Words & Music:
Mac Davis
Today I stumbled from my bed
With thunder crashing in my head
My pillow still wet
From last night tears
And as I think of giving up
A voice inside my coffee-cup
Kept crying but
And ringing in my ears
Don't cry daddy
Daddy, please don't cry
Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy
Together we'll find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please don't cry
Why are children always first
To feel the pain and hurt the worst
It's true, but somehow
It just don't seem right
'Cause ev'ry time I cry I know
It hurts my little children so
I wonder will it be the same tonight
Don't cry daddy
Daddy, please don't cry
Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy
Together we'll find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please don't cry
Oh, daddy, please don't cry
Recordingdate: 1969/01/15, first released on: single (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Don't Cry Daddy:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(sitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
Others*
(french horn)
(french horn)
(sax)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
*Orchestra, overdubs
Availability
Find available albums with Don't Cry Daddy.
Good song by Mac Davis,fine singing by our man...i can see why it was a hit.
One of the best songs Elvis ever recorded from one of the greatest song writers, he also wrote In The Ghetto (which originally was pitched to Sammy Davis Jr!!), Memories and A Little Conversation. Mac Davis is quoted on this song: "Don't Cry Daddy" is a pretty sad song. He got to the end of it and it was just real quiet when Elvis says, I'm gonna cut that someday for my daddy. And, by God he did. He lived up to his word." Elvis' voice is magical on this song, it can still be played today without sounding dated - it's truly a great song by a great performer.
I have to say this one is no where near being one of my favorites. Elvis sings this saccharine, morose ballad well, but the lyrics to the song are just down right silly ("Daddy, you've still got me and little Tommy, Together we'll find a brand new mommy" and "And as I think of giving up, A voice inside my coffee-cup") and it makes it very hard to take it seriously. It seems like Mac Davis was just trying to rhyme words and the song contradicts itself. The children are trying to cheer him up and ready to find a new Mommy (she is just replaceable, I assume!!!, I can't imagine Elvis feeling that way), but then the song says "children hurt the worst"? "In the Ghetto", "Mama Liked The Roses" and "Long Black Limousine" from the same recording sessions and they are infinitely better "sad" songs than this one. I prefer the flipside "Rubberneckin" to this one and I put this song in the bottom 10 of non-movie songs he recorded.
Nice song, well sung, but the lyrics kind of bugged me also. Find a brand new Mommy makes me cringe, however this type of stuff always sold well (Honey, Daddy Dont You Walk So Fast, etc). I much prefer the flip Rubberneckin and thought it could have charted even higher if the 'A' side.
When it came out it was certain hit material, though definitely not a personal favourite. Once again proven that Elvis would inevitably be successful with good material from good song writers. Trouble was however that these song writers started recording the songs themselves, one of them being Mac Davis, and the "famous 25% robbery" by "the Elvis camp". I´ve never understood why so many fans seem to like the B side "Rubberneckin´", but that´s taste for you.
Well recorded with Elvis in good voice but the song is a bit of a dirge. The sort of song you might choose to play on the build up to a suicide bid.
This is the kind of song he turned to in '72. It's thematically consistent with 'You Gave Me a Mountain' and 'Always on My Mind'. However, the 1972 recordings are more painfully wrought and offer a more accurate reflection of Presley's personal state. I prefer 'Kentucky Rain' myself.
A very big hit in Denamrk, when it came out. It still has the record on the top 20 list for 32 weeks together with The Archies song (% Billion people).
It's OK but there was a lot of better material to choose from those sessions as A side single material including the flip Rubberneckin. I had to be in the mood for it back then and today I find it a bit corny.
As pointed out, songs like this, (story songs) were big at that time. And this one sold, and charted well. Personally, I like this song alot, and Elvis and the crew, do a great performance. The Memphis sessions, proved Elvis was back !And, I wish RCA had continued releasing more singles from the amazing Memphis sessions. I think songs like "Only the strong survive" & "Power of my Love" and so many more from these sessions, could have been huge on the "Top 100 Singles Charts".
Lyrically Mac Davis does a fine job painting the picture of a man trying to carry on without his presumably dead wife. He drinks himself into a tearful sleep and wakes up with a banging hangover to face yet another day without her. His young kids are able to find a positive perspective on the awful situation and they remain hopeful for the future and are the only thing keeping him going. Yes it's a downer but the melody is lovely and the song is beautifully performed. The live version from 1970 is especially enjoyable.
This is such a spectacular, emotional and unique song and it rightfully was a top 10 hit for Elvis here in the United States back in 1969. With that said, this song should definitely be much better known than it actually is. The other six songs that Elvis recorded that were written or co-written by Mac Davis are "In The Ghetto", "Memories", "A Little Less Conversation", "Clean Up Your Own Back Yard", "Charro!" and "Nothingville".
Can't keep my eyes dry with this one. Beautiful. Easy to strum on the guitar as well.
Whenever I hear this song, I think a video clip of him joking around with this song and In The Ghetto at soundcheck or something. I'm kind of on the fence about it apart from that, I guess. I never liked the "find a brand new mommy" line either. I sometimes wondered if it was supposed to be a dig at Vernon
I always look on this as the little brother of In The Ghetto, very good but not quite in the class of the latter. Not one of the stars of the Memphis Sessions but always a joy when given a spin, and Elvis sings it with believable sincerity.
This record went to #6 on Billboard and was certified gold . It was the type of song many people enjoyed listening to during the late 1960's and early 70's ; Patches , Little Green Apples , Honey , Delta Dawn, Night The Lights Went out In Georgia etc. Not a bad song and not really great . Too bad Elvis didn't go into the studio to record a dynamic follow up to Suspicious Minds . Still this is a good record and one of Elvis biggest latter hits. I kind of like it .
I love this song. I don't find the lyrics corny.. They reflect a real life situation. Great vocal from Elvis. 5 stars.
I remember coming home to Norway, the summer of '69. I was a sailor then. In The Ghetto was #1 on the charts in Norway. A dream came through: Elvis at #1 again. And a string of great singles followed. Including Don't Cry Daddy a song I really like. I must admit I really liked Rubberneckin' too. A strong single imo! I actually bought Don't Cry Daddy/Rubberneckin' in stereo. I kept that single until recently, when all my vinyl was sold to a keen fan.
RIAA Gold Award 45-rpm single (RCA Victor) ~ Nice song, but would any child ever say to their daddy... "together we'll find a brand new mommy"... ??
Writer ~ Morris Mac Davis . . . January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020 . . . Rest in Peace
I really like this song. I love Elvis’ voice in the late 60s and I sometimes find myself singing this song. I’ve never found it corny and I always thought it was very sweet and sad. Looking at the responses I haven’t changed my opinion but the lyrics do song like what a child would say which gives it a different perspective of innocence and youth and yes some kids do try to help their parent find another spouse/parent especially when the a lot of time has passed. I really like it and it ones of my favorite. I’m just not sure if it’s on a studio album
Deanol, in claims that the lyrics are contradictory in stating that the children are encouraging their father to find a new Mommy while also stating that the children are the ones "who hurt the worst". This is missing the point. The children are hurting because of their father's tears and grief, not because of the absence of their mother.