“Cry Me a River” by Diana Krall

Lucy’s maid: “I clean all day because Lucy is a slob (messy and dirty). ”
Lucy’s dog: “Cry me a river! I have to play with her and pretend I like her. Who has the harder job?”

I don’t have a maid to clean my house, and I don’t have a dog, but if I did, I can imagine conversations like this.

Cry me a river” is a phrase we use when someone complains (say they don’t like something) and we want to tell them to stop because we don’t care what he or she is saying. When one of our listeners recently asked a question about this phrase, it reminded me of one of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite singers.

The song is called “Cry Me a River” and it is sung by Diana Krall, a jazz singer who is originally from Canada and now lives in the U.S. This is actually an old song and Diana Krall is not the first to sing it, but I like her version (interpretation).

In this song, she is singing to a man who broke her heart (made her sad because he did not love her). And now, he wants to return to her. When he complains that he is lonely and sad, she says, “cry me a river,” meaning she doesn’t care because she had “cried a river” over him when he said he didn’t love her. Now, she says, he will need to cry a lot, enough to fill a river, for her to forgive him.

~ Lucy

“Cry Me a River”
by Diana Krall

Now you say you’re lonely
You cry the long night through (entirely; from beginning to end)
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you

Now you say you’re sorry
For being so untrue (unfaithful; being with other lovers)
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you

You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head (made me go crazy)
While you never shed a tear (cried)
Remember, I remember, all that you said
You told me love was too plebeian (low class; common; vulgar)
Told me you were through with me (done with our relationship) and

Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove (to show without doubt) that you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river…over you…

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16 Responses to “Cry Me a River” by Diana Krall

  1. Young says:

    What such a beautiful song! I posted this song to my own blog.
    Thanks to give me a chance to enjoy it.

  2. belay says:

    Always you do good job Lucy! I love it.
    befor I was not listening music. beause I could not understand it.
    but lately I start to injoy it. because, you posted them with whole defnition.
    and always I’m in hurry to chack this page.

    good job again and thank you so much.

  3. emiliano says:

    Oh yes, incredible voice in a blonde girl like her, lovely song with so great singer, I take note to look for c.d. of her as she is new to me.
    I have to listen more songs from her, thanks a lot Lucy and please go ahead discovering us more singers that you like. We´ll be grateful
    not only by your teaching than by your music information also.

  4. Kobe.Su says:

    so can i use this phrase cry me a river instead of saying i dont care?
    thx in advance for anyone who’d like to answer me this question!

    thank you Lucy for bring the beautiful music to us““please keep doing it““`: )

  5. &rey says:

    Thanks a lot, Lusy!
    I like Diana Krall very much. And i like jazz very much.
    It is a great idea to post here songs and lirics.

  6. Henry L. says:

    She is my favorite Jazz music singer. Specially she sings “Temptation” on her album The Girl on the other Room.

    Thank you so much for sharing, Lucy.

    Best ever regards!

    Henry Luong
    Edgewater, NJ

  7. Sulo hytönen says:

    Thank you. It is very bautyfull song. Iam hoping yo hear more some kind.

  8. Ari Fernando Ramos says:

    Beautifull. The song, the singer and her voice.
    Thanks

  9. We approximately use the same meaning in Egypt with other words ” Cry till the morning”, you won’t get what you want, usually with kids, of course.

  10. linus says:

    You guys should try Julie London’s rendition of this classic song, however I have to admit that I just adore Diana. Thanks Lucy for posting this song, and for your wonderful job.

  11. linus says:

    here it goes Julie London’s version, so you can compare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByUOFV5TusE

  12. Rashsumam says:

    Wow! I have heared the phrase, which is ” Cry me a river” often times frome people’s conversation, but I didn’t understand the meaning. Now, thanks to Lucy I understand it clearly. Lucy! you did a great job, just keep on sharing your sprite.

    Thank you

  13. Jesus says:

    Thank you!

    I adore Jazz!

    I adore Diana Krall! 🙂

    Well, another song of Diana Krall that I like very much too, among others, is “Fly Me to the Moon”.

    By the wey, in the second line of the song, I think that she actually sings: “You cry the ‘whole’ night through…”. Am I wrong?

    Best regards.

  14. kasia says:

    thanks for this beautiful song, I love diana and learning english with her songs is pure pleasure….
    my favourite one is “a man in the other room” by the way;)
    waiting for your next lesson…bye!!

  15. Masaharu Kurosawa says:

    Hi Jeff,
    Thank you. Good song!! d?????b
    I could “feel” the meaning of that phrase.

  16. Eugene says:

    Learning English through songs is always so much fun!!!!

Comments are closed.