The singer has already cried a river over the past lover, and now it is their turn to see the consequences of their actions. The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and bitterness, with the singer feeling hurt and betrayed by the lover's previous actions.
The lyrics reference several common themes in the American Songbook, including the pain of lost love and the idea of getting even with an ex-lover. The phrase "cry me a river" is a well-known idiom, meaning to show exaggerated or insincere emotion, often in order to manipulate others. In this case, however, the singer seems to genuinely want the ex-lover to feel the pain they have caused. The lyrics also contain a sense of irony, as the former lover who once rejected the singer now comes back declaring their love.
Overall, "Cry Me A River" is a classic bluesy jazz tune that embodies the emotions of a brokenhearted woman whose lover has betrayed her trust. Ella Fitzgerald's smooth and husky vocals pair beautifully with the melancholic tone of the song, creating a masterpiece of heart-wrenching emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you say you're lonely
You're claiming to be lonely now
You cry the long night through
You spend the entire night crying
Well, you can cry me a river
You can cry to me, I don't care
Cry me a river
Please, cry all you want
I cried a river over you
I was also sad when we broke up
Now you say you're sorry
You apologize now
For being so untrue
For betraying my trust
Well, you can cry me a river
You can still cry, but it doesn't matter to me
Cry me a river
Just cry it out
'Cause I cried, I cried, I cried a river over you
I was so sad that I cried a lot
You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
Your actions caused me to go nearly insane
While you never shed a tear
You didn't even show any sadness
Remember, I remember, all that you said?
I still remember all the hurtful things you said
You told me love was too plebeian
You said our love was too common
Told me you were through with me and
You said you were ending our relationship
And now you say, you say you love me
Now you claim to love me
Well, just to prove you do
To prove your love is true
Come on and cry me a river
You can still cry your heart out
Cry me a river
Be as emotional as you want
'Cause I cried a river over you
I also cried a lot because of you
If my pillow could talk, imagine what it would have said
If inanimate objects could speak, my pillow would have many stories to tell
Could it be a river of tears I cried instead?
Perhaps the pool of moisture on my pillow was actually from my tears
So you can cry me a river
You can still cry, but it won't affect me anymore
Daddy, go ahead and cry me a river
An expression of contempt or indifference
'Cause I cried, how I cried a river over you
I was in such an emotional state because of you
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hardtop Harry
When I was a boy of about 12 my father, a pianist, woke me at about 2 AM. Joe Pass and Oscar Peterson were on TV. Dad knew I was keen on the guitar and I always tried to participate in the Friday night jam sessions at our home. So, Dad got me up and the two of us sat in front of the B&W television and were mesmerized by the genius pouring from the tiny speaker.
That was my intro to Joe Pass and now, nearly 50 years later his musicianship still astounds me.
Thank you for posting this. I will watch it again and again. Whenever I see Joe Pass performing solo I am taken back to that night.
shelley Zoe
my folks took me to see these two with Oscar Peterson, I was a kid, will never forget it! Listen to them still .
SF Ca.
Urdatorn
Thanks for sharing!
Danilo Briz
these memories are the best, specially in this way,
cheers.
Ken Edwards
Yes Joe Pass, Probably one off the Gretest Jass Guitarist, And what can you say about Ella. Supreme.
John Mulvihill
You are so fortunate to have had this musical connection with your dad. I did too. Our living room contained a grand piano and a Conn theater organ with full pedal board. A few evenings a month we'd play duets, mostly blues-based with lots of improvising. As I went through my mid-teens I experienced typical adolescent rebellion and would instigate lots of silly arguments. Our music sessions kept us from losing touch completely and by the time I turned 19 we were reconciled. I have no doubt music enriched our relationship and might well have saved it.
Michael Elliott McWilliams
This concert was my motivation to make a late in life decision to learning to play guitar. Joe and Ella are amazing.
Simon Jäger
I feel that Joe can have one of two effects on current and prospective guitar players. The first being to run straight for your guitar and sit down and play, and the second one being for one to go "oh, hell to the no!" and never touch a guitar again in frustration of how brilliant he is and how effortless he makes it look!
Neil Raouf
yeah man ❤❤❤❤
I Sheet From As Whole
I bet you can really shred now being 2 years later. I love endless shredding. Just a mindless barrage of notes. Pure technique.
That's why I love Joe Pass.