The Animals "I'm Crying" on The Ed Sullivan Show

About the song

Background on The Animals – I’m Crying

“I’m Crying” holds a special place in The Animals’ history for a couple of reasons:

  • First Original Composition: Released in 1964, it was their first single featuring a song written by band members Eric Burdon (vocals) and Alan Price (organ). Their breakout hit, “The House of the Rising Sun,” was a cover.
  • Transatlantic Success: It followed “House of the Rising Sun” to the charts, becoming a Top 20 hit in the US, UK, and Canada. This solidified their status as a rising band on both sides of the Atlantic.

Themes in I’m Crying

The song explores a theme of heartbreak and emotional vulnerability. The lyrics paint a picture of a narrator deeply affected by a lost love:

  • Painful Loss: Lines like “Since you been gone, I’m so downhearted” and “There’s a tear in my eye” express the raw emotions of grief and sadness.
  • Desperation: The repeated plea of “Baby, baby, please come back to me” highlights the desperation to win back the lost love.
  • Yearning: The lyrics suggest a sense of longing and a desire to return to happier times: “Remember the day we met, the sun was shining bright?”

While the song is a straightforward expression of heartbreak, it also taps into a more universal theme of male vulnerability. In the early 1960s, this was a less explored territory in rock music, making “I’m Crying” stand out for its emotional honesty.

Video

Lyrics

I don’t hear your knock upon my doorI don’t have your lovin’ anymoreSince you been gone I’m a-hurtin’ insideWell I want you baby by my side, Yeah
I’m cryin’, I’m cryin’Hear me cryin’ babyHear me cryin’
Im lonely and blue baby every nightYeah, you know you didn’t treat me rightAnd now my tears begin to fallWell I want you baby and that’s all
I’m cryin’, I’m cryin’Hear me cryin’ babyHear me cryin’
I don’t hear your knock upon my doorI don’t have your lovin’ anymoreSince you been gone I’m hurtin’ inside, yeahWell I want you baby by my side
But I’m cryin’, you know I’m cryin’Hear me cryin’ babyHear me cryingHear me crying

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