Baby, Stop Crying: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox song |
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"'''Baby, Stop Crying'''" is a song written by [[Bob Dylan]], released in [[1978]] as a single and on his album ''[[Street-Legal]]''. It was performed live only during his big-band world-wide tour of 1978. A top-ten song in much of Europe, it failed to even chart in the United States. |
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| name = Baby, Stop Crying |
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| cover = Baby Stop Crying cover.jpg |
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| alt = |
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| type = single |
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| artist = [[Bob Dylan]] |
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| album = [[Street Legal (album)|Street Legal]] |
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| B-side = [[New Pony]] |
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| released = 31 July 1978 (US single) |
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| recorded = April 1978 |
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| studio = |
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| venue = |
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| genre = [[Rock music|Rock]] |
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| length = 5:17 |
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| label = [[Columbia records|Columbia]] |
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| writer = [[Bob Dylan]] |
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| producer = [[Don DeVito]] |
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| prev_title = Is Your Love in Vain? |
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| prev_year = 1978 |
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| next_title = [[Changing of the Guards]] |
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| next_year = 1978 |
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}} |
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"'''Baby, Stop Crying'''" is a song written by [[Bob Dylan]], released in the summer of 1978 as a single and in a longer album version on ''[[Street Legal (album)|Street Legal]]''. The song charted at #13 in the UK and was a top-ten song in much of Europe, although it failed to chart in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=baby stop crying {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/baby-stop-crying/|access-date=2021-01-03|website=www.officialcharts.com|language=en}}</ref> |
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Dylan plays the role of consoler to a despairing woman in this song, even asking for a pistol in the opening verse, claiming he "can't tell right from wrong." Commenting on the content of this song, Dylan once said that "the man in that song has his hand out and is not afraid of getting it bit." Like many of the tracks from ''Street-Legal'', "Baby, Stop Crying" features a saxophone and a trio of female backup singers. |
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==Lyrical interpretation and reception== |
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The song's narrator is a desperate man attempting to play the role of consoler to a despairing woman, asking her for a pistol in the opening verse, and claiming he "can't tell right from wrong".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Baby, Stop Crying {{!}} The Official Bob Dylan Site|url=https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/baby-stop-crying/|access-date=2021-01-03|website=www.bobdylan.com}}</ref> Commenting on the content of this song, Dylan once said, "The man in that song has his hand out and is not afraid of getting it bit".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nzz7M5FvWiUC&q=%22the+man+in+that+song+has+his+hand+out+and+is+not+afraid+of+getting+it+bit%22&pg=PA362|title=Rolling Stone Interv|last=Magazine|first=Rolling Stone|date=1989-09-15|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9780312034863|pages=362|language=en}}</ref> |
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Dylan scholar Tony Attwood sees the song as having lyrical roots in [[Robert Johnson]]'s "[[Stop Breaking Down]]".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-07-06|title=Bob Dylan's "Baby Stop Crying": the meaning of the lyrics and the song {{!}} Untold DylanUntold Dylan|url=https://bob-dylan.org.uk/archives/2601|access-date=2021-01-03|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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Like many of the tracks from ''Street Legal'', "Baby, Stop Crying" features a saxophone and a trio of female backup singers. According to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' the female voices provide an "exciting counterpoint" to Dylan's "raspy" vocal performance.<ref>{{cite news|title=Top Single Picks|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=2020-07-09|page=82|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-08-12.pdf|date=August 12, 1978}}</ref> ''[[Cash Box]]'' said that it "has a tight, repetitive hook, backing singers, strong sax solo and organ work."<ref name=cb>{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=August 12, 1978|page=11|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2022-01-01|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-12.pdf}}</ref> ''[[Record World]]'' said that "Old fans will lean toward [Dylan's] customary throaty vocals while new audiences might latch on to the high female background singing that gives it just a touch of r&b."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=August 19, 1978|accessdate=2023-02-13|title=Record World Single Picks|page=22|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/78/Record-World-1978-08-19.pdf}}</ref> |
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==Live performances== |
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Dylan performed the song live in concert 39 times. All performances were in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bob Dylan Tour Statistics {{!}} setlist.fm|url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/bob-dylan-1bd6adb8.html|access-date=2021-01-03|website=www.setlist.fm}}</ref> |
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==Covers== |
==Covers== |
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*[[Simien |
*[[Terrance Simien]]: ''Jam the Jazzfest'' (1998) |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://bobdylan.com/songs/crying |
*[http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/baby-stop-crying Lyrics] at Bob Dylan's official site |
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*[http://dylanchords.com/20_streetlegal/baby_stop_crying Chords] at Dylanchords |
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{{Bob Dylan}} |
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{{Bob Dylan singles}} |
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{{authority control}} |
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[[Category:Songs written by Bob Dylan]] |
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[[Category:Bob Dylan songs]] |
[[Category:Bob Dylan songs]] |
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[[Category:1978 singles]] |
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[[Category:Song recordings produced by Don DeVito]] |
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[[Category:Columbia Records singles]] |
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[[Category:1978 songs]] |
[[Category:1978 songs]] |
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Latest revision as of 15:07, 14 February 2023
| "Baby, Stop Crying" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bob Dylan | ||||
| from the album Street Legal | ||||
| B-side | "New Pony" | |||
| Released | 31 July 1978 (US single) | |||
| Recorded | April 1978 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 5:17 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bob Dylan | |||
| Producer(s) | Don DeVito | |||
| Bob Dylan singles chronology | ||||
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"Baby, Stop Crying" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released in the summer of 1978 as a single and in a longer album version on Street Legal. The song charted at #13 in the UK and was a top-ten song in much of Europe, although it failed to chart in the United States.[1]
Lyrical interpretation and reception
[edit]The song's narrator is a desperate man attempting to play the role of consoler to a despairing woman, asking her for a pistol in the opening verse, and claiming he "can't tell right from wrong".[2] Commenting on the content of this song, Dylan once said, "The man in that song has his hand out and is not afraid of getting it bit".[3]
Dylan scholar Tony Attwood sees the song as having lyrical roots in Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down".[4]
Like many of the tracks from Street Legal, "Baby, Stop Crying" features a saxophone and a trio of female backup singers. According to Billboard the female voices provide an "exciting counterpoint" to Dylan's "raspy" vocal performance.[5] Cash Box said that it "has a tight, repetitive hook, backing singers, strong sax solo and organ work."[6] Record World said that "Old fans will lean toward [Dylan's] customary throaty vocals while new audiences might latch on to the high female background singing that gives it just a touch of r&b."[7]
Live performances
[edit]Dylan performed the song live in concert 39 times. All performances were in 1978.[8]
Covers
[edit]- Terrance Simien: Jam the Jazzfest (1998)
References
[edit]- ^ "baby stop crying | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ "Baby, Stop Crying | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ Magazine, Rolling Stone (1989-09-15). Rolling Stone Interv. Macmillan. p. 362. ISBN 9780312034863.
- ^ "Bob Dylan's "Baby Stop Crying": the meaning of the lyrics and the song | Untold DylanUntold Dylan". 2016-07-06. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. August 12, 1978. p. 82. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 12, 1978. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
- ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. August 19, 1978. p. 22. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "Bob Dylan Tour Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
