The Sky Is Crying (song)

Infobox single
Name=The Sky Is Crying
Artist=Elmore James
A-side=The Sky Is Crying
B-side=Held My Baby Last Night
Released=1959-1960
Format=45
Recorded= November 1959
Genre=Blues
Length=2:46
Label=Fire 1016
Producer=Bobby Robinson"The Sky Is Crying" is blues song that has become a classic of the genre. [Hertzhalf, Gerard; Harris, Paul; Hanssler, Jerry; Mikfsky, Anton J. (1997). "Encyclopedia of The Blues", (2nd. Sub edition), University of Arkansas Press.] First recorded by Elmore James, the song is a slow tempo 12-bar blues that features a powerful vocal, evocative lyrics, and shimmering slide-guitar fills. Elmore James was credited as the sole song writer on his 1960 album "The Sky Is Crying" (Fire LP 102), however, over the years, several names have appeared along side his on various reissues and covers of the song. In 1960, "The Sky Is Crying" reached #15 in the Billboard R&B chart. [Whitburn, Joel (1988). "Top R&B Singles 1942-1988", Record Research Inc.] In 1999, it was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. [cite web | title=Blues Hall of Fame Inductees - Classics of Blues Recordings - Single or Album Tracks | url=http://www.blues.org/halloffame/inductees.php4 |accessdate =2008-09-23 |]

In the following years, "The Sky Is Crying" has been interpreted and recorded by dozens of artists. [citeweb | title=allmusic | url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=73:41 | accessdate=2008-09-23 |] Some notable versions include:

*1960 Elmore James recorded a variation of the song, "The Sun Is Shining," in April 1960 (Chess 1756), five months after the recording date of "The Sky Is Crying" (although some place "Sun" as a precursor to "Sky," possibly because the bulk of James' recordings for Fire/Fury/Enjoy took place after the Chess recordings). [Koda, Cub (2003). "All Music Guide to the Blues", (3rd. edition), Backbeat Books.]

*1963 Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded an interesting take on the song as a country-style blues duet with Matt Murphy on acoustic guitar (Storyville LP 158).

*1964 A young Eric Clapton with the Yardbirds recorded a live slow blues which included a couple of lines from "The Sky Is Crying" (Castle Music CD). In 1966, with Jeff Beck on slide guitar, the Yardbirds made a live recording of "The Sun Is Shining" for the BBC (BOJCD 200).

*1967 Hound Dog Taylor recorded a live version with Little Walter on harmonica at the American Folk Blues Festival (Fontana). He later recorded another live version with the HouseRockers in Boston in 1977 (New Rose).

*1969 Albert King recorded the version that became one of his signature songs on the album "Years Gone By" (Stax STS-2010), later adopted by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Albert King recorded several live versions of the song during his career.

*1969 Luther Allison included it on his first album "Love Me Mama" (Delmark DE-635).

*1969 Earl Hooker, with vocals by Johnny "Bull Moose" Walker, recorded a memorable version on the album "Don't Have To Worry" (Bluesway BLS-6032).

*1971 The Allman Brothers Band played the song at Duane Allman's funeral. [Walden, Phil (1992). Liner notes to "Elmore James King of the Slide Guitar", Capricorn 42006-2.]

*1972 Lightnin' Slim recorded a version of the song on his live album "Blue Lightning" (Indigo).

*1977 George Thorogood recorded it on his second album "Move It on Over" (Rounder). A live version was included on his 1986 album "Live Thorogood" (Rounder).

*1978 Magic Slim included it on an early album "Highway Is My Home" (Black and Blue).

*1985 Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded the song during the "Soul To Soul" sessions, but it was not released until the 1991 album "The Sky Is Crying" (Epic EK 47390).

References