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"All Cried Out" by Alison Moyet
by Mark Nobes, chief editor
"All Cried Out" was released as the second single from Alison Moyet's debut solo album Alf, and was the follow-up to "Love Resurrection". The song entered the UK singles chart at No.35 on 7th October 1984, in the same week that Wham! entered the chart at No.3 with "Freedom". The single reached No.8 on 21st October, where it remained for four weeks, before slipping out if the top ten.
The song was penned by Alison Moyet and her producers Stephen Nicholas Jolley and Tony Swain. This perfect combination of talent and Moyet's passionate vocal performance ensured that the song would become a global hit.
The single also reached No.6 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and No.7 on the Irish and South African singles charts. It also reached No.21 on Australia's Kent Music Report chart and was a top 30 hit in several European countries.
Two further singles were released from ALF. "Invisible" reached No.21 in the UK, but became a top 10 hit in Germany and Ireland. Moyet then requested she released something new in the form of a cover of the Billie Holliday song "That Ole' Devil Called Love". A fourth single "Only For You" was released by CBS (which Moyet wasn't happy about), but failed to chart in most countries. However, it was a hit in Germany where it reached No.7.
Lyrics
The lyrics are, thankfully, easy to work out from the start (which is not always the case with 80s songs!) and are about a lover who has left it too late to return, as in the line "You took your time to come back this time, the grass has grown under your feet". We also learn that Alison has found someone else in the next line "In your absence I changed my mind, and someone else is sitting in your seat".
Before the final burst of chorus, Alison sings "You go your way, I'll go mine, I won't stay around here, don't waste my time". Which concludes that there is not a chance in hell that she will be getting back together with this particular lover!
The Video
The video doesn't feature any storyline as such, and features a combination of a close-up of Alison singing and various scenes of her in several locations.
It starts with Alison sat alone in a cafe and then walking by an old gas works. The video then focuses on Moyet as she belts out the chorus in magnificent style. After this, there is a scene with Moyet wearing a plaid headscarf and sat on a park bench. In other scenes, we see her walking up to the front door of her house and also inside her house removing some dead flowers. She is also seen laughing with a friend, and in the final scene, she is stood on the balcony of the second floor of her house gazing out. We briefly see the backing singers for about three seconds.
This is certainly not one of the more iconic videos of the decade, and it appears to be quite a low budget affair. Nonethless, it works and it gets the job done, I guess!
Simplyeighties.com
