Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
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"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 Perón, it was titled "It's Only Your Lover Returning" before Rice settled on the eventual name. It features a sweeping melody tied to broad emotional themes of regret and defiance, characteristic of Lloyd Webber's most popular songs.
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[edit] First versions
Evita began life as an album, before ever taking form on the British stage, with Julie Covington first singing the Eva role and thus recording "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" in its original 1976 studio version. Released as a single, it went to the top spot on the UK Singles Chart in February 1977.
Covington chose not to take the stage role, and thus the song was performed on stage by new Eva Elaine Paige when the show opened in the West End on June 21 1978. When the show opened on Broadway in 1979, the Eva role was switched again and Patti LuPone sang the song.
During the 1982 Falklands War between Great Britain 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. [1]
[edit] Madonna recording
| "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:Dontcryformeargentina.jpg | ||
| Single by Madonna | ||
| from the album Evita | ||
| Released | February 11, 1997 (Worldwide) December, 1996 (Europe) | |
| Format | CD maxi single CD Single | |
| Recorded | 1996 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 5:37 | |
| Label | Maverick Records / Warner Bros. | |
| Writer(s) | Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice | |
| Producer(s) | Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and David Caddick | |
| Chart positions | ||
| ||
| Madonna singles chronology | ||
| "You Must Love Me" (1996) | "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1997) | "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" (1997) |
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, the second single from the album.
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 (since "La Isla Bonita"). A U.S. top ten hit 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.
[edit] Other recordings
"Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" has also been recorded by many artists including Olivia Newton-John (1977, on her album Making A Good Thing Better and also released as B-side of single re-release "I Honestly Love You" <ref name="first-recording"> Olivia's singles releases 1975-77. Only Olivia international fan club.</ref>), The Carpenters, The Shadows (1978), Joan Baez (1980), Donna Summer (1981), Sinéad O'Connor (1992, an over-the-top rendition on her stressed-out Am I Not Your Girl album), Sarah Brightman and Mike Flowers Pops (1996), and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (1999).
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
- Icelandic: Gráttu mig ei Argentína
- Hungarian: Miért kell, hogy sírj, Argentína?
- Dutch: Huil niet om mij, Argentina
- Danish: Græd ikke for mig Argentina
- German: Wein' nicht um mich, Argentinien
- Portuguese: Não chores por mim, Argentina
- Swedish: Sörj inte mig, Argentina
- Finnish: Ei itkeä saa, Argentiina
- Hebrew: Al na tivki, Argentina
- Turkish: "Arjantin, aglama bana"
[edit] References
<references />
| 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 |
