Don't Shed a Tear

"Don't Shed a Tear"
Single by Paul Carrack
from the album One Good Reason
Released	1987
Format	7" single 12" maxi
Genre	Blue-eyed soul, pop rock
Length	4:57 (full-length album version) 3:42 (single version)
Label	Chrysalis
Writer(s)	Rob Friedman, Eddie Schwartz
Producer	Christopher Neil
Paul Carrack singles chronology
"When You Walk in the Room" (1987) "Don't Shed a Tear" (1987) "One Good Reason" (1988)
One Good Reason track listing "Double It Up" (5) "Don't Shed a Tear" (6) "Fire With Fire" (7)

"Don't Shed a Tear" is a song by English singer-musician, Paul Carrack, from his third solo album, One Good Reason. It was released as a single in 1987 and became his biggest U.S. hit, peaking at number nine on the pop chart.

Background

The tune was written by Canadian singer-songwriter/guitarist Eddie Schwartz, along with fellow songwriter Rob Friedman. Schwartz, who was fresh off of writing "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" for Pat Benatar, later decided to record the song with a new band he had formed with Lenny Zakatek and Dave Tyson. However, the entire project was ultimately scrapped after failed negotiations with potential manager Tommy Mottola. Several years later, the song reached the hands of Paul Carrack's producer, and Carrack ultimately recorded the song.

Release and reception

"Don't Shed a Tear" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 72 in November 1987.^[1] It peaked at number nine in February 1988, becoming Carrack's biggest U.S. hit as a solo artist.^[2] It spent 23 weeks on the Hot 100,^[1] including thirteen weeks inside the top 40 section of the chart.^[2] It also reached number five on the Album Rock Tracks chart,^[3] and number six on the Singles Sales chart.^[2]

Elsewhere, the song peaked at number 20 in the Netherlands,^[4] but was not as successful in the UK, reaching number 60 in March 1989.^[5] Mike DeGagne of Allmusic called "Don't Shed a Tear" a highlight of the One Good Reason album, and said the song is "bolstered by its subtle, laid-back groove with a start-and-stop tempo."^[6]

Track listing

7" Vinyl (U.S., U.K.)

1. "Don't Shed a Tear" — 3:42
2. "Merrilee" — 3:52

7" Vinyl (Japan)

1. "Don't Shed a Tear" — 3:42
2. "When You Walk in the Room" — 3:31

12" Vinyl (UK, Germany, The Netherlands)

1. "Don't Shed a Tear" — 4:14
2. "Merrilee" — 3:52
3. "All Your Love Is in Vain" — 3:34

Chart performance

Chart (1988/1989)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2]	9
U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks[3]	5
U.S. Cashbox Top 40[7]	9
Dutch Top 40[4]	20
UK Singles Chart[5]	60

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "'Don't Shed a Tear' - Paul Carrack". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.). http://www.billboard.com/#/song/paul-carrack/don-t-shed-a-tear/65494. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 53. ISBN 978-0823074990. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Paul Carrack - Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3847. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Dutch Top 40 - 'Don't Shed a Tear'". hitparade.ch. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Paul+Carrack&titel=Don%27t+Shed+A+Tear&cat=s. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Chart Stats - Paul Carrack - 'Don't Shed a Tear'". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=16212. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
6. ^ DeGagne, Mike. "One Good Reason - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). http://www.allmusic.com/album/r3380. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
7. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 2/13/88". Cashbox Magazine, Inc.. http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19880213.html. Retrieved 2010-08-04.