When Naomi Judd found herself pregnant, she quickly got married but not to the father of her first child, daughter Christina Ciminella. Christina, born May 30, 1964, became known as Wynonna Judd when the mother-daughter duo stormed the country charts in the 1980s.
After Naomi Judd divorced, she moved from Hollywood, back to Morrill, Ky., with Wynonna and another daughter Ashley. There, she worked as a nurse in a local infirmary. Outside working and school hours, she and the children would sing anything from bluegrass to showbiz standards for their own amusement. However, when Wynonna nurtured aspirations to be a professional entertainer, her mother lent her encouragement, to the extent of moving the family to Nashville in 1979. Naomi's contralto subtly underlined Wynonna's tuneful drawl.
In addition to many performances on Ralph Emery's morning television show, Naomi elicited an audition for RCA Records while tending a hospitalized relation of label producer Brent Maher. With a past that read like a Judith Krantz novel, the Judds -- so the executives considered -- would have more than an even chance in the country market. An exploratory mini-album, which contained proved the executives correct. The single "Had a Dream (From the Heart)" peaked at No. 17 in 1984. Later that year, the Judds scored their first of 14 No. 1 hits with "Mama He's Crazy."
Self-composed songs included Naomi's 1989 composition "Change of Heart," dedicated to her future second husband (and former Elvis Presley backing vocalist) Larry Strickland. Meanwhile, Maher co-wrote hits such as 1985's Grammy-winning "Why Not Me," "Turn It Loose," "Girls Night Out," "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Ol' Days)" and "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain."
Most Judds records exhibited an acoustic bias and a penchant for star guests that included the Jordanaires on "Don't Be Cruel," Emmylou Harris on "The Sweetest Gift," Mark Knopfler on his "Water of Love" and Bonnie Raitt playing slide guitar on the album Love Can Build a Bridge. In 1988, the pair became the first female country act to found their own booking agency (Pro-Tours), but a chronic hepatitis infection forced Naomi to retire from the concert stage two years later.
The Judds toured America in a series of farewell concerts before Wynonna began her solo career. Wynonna got off to a strong start, as her first two singles both went to #1. Her 1994 single "Girls With Guitars" featured Naomi (as well as Lyle Lovett) on backup vocals.
In 1998, The Judds appeared in a commercial for the retail chain Kmart, singing Wynonna's single "Woman To Woman".
In 1999, Wynonna reunited with her mother for a New Year's Eve concert in Phoenix. The following year, the duo recorded four new tracks for a bonus disc issued with Wynonna's album New Day Dawning, and undertook a multi-city tour. The results were issued as the album Reunion Live. A 2004 single, "Flies On The Butter (You Can't Go Home Again)" was recorded with Naomi; however, the single was credited as "Wynonna with Naomi Judd" instead of "The Judds".
Cry Myself to Sleep
The Judds Lyrics
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You know I can't do more
It's the turn of the card
It's the close of the door
The lies you told
You know they hurt so deep
So I'll go home
And day after day
You've been treating me bad
Friends come up and say,
Why do you take all that?
'Cause it's making me moan
And it's making me weep
So I'll go home
And cry myself to sleep
You play at love
Like a child plays games
One day I'm in
Then I'm out again
You change the rules
And I just can't win
You've broken me now
So I give in, yeah, yeah
I've been through worse
But I don't know what
Oh, I gave to you
Everything that I got
So take this heart
Or what's left to keep
And I'll go home
And cry myself to sleep
So I'll go home and cry myself to sleep
Cry myself to sleep
The Judds's song Cry Myself to Sleep is a poignant ballad about a tumultuous relationship where one partner is consistently let down and hurt by the other's lies and behavior. The first verse talks about the singer giving it her all and trying her best, but facing disappointment whenever the cards are turned or the door is closed. The lies are so hurtful that she has no choice but to go home and cry herself to sleep. The second verse highlights a pattern of mistreatment and hurt, where even the singer's friends are questioning why she is tolerating such behavior. This constant pain and suffering are causing her to moan and weep, leading her to seek solace by crying herself to sleep.
The chorus is a reflection of the resentment and frustration of being in a relationship that keeps changing, where the rules keep shifting, and the singer can't keep up. She compares the behavior of her partner to a child's games, and feels like she is constantly being let into and out of their world. Eventually, the singer realizes that this love has broken her completely and she has given all that she has, leaving her with a broken heart. She gives herself up to what's left of her relationship, knowing that she will have to go home and cry herself to sleep, yet again.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tried so hard
I have put in effort and exerted energy towards this relationship
You know I can't do more
I have reached my limit and cannot do any more
It's the turn of the card
The situation is out of my control and is dependent on chance
It's the close of the door
This is the end and there is no turning back
The lies you told
Your deception and untruthfulness
You know they hurt so deep
Your lies have caused me significant emotional pain
So I'll go home
I will leave this situation and return to my own environment
And cry myself to sleep
I will express my emotions of sadness and frustration by crying alone
And day after day
Consistently and repeatedly
You've been treating me bad
Your actions towards me have been negative and hurtful
Friends come up and say,
My acquaintances approach me and express their concern
Why do you take all that?
Why do you put up with this treatment?
'Cause it's making me moan
It is causing me to express vocal discontent
And it's making me weep
It is causing me to cry
You play at love
You manipulate the emotions of love as if it is a game
Like a child plays games
In an immature and insignificant manner
One day I'm in
At one moment I am included and valued
Then I'm out again
The next moment I am excluded and insignificant
You change the rules
You alter the expectations and boundaries of the relationship
And I just can't win
No matter what I do, it is not enough or satisfactory
You've broken me now
You have caused significant emotional damage to me
So I give in, yeah, yeah
I surrender and will no longer fight
I've been through worse
I have experienced more serious issues before
But I don't know what
However, I am uncertain of what to do or how to proceed
Oh, I gave to you
I have provided you with my love and affection
Everything that I got
I have given you everything I have to offer
So take this heart
Take what remains of my emotional capacity
Or what's left to keep
Or whatever feelings I have reserved for myself
And I'll go home
I will leave this situation and return to my own environment
And cry myself to sleep
I will express my emotions of sadness and frustration by crying alone
So I'll go home and cry myself to sleep
I will leave this situation and express my deep emotional pain by crying alone
Cry myself to sleep
Expressing and processing negative emotions through tears and solitude
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLISON PIERCE, CATHERINE PIERCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind