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Cryin'
1993 single by Aerosmith

"Cryin'" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The power ballad was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes, and released by Geffen Records on June 29, 1993, as the third single (second in the United States) from their 11th studio album, Get a Grip (1993).

"Cryin'" reached number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on the Cash Box Top 100. It is one of their most successful hits in Europe, reaching number one in Norway, number three in Iceland, Portugal, and Sweden, and number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. The song went gold in the US for selling over 500,000 copies. Its music video, directed by Marty Callner, features Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Dorff and Josh Holloway.

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Background

Tyler described the song saying "It was country – we just Aerosmith’d it.”2

Critical reception

Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song three out of five, describing it as "a high-octane performance" and named it the best song from the Get A Grip album. He also declared it as "anthemic and compelling. Expect a brief but glittering chart life."3 Another Music Week editor, Andy Martin, also gave it three out of five, adding that "it is hard to see the single having any more than a brief but glittering run."4

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Cryin'", directed by American director Marty Callner, features the first of three successive appearances by Alicia Silverstone in the band's videos, the next two being "Amazing" (1993) and "Crazy" (1994).5 Silverstone was 16 years old when "Cryin'" was filmed. In the video, the band performs in the Central Congregational Church in Fall River, Massachusetts. The video flashes back and forth between the band and Silverstone, who plays a teen who has a falling out with her boyfriend (played by Stephen Dorff) after catching him cheating. She feigns an attempt to kiss him, but instead leans away, annoying him. She then punches him and shoves him out of the car, leaving him in the dust. She begins a phase of rebellion and individuality and gets a navel piercing, which has largely been credited as introducing navel piercing to mainstream culture.6 After having her purse stolen by another young man (played by then-unknown Josh Holloway of Lost), she chases him down and knocks him to the ground. The video then cuts to her standing on the edge of an overpass, contemplating jumping. Her now ex-boyfriend arrives on the scene, along with numerous police officers, encouraging her to come down from the bridge. She jumps, but a bungee rope is revealed, arresting her fall and leaving her dangling over the freeway, laughing at Dorff's character. The video ends with the dangling Silverstone looking up and giving Dorff the finger.

The video was a success on MTV, becoming the most requested video in 19937 and earning the band several awards at the Video Music Awards.8

Awards

Track listings

  • US and Canadian 7-inch and cassette single1213
A. "Cryin'" (LP version) – 5:08B. "Walk On Down" (LP version) – 3:39
  • UK CD single14
  1. "Cryin'" (LP version) – 5:08
  2. "Walk On Down" (LP version) – 3:39
  3. "I'm Down" (LP version) – 2:20
  4. "My Fist Your Face" (LP version) – 4:21
  • European CD single15
  1. "Cryin'" (LP version) – 5:08
  2. "Love in an Elevator" (LP version) – 5:22
  3. "Janie's Got a Gun" (LP version) – 5:29
  • German 7-inch single16
A. "Cryin'" – 5:08B. "Love in an Elevator" – 5:22
  • French CD and cassette single1718
  1. "Cryin'" (LP version) – 5:08
  2. "Janie's Got a Gun" (LP version) – 5:29
  • Australian CD single19
  1. "Cryin'"
  2. "Janie's Got a Gun"
  3. "Love in an Elevator"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993–1994)Peakposition
Australia (ARIA)2080
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)215
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)228
Canada Top Singles (RPM)238
Denmark (IFPI)246
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)257
Europe (European Hit Radio)2630
France (SNEP)276
Germany (GfK)287
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)293
Ireland (IRMA)3020
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)317
Netherlands (Single Top 100)325
Norway (VG-lista)331
Portugal (AFP)343
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)353
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)364
UK Singles (OCC)3717
US Billboard Hot 1003812
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)391
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)4011
US Cash Box Top 1004111

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)4262
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)4365
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)4459
Netherlands (Single Top 100)4593
Sweden (Topplistan)4621
US Billboard Hot 1004760
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)484
Chart (1994)Position
Belgium (Ultratop)4992
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)5042
Germany (Media Control)5178
Sweden (Topplistan)5293
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)5345

Certifications

RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)54Gold250,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)55Gold 
Spain (PROMUSICAE)56Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)57Silver200,000‡
United States (RIAA)58Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJune 29, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
Geffen59
JapanJuly 21, 1993CD60
United KingdomOctober 18, 1993
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
61

References

  1. Jackson, L. (2008). Steven Tyler: The Biography. Little, Brown Book Group. ↩

  2. "The 20 Songs That Can Represent The Career Of Aerosmith". Society of Rock. Retrieved May 23, 2022. https://societyofrock.com/the-20-songs-that-can-represent-the-career-of-aerosmith/ ↩

  3. Jones, Alan (October 16, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 21. Retrieved February 2, 2023. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-10-16.pdf ↩

  4. Martin, Andy (October 23, 1993). "Market Preview: Rock" (PDF). Music Week. p. 13. Retrieved February 2, 2023. https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-10-23-S-OCR.pdf ↩

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  13. Cryin' (US & Canadian cassette single cassette notes). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GEFCS-19256.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

  14. Cryin' (UK CD single disc notes). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GFSTD 56.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

  15. Cryin' (European CD single disc notes). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GED21850.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

  16. Cryin' (German 7-inch single vinyl disc). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GES 19192.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

  17. Cryin' (French CD single disc notes). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GED 21879.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

  18. Cryin' (French cassette single sleeve). Aerosmith. Geffen Records. 1993. GEC 19202.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) /wiki/Aerosmith ↩

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  30. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cryin'". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 30, 2019. http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=title&placement=Cryin%27 ↩

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