All I Could Do was Cry - wikipedia All I Could Do was Cry This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2017 ) `` All I Could Do Was Cry '' Single by Etta James Released 1960 Recorded 1960 Genre Doo - wop, R&B, Blues Label Chess Songwriter ( s ) Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Gwen Gordy `` All I Could Do Was Cry '' is a doo - wop / rhythm and blues single recorded in 1960 and released that same year by singer Etta James and was written for James by Chess songwriter Billy Davis, Berry Gordy and his sister Gwen Gordy. The song was said to be inspired by James ' former boyfriend Harvey Fuqua dating Davis ' former girlfriend, who was Gwen. Gordy and Fuqua later married the same year the song was recorded, which likely added to the tension in James ' bluesy vocals. The song eventually peaked at number two on the R&B charts and number 33 on the pop charts. James would later re-record the song in the early nineties. Beyoncé Knowles later covered the song while filming her role as James in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records. Chart performance Etta James version Chart ( 1960 ) Peak position US Billboard 100 33 US Billboard Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 2004. Record Research. p. 290. Etta James Studio albums At Last ! The Second Time Around Etta James Etta James Sings for Lovers Etta James Top Ten The Queen of Soul Call My Name Tell Mama Etta James Sings Funk Losers Weepers Etta James Come a Little Closer Etta Is Betta Than Evvah ! Deep in the Night Changes Seven Year Itch Stickin ' to My Guns The Right Time Mystery Lady : Songs of Billie Holiday Time After Time Love 's Been Rough on Me Life, Love & the Blues 12 Songs of Christmas Heart of a Woman Matriarch of the Blues Blue Gardenia Let 's Roll Blues to the Bone All the Way The Dreamer Live albums Etta James Rocks the House Red - Hot & Live Jazzvisions : Jump The Blues Away Burnin ' Down the House : Live at the House of Blues Compilation albums My Greatest Songs Miss Etta James : The Complete Modern and Kent Recordings Gold Singles `` The Wallflower ( Dance with Me, Henry ) '' `` Spoonful '' `` All I Could Do Was Cry '' `` At Last '' `` Trust in Me '' `` Seven Day Fool '' `` Something 's Got a Hold on Me '' `` Baby What You Want Me to Do '' `` I Got You Babe '' `` Almost Persuaded '' `` Sound of Love '' `` Piece of My Heart '' `` I Just Want to Make Love to You '' Related articles Etta James discography Book : Etta James Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=All_I_Could_Do_Was_Cry&oldid=838187258 '' Categories : 1960 songs 1960 singles Etta James songs Songs written by Berry Gordy Songs written by Billy Davis ( songwriter ) Songs written by Gwen Gordy Fuqua Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from February 2017 All articles needing additional references Talk About Wikipedia Norsk Edit links This page was last edited on 25 April 2018, at 13 : 17. About Wikipedia

Question: who sings all i could do was cry
Answer: Etta James