The Animals – I’m Crying

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.