Crying Time: 4 Fantastic Songs With the Word “Tears” in Their Titles

Since music was created, songwriters have been writing about heartache. It’s only natural that plenty of tears have been shed in songs throughout the years. Listeners tend to identify with those crying jags.

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We’ve collected four impressive “tears” songs from pop and rock history. Check them out, and feel free to wallow along with the sufferers in these songs.

“The Tracks Of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Smokey Robinson can boast the fact that he had a hand in writing two of the all-time “tears” songs. “Tears Of A Clown” tackled the subject from the perspective of someone who’s hiding his anguish away from the public. Instead, we went with the ballad. “The Tracks Of My Tears” is one of the all-time best slow songs to emerge from Motown. Like “Tears Of A Clown”, the protagonist of “Tracks Of My Tears” fools people when he sees them because of his laissez-faire demeanor. But the brilliant refrain lets the audience know just how much pain he’s enduring. It’s literally streaked across his face from how many times he’s cried.

“96 Tears” by ? And The Mysterians

Here’s proof that even garage rockers can cry. ? And The Mysterians, as befitting their name, did indeed seem to come out of nowhere with this No. 1 hit in 1966. In actuality, they originated in Michigan, and ? himself was a singer named Rudy Martinez. Fueled by an unforgettable organ riff from Mysterian Frank Rodriguez, “96 Tears” finds Martinex musing on the avalanche of tears that he’s cried in the wake of losing his love. He vows that his ex will soon start to cry just as much when she realizes what she’s lost. Why “96 Tears” as a total? Well, one of the band members originally came up with 69 tears, which was too suggestive. So they reversed the numbers.

“Here Come Those Tears Again” by Jackson Browne

“Here come those tears again/Just when I thought I was over you.” Jackson Browne sings those words over just a hint of somber piano at the beginning of this track off his 1976 album The Pretender. It sets you up to think that this is going to be one of the moving ballads that were Browne’s go-to back in the 70s. Instead, the song kicks into another gear, getting quite danceable by the end of it. Meanwhile, the tone of the lyrics doesn’t change much. Browne’s narrator still struggles to hold back the tide of tears that he knows is going to hit him when he least expects it.

“American Without Tears” by Elvis Costello

Like Smokey Robinson, Elvis Costello has recorded a couple of songs that could have qualified for this list. “Tears Before Bedtime”, a retro winner from his 1982 album Imperial Bedroom, is certainly worthy. But instead, we’re choosing “American Without Tears”. It is found on his 1986 album King Of America. The LP found him separating from The Attractions on all but one track to work with a who’s who of session musicians and producer T Bone Burnett. This touching song originated with a chance meeting Costello had with a pair of British women who had married American soldiers after meeting them during World War II.

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