The Crying Playlist

There are no lonely teardrops in my house. Not anymore. At any given time these days, at least two of my loved ones can be heard crying simultaneously. The other day, we actually scored the trifecta, as my fiancee, our four-year-old daughter and our newborn girl were all wailing at once.

To be honest, there was a perverse sitcom thrill to the blub-athon. I was bombarded with three distinct cries, each one trying to out-volume the other: the fiancee’s I-need-sleep General Hospital drama flop, the pre-K kid’s fat-teared I Love Lucy spout and the four-week-old’s grouchy Gremlins protest.

All of that in 5.1 Surround Sob. Awesome sound quality. Eat your heart out, THX.

I eventually got a little frustrated, but not at my trio of bawling blue-eyed gals. I wanted to squirt a few, too. I wanted in on the caterwauling. I was seriously contemplating a hammer to the groin just so I could shed a few with the Kleenex Connection.

Now don’t get me wrong about all of this: The Daly brood, now four-strong and mighty, has never been happier. Everyone is healthy and pretty. And the tear brigade is often followed by a boisterous parade of chuckles.

But hoo boy, is there a lot  of emotion running wild in that joint. As the only dude in a house full of magnificent, mercurial women, I knew the crying game would come eventually — I just didn’t know it would come so soon. And yes, I’m fully aware that I’m the cause of some of this crying. Although at least I have the courtesy to swallow my emotions until they fester into some horrible malady later in life. I’m considerate like that.

But let me say this: As I sat there, sipping my Sam Adams, listening to the commotion, I had to smile. Sure, my head felt like a holding place for Paul Bunyan’s axe. But there was also a curious moment of clarity, especially for an only child always curious about bigger, louder households: Now this is a family.

So in celebration of my weepy, wonderful loved ones, here’s a musical playlist to crank a little louder when things get wet:

1. Tears -- John Waite
2. You Left the Water Running -- Otis Redding
3. Stop Your Sobbing -- the Pretenders
4. 96 Tears -- ? and the Mysterians
5. Crying -- Roy Orbison
6. Cry -- Godley & Creme
7. There's a Tear in My Beer -- Hank Williams
8. Before the Next Teardrop Falls -- Freddy Fender
9. Lonely Teardrops -- Jackie Wilson
10. Tears on My Pillow -- Little Anthony & the Imperials

Comments

[Tonianne]

No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
Sad Eyes - Leo Sayer
Salt in My Tears - Martin Briley
All Cried Out - Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
As Tears Go By - Rolling Stones/Marianne Faithfull
Driven To Tears - The Police
Emotion - Bee Gees
Sad(e)ness - Enigma
The Crying Game - Brenda Lee/Boy George
Stop Your Sobbing - The Pretenders
Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake
Can't Cry Anymore - Sheryl Crow
Fountain of Sorrow - Jackson Browne
Weep No More - Dave Brubeck
Tristeza - Astrus Gilberto

[Tonianne]

make that "Astrud."

[jane]

Man, Tonianne... beatin' me to the punch with the Police, Brubeck and Astrud cuts. Brava!

* Who's Crying Now -- Journey
* Kiss Your Tears Away -- Smithereens
* Tears Run Rings -- Marc Almond
* Tears Dry on Their Own -- Amy Winehouse
* Tears of a Clown -- Smoky Robinson & the Miracles
* Why Should I Cry For You -- Sting
* I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry -- Wynton Marsallis or Dexter Gordon (I have both -- take your pick)
* Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue -- Crystal Gayle

Anything from the Blood, Sweat & Tears or Drivin' & Cryin' oeuvre.

[jane]

PS: Nice Iron Eyes Cody pic. Keep America Beautiful!

[Mike in Austin]

Sean, I feel your pain, I truly do. I have 4 kids, three are girls: 11, 4 and 2. Let me tell you, the two year old will hit the other two girls (sneaky she is) and you can imagine what happens next. A free for all. That is correct, The Mexican version of Bananarama going at it in my living room. A have a solution.
Here is what I do: When the wailing begins:
1. IMMEDIATELY head over to your music source in the house (stacked stereo, ipod hooked up to ihome, boom box, whatever)
2. Find the most rockin' (tastes vary, obnoxious is good), danceable, easy to sing to 80's song
3. Hit play (volume a bit high)
4. Position yourself so the Spice Girls can see you
5. And let it fly: throwback to the 80's and put on your best karaoke, throw it out get your dance groove on.

At first the kids will look at you in total confusion. After a few times, they will jump up and join in. Hell, I get my wife in on the moves, from time to time.

My favorites: Come on Eileen, Change (John Waite), 99 luft balloons, Video killed the radio star.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Don't Shed A Tear ~ Paul Carrack
Driver's Seat ~ Sniff n' the Tears

[Brad]

Drown In My Own Tears - Smithereens

[Sean Daly]

Hey kids, I just updated my high-falutin' prose a bit. We might try to shoehorn this sucker into the paper. I'm also gonna poach some of your suggestions for my new playlist. I'll take all the credit, but rest assured I love each and every one of you (except Brad, who's still on my s--- list).

[jane]

Poach away, my friend. It's for a good cause -- and you can just buy me a beer someday if you use any of my suggestions...

[Jeff in Cuba]

SD,

Don't worry about the plagerism. For what it's worth, I often lift your verbage and pass it off as my own.

People down here love my "Mama, No!" story.

[Mike in Austin]

No more crying - 'Til Tuesday

Their album Everythings Different Now is a tear jerker, sad song(just read the lyrics as Aimee sings away)

[Bassnote]

Tears Are Falling - Kiss
Cry, Cry, Cry - Michael Morales
Cry On Your Shoulder - General Public
Cryin' - Aerosmith
Cry, Little Sister - Gerard McMann
Cry Baby Cry - The Beatles
Teardrops - George Harrison
Tears - Rush
Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
Fall Like Rain - Eric Clapton
How Many Tears - Mark Heard
Salt In My Tears - Martin Briley
Saltwater - Julian Lennon
Don't Cry - Asia
Don't Cry - Seal
Don't Cry - Guns 'n Roses
Sometimes She Cries - Warrant
And here are two that will make you cry:
Cinderella - Steven Curtis Chapman
Walking Her Home - Mark Schultz

[Marissa]

I have no songs to offer, but I can fully empathize with FF. After Spenser was born, I swear he never slept. I think he was 4 weeks old before I went on a crying jag that lasted 3 days. Finally, the then-Mr.Marissa took a day off work. With the exception of bringing the Man-cub in to me for feedings, I slept, and slept and slept.

Without trying to sound sappy Sean... I wanted to say that your blog was beautifully written and showed the complete love you have for the women in your life! I'm sure just reading it, filled the FF with pride!

Now for my one contribution....

I'm Cryin' by JOURNEY

[Carla]

Sorry, comment above was by me.. not sure why it didn't put my name with it??

[Old Fat Bald Chick Magnet]

Dude, you think it's bad now? Wait oh, about twelve years when the hormone-o-rama has them all in sync. You'll be carrying a pound of chocolate in your pocket one week a month.