1980 · Behind the Songs
A Roy Orbison classic, reborn for a new decade.
The recording in context
“Crying” was Roy Orbison’s 1961 masterpiece — one of the great vocal performances in rock history. In 1980, Don McLean recorded it for his album Chain Lightning, and his faithful, soaring version became a hit in its own right, reaching the top five in the UK and reminding a new decade what the song could do.
Listen closely
McLean doesn’t try to out-Orbison Orbison; he honors him. Listen to the control in the verses — McLean’s voice soft and steady, almost conversational — and then the way it opens up on the chorus, climbing toward that famous high note with clean, clear power. The arrangement is full but never cluttered: strings, a steady rhythm, and room for the voice to soar.
Notice the emotional architecture: the song moves from quiet heartbreak to operatic release, and McLean paces it perfectly. The final chorus doesn’t just repeat — it transcends, the voice carrying more weight each time. It’s a master class in dynamics, and proof that McLean the singer was every bit the equal of McLean the songwriter.
“Crying” is Don McLean’s tribute and triumph — a classic carried into a new decade on a voice that understood it completely.