Monday's Song : The Box Tops - Cry Like A Baby

 

On a day like today in 1968, the Box Tops are awarded their second Gold record for "Cry Like a Baby". Their first was for "The Letter". This was written by Dewey "Spooner" Oldham and Dan Penn.

«Spooner Oldham, told the story in an interview: "Dan Penn who was producing The Box Tops, calls me one day and says, 'Spooner, will you help me try to write a song for Alex (Chilton) and the Box Tops?' ….  I said, 'Sure, I'll try to help write a song for you.' We got together in the studio one evening with our little notes of our five or ten best ideas or titles. We each pulled one out and they eventually ended up in the garbage. The next morning, we were getting tired and decided to call it quits. So we locked the doors, turned out the lights in the studio, turned off the instruments. Went across the street to the little café - name was Porky's or something like that - and ordered breakfast. I remember I was putting my head on the table. There was nobody in there, I don't think, but us and the cook. And I tiredly put my head on the table, my arms under my head, just for a few seconds. Then I lifted my head up and looked at Dan, and because I felt sorry that he needed another record and we were no help to each other that evening, I said, 'Dan, I could just cry like a baby.' And he says, 'What did you say?' And I said it again. He says, 'I like that.' So unbeknownst to me, we had a song started … !!» [songfacts.com]