“Crying” is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison’s third studio album of the same name (1962). It was released as a single by Monument Records in mid-July 1961 and reached the top position on the United States Cashbox chart for a week in October 1961. On the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at No. 2, missing out on the No. 1 spot by Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road Jack.”

“Crying” by Roy Orbison is a song about heartbreak and vulnerability. The lyrics describe a man who is struggling to move on from a past love, despite his best efforts to pretend that he’s moved on. The encounters with his former lover bring back all the emotions he had been suppressing. The song is a monument in the pantheon of heartbreak tunes and captures the essence of heartache. It’s a representation of the raw human condition of loss and the longing that often ensues.