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CRYING
written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson
Original Release by Roy Orbison in July 1961

I was alright, for a while
I could smile for a while
But I saw you last night
You held my hand so tight
As you stopped to say hello
Oh, you wished me well
You couldn't tell
That I'd been
Crying over you
Crying over you
Then you said so long
Left me standing all alone
Alone and crying
Crying
Crying
Crying
It's hard to understand
But the touch of your hand
Can start me crying

I thought that I was over you
But it's true, so true
I love you even more
Than I did before
But darling, what can I do?
For you don't love me
And I'll always be
Crying over you
Crying over you
Yes, now you're gone
And from this moment on
I'll be crying
Crying
Crying
Crying
Yeah I'm crying
Crying
Over you

Orbison claimed to have written this as the result of an encounter he had with an old flame with whom he was still in love. He refused to say how much she meant to him, and when he ran into her again it was too late.
Orbison started writing this song for a country singer named Don Gibson; the working title was "Once Again." Orbison's songwriting partner, Joe Melson, then came up with the lyrics, "Once again I'm crying, once again I'm crying," which became the basis for the song, so Orbison changed the title. Orbison claimed the stunning climax at the end of the song was not contrived, but just happened in the course of the song. He told the NME in 1980: "Immediately I thought of a past experience and just retold that, was the way that came about. It was the retelling of a thing with a girlfriend that I had had. I couldn't tell you right now what notes I hit at the end of the song, or anything."
At the time, rock artists didn't typically write songs about crying over a girl. Orbison wanted to show that crying was not weakness, but sensitivity. Other voices would have a hard time pulling this off, but Orbison could emote very naturally when he sang, which he did on many of his hits.