Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is the best-known song from the 1978 musical, Evita, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Sung by the title character, Eva Peron, it was titled “It’s Only Your Lover Returning” before Rice settled on the eventual name. It appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and features a sweeping melody tied to broad emotional themes of regret and defiance, characteristic of Lloyd Webber’s most popular songs.
The song shares its tune with "Oh What a Circus" from the same show.
[edit] First versions
The musical Evita began life as an album, before ever taking form on the British stage. Julie Covington first sang “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” for the original 1973 studio release. The single with the Julie Covington recording reached No.1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1977.
When Covington chose not to take the stage role, Elaine Paige was cast as Eva in the London production. In the US, the song is closely linked, as a signature song, with Patti LuPone, who performed the role of "Eva" in the original Broadway production of the show.[1]
During the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina, the song was sometimes played sarcastically by British regimental bands as they deployed to the Falklands. At the same time the Covington recording was banned from play on the BBC.[2]
[edit] Other recordings
| “Don't Cry for Me Argentina” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by Madonna from the album Evita |
|||||
| Released | December 22, 1996 (U.K.) February 11, 1997 (U.S.) | ||||
| Format | CD maxi single CD Single 12" Single |
||||
| Recorded | 1996 | ||||
| Genre | pop ballad | ||||
| Length | 5:37 | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros. | ||||
| Writer(s) | Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice | ||||
| Producer | Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and David Caddick | ||||
| Madonna singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
| GHV2 track listing | |||||
|
|||||
Madonna starred in the 1996 film, Evita, and recorded the song for its soundtrack. She also released a dance mix in both English and Spanish in early 1997, as the second single from the album. This dance remix, the Miami Mix Edit, can be found on the CD single. Madonna featured her original soundtrack version of “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” as an instrumental interlude on her 2001 Drowned World Tour. The music video used for the song was the complete sequence from Evita directed by Alan Parker.
Many considered the track a risky choice for a single, since the song was twenty years old and was promoted in its original album version in Europe and several other countries. It turned out to be a big hit, taking the number one spot in several countries, most notably in France, where it became her second number one (after “La Isla Bonita”). A U.S. top ten hit, peaking at number eight, and a number three hit in the UK (placing in the top forty at the year end and selling more than 300,000 units), sales and airplay were aided by the dance remix.
“Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” has also been recorded by many other artists. Olivia Newton-John recorded it in 1977 to be released on her album Making a Good Thing Better and also released as B-side of single re-release “I Honestly Love You”.[3]
The Carpenters recorded it for their 1977 album Passage, with an intro called “On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada”, or “On the Balcony of the Pink House”. The song is 8:13 long.
Big Punisher sampled the songs title, in his song "Glamour Life". In Fat Joes verse of the song, it states: "Yo its the Don Cartegena the leada', terror squad cleaner, leavin' your family crying for you like argentina, mira"
John Petrucci, guitarrist of progressive metal band Dream Theater, played the main melody of this song during the intro of Through Her Eyes live in a concert in Buenos Aires.
The song has also been recorded by:
- Festival (1976)
- The Shadows (1978)
- Patti LuPone (1979 Original American Cast recording)
- Olivia Newton John (1980 at Midnight Special)
- Marti Webb (1980)
- Joan Baez (1980)
- Donna Summer (1981)
- Sinéad O'Connor (1992, from her Am I Not Your Girl album)
- Sarah Brightman and Mike Flowers Pops (1996)
- Judy Collins (1999, from her Classic Broadway album)
- Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (1999)
- Madonna, for the film Evita
- Elena Roger (2006 London Cast recording).
- The Hit Crew (2007) a Dance version.
Paloma San Basilio and Nacha Guevara recorded well-known versions of the song in Spanish (“No llores por mí, Argentina”). Katja Ebstein did a popular German version called “Wein’ nicht um mich Argentinien”. Indeed, the song has also been recorded in a number of languages:
- English: Don't Cry for me, Argentina
- Spanish: No llores por mí, Argentina
- Italian: Non piangere per me, Argentina
- German: Wein' nicht um mich, Argentinien
- French: Ne pleure pas pour moi, Argentine
- Icelandic: Gráttu mig ei, Argentína
- Hungarian: Miért kell, hogy sírj, Argentína
- Dutch: Huil niet om mij, Argentinië
- Danish: Græd ikke for mig Argentina
- Portuguese: Não chores por mim, Argentina
- Malay: Jangan Menangis Untukku, Argentina
- Swedish: Sörj inte mig, Argentina
- Finnish: Ei itkeä saa, Argentiina (the song is also called Kyyneleet pois, Argentiina in a new stage translation)
- Hebrew: Al na tivki, Argentina
- kurdish: ji bo min gri nake Arjantin
- Turkish: "Benim için ağlama, Arjantin"
- Czech: Utiš se, má Argentino
- Polish: Nie czekaj mnie w Argentynie
- Slovak: Neplač pre mňa, Argentína
[edit] References
- ^ "Mandy, Patti - real cozy | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/27/2007", Philly.com, October 2007, webpage: Philly7.
- ^ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/banned.html Rocklistmusic.co.uk
- ^ Olivia's singles releases 1975-77. Only Olivia international fan club.
| Preceded by "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul |
UK number one single (Julie Covington version) February 12, 1977 |
Succeeded by "When I Need You" by Leo Sayer |
