About The Song
Released in 1971 as a double A-side with “It’s Only Love,” Elvis Presley’s “The Sound of Your Cry” isn’t a typical love song; it’s a bittersweet lullaby of heartache and farewell. This melancholic ballad, shrouded in the hushed tones of the night, explores the delicate space between love’s ending and the quiet pain of parting ways.
Composed by Bernie Baum, Bill Giant, and Florence Kaye, the song was originally intended for other artists. However, when Elvis heard the demo, he knew it resonated deeply within him. The lyrics, filled with a poignant awareness of love’s impermanence, echoed his own experiences and vulnerabilities, finding their truest voice through his soul-stirring delivery.
The musical composition mirrors the song’s melancholic emotions. The opening slow tick-tock of the clock in the quiet night sets the stage for Elvis’s hushed vocals. The melody, gentle and yearning, weaves through the lyrics like a whisper, each note carrying the weight of unspoken tears and unspoken goodbyes. The sparse arrangement, featuring only piano and backing vocals, further emphasizes the intimacy and vulnerability of the song, creating a space for quiet reflection and acceptance.
“The Sound of Your Cry” doesn’t dwell on anger or blame; it grapples with the quiet ache of love’s fading light. Elvis sings of knowing the relationship must end, of wanting to spare his lover the pain of a drawn-out farewell. His lyrics, “Sleep my love, as I kiss you goodbye / Then I won’t hear the sound of your cry,” offer a bittersweet comfort, a promise of closure even amidst the heartbreak.
While not one of Elvis’s biggest commercial successes, “The Sound of Your Cry” has touched many listeners with its raw honesty and emotional depth. The song’s message of facing loss with tenderness and acceptance continues to resonate, offering solace to anyone who has ever grappled with the bittersweet ending of a love story.
Prepare to enter the hushed shadows of the night with Elvis Presley’s “The Sound of Your Cry.” This introspective ballad isn’t a dance floor anthem; it’s a whispered farewell, a moment of shared vulnerability in the darkness before dawn. Let Elvis’s gentle vocals guide you through the bittersweet landscape of parting ways, reminding you that even in the quiet ache of goodbye, there’s a fragile beauty and a space for tender acceptance.
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Lyrics
The clock by the bed is ticking too loud in the quiet nightI lie in the darkness thinking I must go before it’s lightBefore you open up your eyes and you beg me to stayI’ll leave ’cause I can’t stand to see you hurt this waySleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your cryThough I knew the time was coming and our love would end somehowI just couldn’t bear to tell you exactly just when or howI know we can’t go on, that it was wrong to startBut if you wake up crying now, you know you’ll break my heartSleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your crySleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your cryOhhhh, sleep my love as I kiss you, kiss you, kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your cryOhhhh, sleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear oh no, the sound of your cryOhhhh, sleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your cryOh ooh ooh ooh, sleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your crySleep my love as I kiss you goodbyeThen I won’t hear the sound of your cry