Even if you’ve never seen the play or the movie “Evita,” you have probably heard a song from it, namely Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.
In fact, I have never seen the show (play), and only a couple minutes of the movie, but am well aware of the song.
Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the song is sung from the perspective of former Argentine politician Eva Perón (1919-1952).
Note: “Evita” is Spanish for “Little Eva,” the use of the diminutive being indicative of the affection in which Ms. Perón was held by Argentinians. Presumably there is no connection beween Eva Perón and Eva (“Little Eva”) Narcissus Boyd, Carole King’s babysitter and singer of King’s song The Loco-motion, which was written with “Little Eva” and her unique style of dancing in mind (subject of a future “The Name of That Tune” article).
As I have never seen the play, and only saw a short blip of the movie just a few years ago, when my wife called my attention to the scene where Madonna as Perón sings from the balcony, I probably heard it much later than you (dear reader) did. And I’m not sure now whether the first time I heard it was Madonna singing it in the movie or when I first heard the cover of the sung as performed by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (in fact, I have never heard the original versions of many of the songs that they cover).
Although I love “The Gimmes” more than somebody my age probably “should” (I am 62, and was introduced to them by my sons), I have to admit that this is one of those rare occasions where, although I like their version of Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina quite a bit, I actually prefer the “original” (the original slow, mellow style in which it is usually played, that is). This is rare; I almost always prefer the Gimmes’ covers over the originals.
And yes, I’m kind of odd that way; while I love beautiful, melodic music such as Pachelbel’s Canon In D, J.S. Bach’s Sleepers Awake, Beethoven’s Für Elise, and ALW’s Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina, I also relish being energetized by music such as the more rambunctious Rory Gallagher numbers (e.g., “Shinkicker” – especially the live version as well as the work of straight-ahead rockers Grand Funk, blues rockers Foghat, and the punk supergroup mentioned earlier, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.
Anyway ... on with the show (no pun intended). The lyrics of Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina are as follows:
It won't be easy
You think it's strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love
After all that I've done
You won't believe me
All you will see
Is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes And sevens with you
I had to let it happen
I had to change
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window
Staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around
Trying everything new
But nothing
Impressed me at all
I never expected it to
CHORUS:
Don't cry for me, Argentina
The truth is
I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
And as for fortune
And as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world
They were all I desire
They are illusions
They're not
The solutions they promise to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you
And hope you love me
CHORUS
Have I said too much?
There's nothing more
I can think of
To say to you
But, all you have to do
Is look at me to know
That every word
Is true!
CHORUS
And that’s the name (or the lyrics, at any rate) of that tune. Here are some links to the more “important” (historically) and enjoyable versions of the song:
Julie Covington
Madonna
Karen Carpenter
Elena Roger - No Llores Por Mi Argentina (“Don't Cry for Me Argentina” in Spanish)
Elena Roger (same singer as above Spanish version) performing it in English
Sinéad O'Connor
...and, last but never least:
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Selected Recordings containing some of the Versions linked to above
Evita: Original Cast Recording
https://www.amazon.com/Evita-ORIGINAL-CAST-RECORDING/dp/B000006YKO/garrphotgall-20
Julie Covington
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Argentina-Vinyl-Covington-Julie/dp/B00470CWKU/garrphotgall-20
Madonna
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Cry-Me-Argentina-Versions/dp/B00154PS84/garrphotgall-20
Elena Roger - No Llores Por Mi Argentina (“Don't Cry for Me Argentina” in Spanish)
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Cry-for-Me-Argentina/dp/B008B6HQRA/garrphotgall-20
Sinéad O'Connor
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Cry-Argentina-Sinead-OConnor/dp/B01KAU1GUW/garrphotgall-20
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
https://www.amazon.com/Drag-First-Gimme-Gimmes-1999-05-03/dp/B01G4CKQXS/garrphotgall-20
Previous installments of the series “The Name of That Tune” are:
#1: The End of the World: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/the-end-of-the-world
#2: City of New Orleans: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/city-of-new-orleans
#3: Hobo’s Lullaby: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/hobos-lullaby
#4: Ghost Riders in the Sky: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/ghost-riders-in-the-sky-a-cowboy
#5: Sixteen Tons: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/sixteen-tons
#6: The Battle of New Orleans: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/battle-of-new-orleans
#7: The Big Rock Candy Mountain: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/big-rock-candy-mountain
#8: Pachelbel’s Canon In D Major: https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/pachelbels-canon-in-d-major
#9: Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos): https://ramblingnotesofageezer.substack.com/p/deportee-plane-wreck-at-los-gatos