Don't Cry for Me Argentina

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
Single by Julie Covington
from the album Evita
Released	1977
Recorded	1976
Genre	Pop
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Producer	Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, David Land
Julie Covington singles chronology
"Two Worlds Apart" (1973) "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1977) "Only Women Bleed" (1977)

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is a 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 appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and features a sweeping melody tied to broad emotional themes of regret and defiance, characteristic of Lloyd Webber’s most popular songs.

The song shares its tune with "Oh What a Circus" from the same show.

First versions

The musical Evita began as an album, before being adapted for the stage. The song was first offered to singer Elkie Brooks who turned it down. Julie Covington sang “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” for the original 1976 studio release. The single reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1977 for a week, selling almost a million copies in the United Kingdom.

Due to concerns that the song might not have commercial appeal in its original form, Covington recorded a version with alternative lines; however, in the end the original version was released for the single.

The B-side was "Rainbow High". When Madonna covered “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, this song did not appear as a B side for the same song, but for "You Must Love Me" instead.

When Covington chose not to take the stage role, Elaine Paige was cast as Eva in the London production. In the United States, the song is also closely linked with Patti LuPone, who performed the role of "Eva" in the original Broadway production of the show.

During the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom 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.

The song was also banned in the Philippines during the dictatorship Ferdinand Marcos. The life of Marcos' wife Imelda Marcos is similar to that of Evita Peron. Even the showing of Musicale Evita was repressed.

Cover versions

The song has been recorded by:

• Julie Covington (1976)
• Olivia Newton-John (1977, on her album Making a Good Thing Better)
• Carpenters (1977, on their album Passage)
• Petula Clark (1977, CBS single, her French version "La Chanson d'Evita" peaked a #8 in France). She also recorded an Italian language version, "La No flores por mi Argentina"
• Elaine Paige (1978 original London cast)
• Shirley Bassey (1978, on her album The Magic Is You and in 1993 on her album Sings the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber)
• The Shadows (1978)
• Festival (1979 a dance disco version)^{[citation needed]} (Later versions of album Disco Evita (Chronicles) (CD))
• Tom Jones (1979, album "Rescue Me")
• Patti LuPone (1979 original American cast recording)
• The Dooleys (1980, on their album Full House)
• Joan Baez (1980)
• Marti Webb (1981 on her album Won't Change Places and in 1995 on the album Music and Songs from Evita) Webb was the second actress to play Eva in London.
• Donna Summer (1981)
• Barbara Dickson (1985)
• Helene Fischer
• Stephanie Lawrence (1988) Lawrence succeeded Marti Webb, who had in turn replaced Paige in the original London production of Evita.
• Laura Branigan (1990, on her VHS / LD Laura Branigan in Concert)
• Sinéad O'Connor (1992, on her album Am I Not Your Girl)
• Andrea McArdle (1995)
• Sarah Brightman (1996)
• Madonna, for the 1996 film Evita
• The Mike Flowers Pops (1996)
• Maria Friedman (1996)
• Priscilla Chan (1997 Musical Encounters with Priscilla and the Philharmonic Orchestra)
• Judy Collins (1999, on her album Classic Broadway)
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (1999, on their album Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Are a Drag)
• Julian Lloyd Webber on the 2001 album Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber
• Elena Roger (2006 London cast recording)
• Tina Arena (2008)
• Cilla Black
• Sharon Campbell
• Idina Menzel (2008 at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th Birthday Concert in London's Hyde Park )
• Fiona Hendley
• Katherine Jenkins
• Lea Michele and Chris Colfer (2010 for the TV series Glee) as a duet, with each singer taking a different stanza and performing before a different audience in a split-scene.

Paloma San Basilio and Nacha Guevara recorded versions of the song in Spanish (“No llores por mí Argentina”). Katja Ebstein did a popular German version called “Wein’ nicht um mich Argentinien”.

Laura Branigan never recorded the song, but regularly sang it during concerts throughout her career.

Gheorghe Zamfir also produced a classical version of the music as part of his Magic of the Panpipes collection

Madonna version

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
Single by Madonna
from the album Evita
Released	February 11, 1997
Format	12", CD single
Recorded	1996
Genre	Orchestral pop
Length	5:34
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Producer	Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Caddick. Miami Mix: Madonna, Pablo Flores, Javier Garza
Madonna singles chronology
"You Must Love Me" (1996) "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1997) "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" (1997)

American singer-songwriter Madonna recorded her version of the song for her starring role in the 1996 film, Evita. It was released as the second single from the soundtrack Evita was released in the US on February 11, 1997 by Warner Bros. Records and For the single release, Madonna re-recorded the song as a dance remix, produced by herself, Pablo Flores and Javier Garza. The "Miami Mix" versions included lyrics sung in English and Spanglish. The music video was directed by Alan Parker and contained footage from the motion picture.

Live performances

The original soundtrack version was used as an instrumental interlude on her 2001 Drowned World Tour. She performed the song exclusively at the River Plate Stadium shows of her 2008 leg of Sticky & Sweet Tour.

Reception

Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine commented: "Easily one of Madonna's greatest vocal performance to date, the singer's dramatic interpretation of Evita's unofficial theme song was both loyal and bizarrely autobiographical." The single turned out to be a big worldwide hit, taking the number one spot in several countries, most notably in France, where it became her second number one (after "La Isla Bonita"). It was a U.S. top ten hit, peaking at number eight, and a number three hit in the UK (placing in the top forty at the year end and selling 338,494 copies).^{[citation needed]} Sales and airplay were aided by the dance remix. In Europe it was her ninth single to top the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 340,000 copies there.

Personnel

• Writers - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
• Producers - Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Caddick
• Remix producers - Madonna, Pablo Flores, Javier Garza
• Orchestra - John Mauceri
• Engineer - Javier Garza
• Mixing - Madonna, David Reitzas, Nigel Wright
• Photography - David Appleby

Source

Track listings

• UK CD Single

1. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (performed by Madonna) – 5:31
2. "Santa Evita" (performed by Orchestra/John Mauceri) – 2:30
3. "Latin Chant" (performed by Orchestra/John Mauceri) – 2:11

• UK "The Dance Mixes" CD Single / Australian CD Single with fold-out poster / German 12" Single

1. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Edit) – 4:31
2. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Spanglish Mix Edit) – 4:29
3. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix) – 6:51
4. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (album version) – 5:31

• US 12" / CD Maxi-single (1997)

1. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Alternative Ending)
2. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Spanglish Mix)
3. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Edit)
4. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Dub Mix)
5. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Instrumental Version)
6. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Spanglish Mix Edit)

• UK Promo CD Single

1. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Edit) – 4:31
2. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix) – 6:51

• UK Promo 12" Single

1. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix) – 6:51
2. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Mix Edit) – 4:31
3. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Miami Spanglish Mix Edit) – 4:29

Notes

• the Miami Mix versions are not remixes of the original version, the vocals were re-recorded and this version is produced by Madonna, Pablo Flores and Javier Garza. These versions also contain lyrics from "Eva's Final Broadcast" and uses samples of "Fracanapa", written by Ástor Piazzolla and performed by Ástor Piazzolla and his Tango Quintet.

Charts and certifications

Peak positions

Chart (1997)	Peak Position
Australia ARIA Singles Chart	9
Austrian Singles Chart	3
Belgian Flemish Ultratop 50	5
Belgian Wallonie Ultratop 40	2
Canadian Singles Chart	14
Dutch Top 40	1
Eurochart Hot 100 Singles	1
Finnish Singles Chart	8
French SNEP Singles Chart	1
German Singles Chart	3
Irish Singles Chart	9
Italian FIMI Singles Chart	2
Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart	9
Spanish Singles Chart	1
Swiss Singles Chart	4
Swedish Singles Chart	9
UK Singles Chart	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	8
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	21
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40	14
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)	Position
Australia ARIA Singles Chart	56
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)	36
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)	18
French SNEP Singles Chart	14
Italian Singles Chart	21
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)	80
Swedish Singles Chart	54
Swiss Singles Chart	22

Certifications

Country	Certification
Australia	Gold
France	Gold
Germany	Gold
Switzerland	Gold
United Kingdom	Silver

Preceded by "Don't Give Up on Us" by David Soul	UK Singles Chart number-one single (Julie Covington version) February 12, 1977	Succeeded by "When I Need You" by Leo Sayer
Preceded by "Freed from Desire" by Gala	French SNEP Singles Chart number-one single (Madonna version) January 25, 1997 - February 15, 1997	Succeeded by "Let a Boy Cry" by Gala
Preceded by "Unbreak My Heart" by Toni Braxton	Eurochart Hot 100 Singles number-one single (Madonna version) February 14, 1997 - March 15, 1997	Succeeded by "Don't Speak" by No Doubt
Preceded by "Never Miss the Water" by Chaka Khan featuring Me'Shell Ndegeocello	Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (Madonna version) February 22, 1997	Succeeded by "Runaway" by Nuyorican Soul featuring India

Title origin

At Evita Peron's grave in the La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, one of the plaques is a tribute from the city's taxi drivers' union. One of her epitaphs, roughly translated, reads: "Don't cry for me Argentina, I remain quite near to you."

References in modern culture

In the Goodies episode Goodies and Politics, the song "Don't cry for me Marge and Tina" is sung by Tim Brooke-Taylor.

In the third episode of the fifteenth season of The Simpsons, "The President Wore Pearls", Lisa sings "Don't cry for me, kids of Springfield" as she is driven away on the school bus.

In the December 6, 2009 comic Pearls Before Swine, Pig says "Dunk rye for me Arch and Tina".

In the TV series Glee, Kurt Hummel sang this song after leaving McKinley High School and transferring to Dalton. It was his solo audition song, suggested by Rachel Berry, and expressed his feelings about leaving the school, and his friends, behind.

“Don’t cry for me, Salt Lake City” was featured in a 1997 musical, Saturday’s Voyeur (a parody of Saturday's Warrior), performed by the Salt Lake Acting Company.