"Cryin`" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The power ballad[2] was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Taylor Rhodes, and released by Geffen Records on June 29, 1993, as the second US single from their 11th studio album, Get a Grip (1993). The single reached numbers 12 and 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, ending the year at number 60 overall. 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 United States for selling over 500,000 copies. Its music video, directed by Marty Callner, features Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Dorff and Josh Holloway.

Background

Tyler described the song saying "It was country – we just Aerosmith’d it.”[3]

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."[4] 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."[5]

Music video

A screenshot of Alicia Silverstone`s character getting a navel piercing in the music video for "Cryin`".

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).[3] 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 1993[7] and earning the band several awards at the Video Music Awards.[8]

Awards

• MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, 1994[8]
• MTV Video Music Award for Viewer`s Choice, 1994[8]
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video, 1994[8]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Release history