music.wikisort.org - Composition

"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" is a song written and recorded by English rock singer Sting, which featured on his 1996 album Mercury Falling. The song was also released as a single, and reached No. 94 in the US. Sting also recorded the song as a duet with country music artist Toby Keith for Keith's 1997 album Dream Walkin'; this version reached No. 2 in the US Hot Country Songs charts and No. 84 in the US Billboard Hot 100 charts, giving Sting his only country hit.

"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying"
Single by Sting
from the album Mercury Falling
Released	October 1996 (1996-10)
Genre	Rock, country rock
Length	4:00
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Sting
Producer(s)	Hugh Padgham, Sting
Sting singles chronology
"I Was Brought to My Senses" (1996) "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" (1996) "On Silent Wings" (1997)

Content

Sting began composing the song as a rock song, but the lyrical content pushed the song in a country direction, and it evolved into a country-rock shuffle.[1] The song begins in the key of E-flat major, before modulating a semitone upward to E major in the final verse.[2] Its lyrics concern a father whose wife has left him for another man and taken their two children. After a cynical beginning, he has a revelation about the connectedness of life and the universe, and finishes the song truly 'so happy he can't stop crying'. The music video for the song was directed by Lol Creme.

During the Mercury Falling tour, Sting would often invite audience members up onto stage to sing the song along with him.

Track listing

US Edition

1. "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying"
2. "This Was Never Meant to Be"
3. "Giacomo's Blues"
4. "Beneath a Desert Moon"

German edition

1. "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying"
2. "Moonlight"
3. "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets"

Chart performance (Sting version)

Sales chart performance for Sting recording

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[3]	133
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4]	27
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[5]	16
Germany (Official German Charts)[6]	74
Polish Singles Chart[7]	24
Scotland (OCC)[8]	47
UK Singles (OCC)[9]	54
US Billboard Hot 100[10]	94

Toby Keith version

"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying"
Single by Toby Keith and Sting
from the album Dream Walkin'
B-side	"Jacky Don Tucker (Play by the Rules Miss All the Fun)"
Released	6 October 1997 (1997-10-06)
Genre	Country, country rock
Length	4:03
Label	Mercury Nashville 568114
Songwriter(s)	Sting
Producer(s)	James Stroud Toby Keith
Toby Keith singles chronology
"We Were in Love" (1997) "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" (1997) "Dream Walkin'" (1998)

In 1997, American country music singer Toby Keith recorded the song for his fourth studio album Dream Walkin'.[11] His version, a duet with Sting, was released in late 1997 as the album's second single. It out-peaked the original version on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 84. It reached No. 2 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, becoming Sting's only entry on that chart. Additionally, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.[12]

Background

According to Keith, Sting agreed to let Keith record the song to give it a second chance at radio, as long as Sting could play bass guitar and sing duet vocals on it.[13] The two also performed the song at the 1997 Country Music Association awards.[14]

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that Sting and Keith's voices "complement each other extremely well." She goes on to say that a great songwriter can write words and music that transcend any genre and Sting's "poignant lyrics and strong melody on this song are perfect evidence."[15]

Chart performance (Toby Keith version)

"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" debuted at number 53 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of 11 October 1997.

Weekly sales chart performance for duet re-recording

Chart (1997–1998)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[16]	4
US Billboard Hot 100[17]	84
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[18]	2

Year-end charts

Annual sales chart performance for duet re-recording

Chart (1998)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[19]	74

References

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