Gayle McCormick - It's A Cryin' Shame (1971)

[@The53rrc]

Her version of Baby It's You was fantastic.

[@freeconfederate]

Gayle McCormick was in my opinion one of the most underrated singing stars of her era. The information I have learned about her leads me to believe she just did not want the "supper star" life style and all you must sacrifice to achieve that level. She certainly had the vocal talent to make it to the top.

[@BarkleyConners]

Her albums are incredible and display her range. On "Flesh & Blood" she wrote a couple songs.

[@Mike-yg8ig]

No question, she had sick talent. She was the whole package. The music biz is weird, so any make it big with 1/10 the talent she had. And she looked damn good on stage too.

[@brianj4201]

Same thing with Judee Sill. Beautiful folk singer. Better voice than Joni and better writing skills as well. She just refuses to play the game to get big in the music industry. She had too much integrity.

[@misterwhipple2870]

But maybe the Breakfast Star life-style would have suited her fine.

[@retrofuturistic8]

I've now listened to other versions of this song here on the youtubes. Conway Twitty. The Grass Roots. Cher. And Ms. McCormick clearly does the definitive version of this song. That's a bit strange because this is a male song, written from the male perspective. The line about "when I saw the name you signed" is the giveaway, as that is clearly a reference to a man getting a good-bye letter from an ex-girlfriend and seeing that she signed it with her new "married" name. Yet this does not matter. What makes this version the best version among all the others, whether sung by a male or female, is how she handles the key change on the third verse. In the first two verses, she is singing it very cool. It's no big deal that the love of her life has married someone else. But then with the key change, that facade is beginning to crack and some real emotion is coming through. Cher, of all people, underplays this. Cher could really be overly dramatic on certain songs. "Dark Lady," for example, of "If I Could Turn Back Time." But Cher's tone and emotion doesn't really change over the course of the song. The Grass Roots, on the other hand, over-emote on that last verse, almost to the point of comedy. They overdo it. Ms. McCormick's delivery here is absolute perfect. The change in tone and emotion fits the song perfectly. Dang-it she was good!

[@BarkleyConners]

Very informative post. I like Cher's version and had the album, which has her version of "Flashback" another good tune. The album sank because Cher's career was at a low point.

[@mhoroky]

It's a cryin' shame that this song didn't crack Billboard's Top 40. Just missed it. # 44 in 1971. It should've made it to the Top 10.

[@The53rrc]

This really is a good song. Underrated.

[@MYJETGLO]

100% perfection in everyway....this is exactly what modern life is missing...thank you for this upload!!

[@Ariesmount]

Thank you for introducing me to this talented woman. I don’t think I remember this song, but it’s great! In the vein of Diana Ross. And what a beautiful woman!

[@myflyisopen.8732]

How was this not a huge hit? RIP Gayle McCormick. Thank you for the music.

[@annchovey2089]

It was a big hit. I remember it well.

[@myflyisopen.8732]

@@annchovey2089 I was born in 74. I just got her albums! She's incredible!! Her voice is so powerful, passionate and clean.

[@TheOriginalRick]

In about the mid-60s I was watching a local St. Louis, Missouri TV station on a Sunday morning. They had a "talent show" on featuring local people singing and performing various things. The winner that day was a cute, young local girl by the name of Gayle McCormick. She was head and shoulders above everyone else on the program.

[@legendarymcdinis3391]

Material and vocals remind me of Freda Payne, no small feat.

[@jerrycruitt5375]

I just woke up and this song was blaring in my head - 3/18/2022. Strange. I temporarily couldn't remember who sang it, grabbed the computer, and good old Gayle was there. She was gorgeous and really a great singer. The general consensus is right - she should have been much, much bigger.

[@angelchavez458]

Me too ✋ 😪 😢

[@tcw5611]

I remember this song, was just turning 8 in December of 1971, but I have neither heard it, nor thought of it in ages. Like you, just a couple of days ago the tune and the lyric "JUST WALK out the door, it’s a cryin' shame we don't have it no more ..." popped into my head. I also had to look it up, which is why I'm here now. Now I'm realizing that my memory played a slight trick on me with my incorrect rendition of the lyric.

[@uriahsteel]

Great song. One of my favorites from that time. Gale had a beautiful and powerful voice. This is singing. The people on American idol and the voice should listen to this lady and linda ronstadt to hear what true singing is.

[@BarkleyConners]

I interviewed her on the phone once and she said she was often compared to Linda Ronstadt

[@scotturibe1879]

A song that I totally forgot about! I remember hearing this all the time on the radio! Gayle was an exceptional singer. Rest in peace.

[@MelPillsbury]

Fantastic!

[@KC-ef6zv]

This is one of my childhood's favorite song and still one of the favorite today. I still play it a lot. Thanks for posting this live video of Gayle McCormick singing this song. Just ran across it today from YT recommendation.

[@petegarza2025]

Wow...A few minutes ago I just discovered that this minor underrated song by this lovely talented female artist has an actual performance video...R.I.P. Gayle...And You Tube keep up the good work ...

[@petegarza2025]

Ty for your feedback...Yes I absolutely love this song...Why it wasn't that big of a hit I don't know but it doesn't matter...I can watch this video over and over...

[@RUDYNATACHA]

I remember seeing this on TV when this song was out! LOVE IT!!!! My absolute FAVORITE song at the time!

[@misterwhipple2870]

I was twelve years old and I wanted to . . . well, I can't say on KZbin. Let's just say, I was in love!! Very sorry to see her go so young! I wonder how she would look now, at the beautiful young age of 76.

[@cbfields7342]

Great voice and very soulful. Attractive lady too.

[@1hit1ders]

I agree, I like this much more than "Baby, It's You" that she sang while in Smith (sometimes incorrectly referred to as "A Group Called Smith", which was the name of the LP album).

[@jalting9162]

I remember her the best from a member of " a group called Smith " great singer

[@kingporter67]

This is a very good one hit wonder song by Gayle McCormick, R.I.P. Gayle McCormick!

[@Vector_Ze]

Yeah, she should've been better known. But, One Hit Wonder? I beg to differ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnevfKN3oNuomrM

[@BarkleyConners]

She had a bigger hit with Smith

[@allanfranklin9615]

What a song! What a voice! She had it, could have been big. I suspect not managed correctly but she was good.

[@rainertrebbin-vf7nt]

Baby it's you❤

[@rhondahancock96]

Such a great song & it's one of those that never gets played anymore I bought the 45 when it first came out! I was 12 in 1971 but this is just as fresh as it was back then!

[@BarkleyConners]

Had the album which was great if you liked pop-rock. Her next album "Flesh & Blood" was harder rock but still pop. I loved her voice.

[@jodygoar7238]

Ah, beautiful, gorgeous, talented Gayle.

[@TheTorch1971]

Could she be anymore gorgeous 😍

[@Digitalozzie]

I went to Pattonville H.S., graduated in 1967 and was fortunate to see Gayle perform with Steve Cummings and The Klassmen. Gayle and several of the Klassmen were also Pattonville students. Quarterback of our football team in 1966 Blake Fouts was their keyboard player. Also Bob Durrwachter, on guitar and Dale Massey on bass. They recorded "Without You" in 1967 with Gayle and the Klassmen. Even back then we knew how special she was. Here is that early recording from 1967. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aH_TfnSOqtWdos0

[@NUKE.2024]

Awesome; thanks for sharing the link. Did the Klassman do mostly rock-pop songs ?

[@Digitalozzie]

@@NUKE.2024 Yes they were a combination of current pop songs with some R&B and Motown plus their originals. Here is another of her early recordings with the Klassmen - "Mr. Loveman" 1968. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqm5nH1rmqh2rZI

[@goyadressunofficial]

Wow new Gayle video!

[@Elvisrivers1]

I concur! This has HIT written all over it! Catchy! Hooks all over! Wth happened? I never heard of it until now. I was listening to Baby It's You. A travesty!

[@erichentz4250]

Just...Incredible voice

[@texasmama4248]

What a voice!!

[@retrofuturistic8]

I am guessing that the 10 negative votes are from people who are furious that this was not a massive hit. It should've been Top 10, even Top 5, but for this to have just missed out on the Top 40? Cryin' shame, most definitely.

[@JohnBeaty-l5l]

Between the back vocals and that commercial instrumentation blasting, it kills her voice. RIP sister.

[@CURVEDGLASS123]

Deserves more views.

[@1hit1ders]

I agree. This is a great song by a great singer. One of my favorites from the 70s!

[@juliecolby8354]

This song has been playing over and over in my mind! So glad to hear it again!!!

[@methatlovescats3602]

There should be a remix from someone , country pop or even rap just remix this. 🌹💗😢

[@deanhatton9317]

Never seen this before, thanks for posting!

[@BarkleyConners]

New footage of her, never seen this! At first I thought it was from American Bandstand, because she did this song & another from the album on that show, I saw it when I was a teenager but apparently Dick Clark Productions doesn't have it.

[@idlertire]

Dick Clark production has most if not all of the American Bandstands. They should have it but they are not releasing any of the shows for streaming or in any format. I'm sure they have it. I'm pretty sure the only shows they are missing are the very early ones.

[@farwayout]

@@idlertire Certainly there are MANY PEOPLE that would LOVE to see old archive footage of American Bandstand and it's such a disservice DC Productions would not release AmericanBandstand footage from 1970 thru 1974!

[@kristalm-e1k]

Beautiful.

[@drummerbraves]

I didn't even know that Gayle had a solo career after Smith. The only thing that I knew about Gayle is Smith and their version of "Baby It's You".

[@angelaackerman8934]

My understanding is the promoters fail to promote her albums etc. she should have had a long and great career. She had the the voice and the looks. But its true she did not want to be a druggie, sleezy type star. She also sang gospel .

[@axxellein]

TRES Cool/Heavy!!!

[@janeweisner8364]

Premonition…herd this song & knew letter waiting for me from my boyfriend was a Dear “Jane” goodbye letter. Took me years to find it again because it wasn’t a big hit. On October 4, 1971 when that letter arrived

[@janeweisner8364]

It was #64 on Billboards 100.

[@reallyrarestuff]

Lots of radio airplay here in the fall of '71.

[@janeweisner8364]

Yes, I heard it on the AM radio but didn't know who sang it.

[@iskandermakhmudov]

Wow

[@drummerbraves]

Conway Twitty did a super version of this song for his 1972 album "I Can't See Me Without You". I didn't even know that Gayle recorded this song and that it charted in the Hot 100. Conway should have released this song as a single. It would have been a big hit for him.

[@BarkleyConners]

Cher also recorded it on her "i'd rather believe in you" album. It's a Lambert/Potter composition.

[@joejones9520]

@@BarkleyConners they also wrote One tin soldier by Coven.

[@sgillman16]

I downloaded this and posted a clip on Instagram, then someone comments saying they just heard it on the radio. Lol

[@dawnpatrol700]

This is before my time, but this is the music I most identify with. I was potty-training when this was out lol. I like my era (the 80s), but the 80s lost me circa 86, when the mixing and over-production was so over the top, it actually ruined the songs (bon jovi - new Jersey is a great example of production gone wrong). By 1986, I was longing for organic sounding stuff and started collecting 70s vinyl.

[@fmaykallb]

nice song

[@dhpbear2]

Sounds a lot like Freda Payne.

[@philipcone357]

It was very big in Connecticut

[@ogam5]

.....guessing Bob Steele spun it more than a FEW times on his WTIC morning show, then - retroactively remembered when I obtained the FIRST place where it's digitally available / remastered, Rhino's otherwise-ESSENTIAL Vol. 6 of 'Have A Nice Day', three-plus decades ago.....

[@errolflynn451]

I have this record..fantastic..I also have a version by Canadian artist Goria Kaye!!

[@drummerbraves]

Conway's version is on here as a song he did live for the show "That Good Ole Nashville Music" from 1972. The album version is on here.

[@danraider9153]

great

[@rockandroller8352]

Cher just makes this song #1 but this isn't bad

[@wearashirt]

Here because i passed on her vinyl record. Why aren’t her records published online?

[@scorpio8716]

👀♥️🌹

[@will89687]

Fascinating to see this but also kind of disturbing. Maybe it's bad makeup, lighting or transfer but she looks like hell. She would have been only 22 at the time of this appearance. I know she had a tough time in the spotlight, even spending some time in a mental institution when she was in Smith due to a bad LSD trip (one of her fellow band members had the bright idea to offer her acid.) Still, this is a great song that has gained in stature since it was released. Wish she had better luck in the music business. I loved her. Sad that she's gone.

[@BarkleyConners]

It was done when the music video was still being conceived and they didn't worry about hair, lighting, and make up.

[@joejones9520]

smoking cigs makes women look rougher, she was a big smoker

[@annchovey2089]

Love Gayle but she should have kept her hair blond.

[@stephangeorgakarakos]

aloso by stephanie desykes lambert&potter1974

[@luizamorim1626]

The song is good but the production would have to be a little more "refined" to crack into the top 40. Competition is rife!😆

[@kyleelsbernd7566]

Great note but I think it's actually overproduced.

[@BarkleyConners]

What do you mean by "refined?" Could you be more specific?

[@luizamorim1626]

​​@@BarkleyConners Like the brass section Quincy Jones put in Lesley Gore's "It's my party"🎉... that's refinement...

[@ogam5]

Nope - absolutely PERFECT as-IS.....

[@Swaggletail]

She became a brunette? Bad career move. Good record though.

[@joes7930]

I had the 45! And it’s NOT on Amazon Alexa. Travesty!