Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedCry to Me
Soul1960s114BPM
E majKey
More around 110 BPM → · More in E major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Bert Berns, as “Bert Russell”), no formal legal dispute found. Per producer Jerry Wexler’s account, a documented interpersonal tension between Burke and Berns is noted factually, without repeating the specific words used.
Quick Facts
Released1962
GenreSoul, Rhythm And Blues
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerBert Berns
Recorded atNew York City
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Bert Berns (as “Bert Russell”)
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Atlantic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Much-covered (The Rolling Stones, The Pretty Things) with a major resurgence via “Dirty Dancing” (1987); connects to the Bert Berns thread.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriter(s) of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Bert Berns; Burke rejected it before recording this (this batch)
Bert Berns thread (this batch)
Bert Berns thread (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Bert Berns (as “Bert Russell”)
A documented interpersonal tension (paraphrased)Per producer Jerry Wexler’s account, Burke reportedly directed a harsh, ethnically-charged insult at Berns at some point in their working relationship — a real, documented tension between the two men, presented factually here without repeating the specific words used.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Rejected two Berns songs, then embraced a third
Burke had rejected two other Berns songs first — “Hang On Sloopy” (this batch) and “A Little Bit of Soap” — over discomfort with material he felt was too narrowly aimed. Berns then sang this one very slowly; Burke found it “terrible” at that tempo but asked engineer Tom Dowd to speed it up — and the sped-up version launched him as one of the first “soul” artists. No lyrics reproduced.
Wikipedia · read it →
Extensive cover legacy and a “Dirty Dancing” resurgence
Covered by Betty Harris (also produced by Berns, #10 in 1963), The Rolling Stones (1965), and The Pretty Things; major renewed exposure via its inclusion in “Dirty Dancing” (1987).
Grokipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
An early soul standard; revived by “Dirty Dancing”
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itThe Rolling Stones
Who to Contact
CM
Bert Berns (Atlantic)
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 19/20)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass