She was the first American singer to record at Abbey Road Studios in England. Her fan base even included Asia and the Philippines. She had 7 top hits, including "Why Don't You Believe in Me?", "Your Cheating Heart," "Almost Always," and "Have You Heard?"
She married composer Tony Acquaviva in 1956. In 1964, she dropped out of the public eye to take care of him and did so until 1986, when Mr. Acquaviva passed away. She began to tour again in the 1990's. She was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Your Cheating Heart
Joni James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll cry and cry and try to sleep
But sleep won't come the whole night through
Your cheating heart will tell on you
[Repeat: x2]
When tears come down like falling rain
You'll toss around and call my name
Your cheating heart will tell on you
In Joni James's rendition of Hank Williams's classic, "Your Cheating Heart," she warns a cheating partner of the inevitable consequences of infidelity. James sings about the pain and restless nights that come with cheating. The lyrics communicate the idea that the reality of infidelity often sets in after the deed is done. The line, "Your cheating will make you weep," insinuates the guilt and remorse that come after cheating on a loved one.
As the song progresses, James describes the feeling of betrayal that one often experiences after realizing their partner's infidelity. She suggests that the regret of cheating causes immense emotional pain, leading to sleepless nights, tears, and constant thoughts of the other person. The phrase, "Your cheating heart will tell on you," is a warning that the truth will always surface.
Line by Line Meaning
Your cheating will make you weep
Your infidelity will lead to emotional pain and cause you to shed tears
You'll cry and cry and try to sleep
You will find it hard to fall asleep as you continue to weep and lament over your unfaithful behavior
But sleep won't come the whole night through
You will be restless and unable to get a good night's sleep due to the guilt and anxiety caused by your infidelity
Your cheating heart will tell on you
Your conscience will expose your unfaithful behavior, causing you to feel ashamed and guilty
When tears come down like falling rain
Your emotions will overwhelm you and you will cry uncontrollably
You'll toss around and call my name
As you struggle with the consequences of your actions, you may look for comfort in the person you cheated on and call out for them
You'll walk the floor the way I do
You will experience the same restlessness and anxiety as the person who was cheated on
Your cheating heart will tell on you
Once again, your conscience will not let you forget the pain you caused and will expose your actions to yourself and others
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., WARREN M. DEFEVER D/B/A PERFORATE MY HEART MUSIC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Seiden
She has a superb voice!
Andres
I fell in love with this song exactly 1 year ago and it brings nostalgia for a time i didn't even live through😂❤️
Joe James
My dad's favorite song! And one of mine. The background on this song was unreal and it complemented her voice perfectly. Had a great beat and low end that is not heard on today's eqpt. Please bring back the large speaker cabinets.
suzieQ195
The lovely Joni James with the golden voice!! love
J. Bruce Fox
One wonderful performer , one of the best.
Wayne Brasler
Regarding the low end of the sound, that resulted from the ribbon microphone being used at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago, where Joni recorded her first two years. When she moved to New York City, there they used a Telefunken 47 mike and that brought out the highs both in her voice and in the orchestra. She did come back to Chicago in 1957 and did more sessions at Universal, including two songs using the old mike, "Nothing Will Ever Change" and "Does It Show."
Benjamin Isaac
One of my favorites.
kjboogie
She could make any tune wonderful !!
Edward Peterson
She is fantastic
L.D. Wood
I remember this pretty young lady, she did an awesome job on the old Hank Williams tune.