Toby Keith – “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)”

I applaud the darkness.

“Yes, Tisdale has only been gone for a few months, so the hurt is still understandably fresh.”

Well, there you go. It is utterly understandable that Keith was writing and singing from a very somber place at the time given how abrupt his passing was and how he proceeded to compose this song in little time afterward.

Your point may be well-taken, but one can’t expect to wheel through the whole five-step grieving process in several days. And I think some anthems are truly meant to reflect just one individual stage of that process, with “Cryin’ For Me” being the “depression” stage…………and it’s a very fine example at that.

I respectfully disagree with this review and am giving this single a “Thumbs Up”……….and that is coming from someone here who used to root more often against a Toby Keith single than for it. I think he’s really grown these past two album eras and now find myself liking his output more than disliking it (I disliked the title track).

Good song!

when personal feelings are as publicly expressed like in a song, there’s nothing wrong with reviewing the result. however, to express the verdict with a thumbs up or down strikes me as not being the most tactful approach to this personal and beautiful executed “tackling grief” exercise.

I think the review is really on-point and well written. A thumbs down review reflects the execution of a given song from the perspective that it is all at once a piece of art, a piece of craft and a commercial enterprise. In Sam’s well-stated opinion, the song is poorly executed. That’s not a judgment on Keith’s feelings, it’s a judgment on the way in which Keith used those to draw a piece of art that he’s now marketing to a public audience. Even art based on the most personal and heartfelt of subjects deserves to be discussed and criticized. Sam may be right or Sam may be wrong, but he raises valid points and he does so in an honest but tactful manner.

would anyone have asked for the thumbs verdict in this case if sam had just “forgotten” it?

@Drew: Agreed

Not a big fan of the song, but I will give Toby Keith credit-this is a far cry from “She’s a Hottie.” At least he experiments, and not just with Willie on the bus.

“would anyone have asked for the thumbs verdict in this case if sam had just “forgotten” it?”

And have this be the only single review on The 9513 without a rating? Would you say the same thing if I raved about it?

Believe me, I get why the song is the way it is. I can empathize with what he was feeling when he wrote the song, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to necessarily like the result.

@ sam g.

yes, i’d say the same if you raved about it. also, i have no problem with the verbal content of your review nor with your opinion. still, omitting the thumb-symbol for once would not have diminished the review – quite on the contrary, actually.

I love everything about the song. The hard truth isn’t always pretty, the honesty of the song speaks volumes as the ones left behind are the ones left hurting and missing. The smooth jazz is very fitting. It must have been a very difficult song to write, I am thankful he is sharing it with so many of us that couldn’t put our selfish feelings to music.

I have to completely disagree with this review.

The production on this track is near-perfect. The song is great. I love the guitar in it, simplistic but it has a great groove. The voicemail was a nice touch.

Toby’s music is always honest. This is a heartfelt song for his friend Wayman. It is beautiful. The video is now up on CMT.com

It is a wonderful tribute to Wayman Tisdale.

Sam Gazdziak maybe you should actually listen to the songs meaning instead of being afraid of something being a little bit sad it is a great tribute Toby Keith did for one of his good friends and deserves a thumbs up

Hey.

I frequent this site, well, frequently, and I usually agree (more or less) with the reviews, but this is the first (and probably last time) time for me to leave a comment. And, possibly for the first time, I completely disagree with the overall tone of a review on the 9513.

Frankly, Sam, sir, you have no soul.

This song is not just better than most of the songs on the radio these days; it’s better than most of the “Thumbs up” on this website.

And I think that a lot of people agree with me.

“Can you write a song that’s too depressing…for country music?”

I doubt it.

And if “you” could, I’d be more likely to say “He Stopped Loving Her Today” or “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” or any number of tracks from Jamie Johnson’s latest CD, but not “Cryin’ for Me.” Definitely not.

This is America. You are entitled with your opinion. But I am also entitled to mine. And I am of the opinion that this is a devastatingly gorgeous, deeply affecting song–a song about losing a loved one that is more potent than even Montgomery Gentry’s “Clouds” or George Strait’s “Living for the Night.” It’s just beautiful.

I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Absolutely a great song. Love the sax! A song written for a friend is felt in your heart.

I personally like this song! the fact that toby is singing to his friend & saying that he is still crying for him is beautiful. You have to understand that yes the song is sad and still makes me tear up when i hear it but these are his feeling and his way of grieving. So again I personally LOVE this song regaurdless if its sad or morbid as you (the writer) put it.

Rosa Mortimer
Houston Tx

Wow! Amazing! This song made me think of all the loved ones I have lost! What a great tribute this song is! I give it a million thumbs up!

Reviews are just someone’s personal opinion. Obviously this reviewer doesn’t care for the song. I like the song a lot and Toby Keith was expressing his feelings when he wrote it. He certainly has a right to do that as a song writer. You either like it or you don’t. Just leave it at that.

Michael, That’s ridiculous on more than one level.

What a wonderful tribute Toby Keith has bestowed on his friend. Wayman Tisdale is now immortalized not only through a life well lived, but through this song as well.
True Toby Keith, honoring what’s good in life, friendship – pure and simple.

Great job Toby – WT will always live in your heart.

I hope this song makes #1 on the charts to shove it in Sam Gazgziak’s face, who has obviously never lost anyone close to him. This song is amazing and so it Toby’s song writing abilities to bring out that much emotion in people

Well I do Adolf Hitler, John Wilkes Booth and the inventor of the designated hitter.

Depressing!?!!? And, so what if Toby Keith is still “solidly in the grief stage”, as you think?!?! I can’t think of another song that I have EVER heard that is more touching than this–o.k., “Blind Man in the Bleachers”, but that was not based on a true relationship! EVERYTHING about this song AND the video is perfect, including the voicemail at the start. An awesome tribute to his friend! A song that will help many people through their grieving.

I think the song can be looked at in both ways but I see it as a celebration of Waymans life. What a tribute that he left such an impression on Toby’s life and millions of others that he wrote about it. I say thumbs up for the dedication to his legacy.

“Knoxville Girl,” now THERE’S a happy song about death I can totally get behind. Puts a smile on my face every time.

I love the song, Never been a big fan of TK, this song however touched me deeply. Five years ago I lost my 46 year old husband suddenly to a heart attack. Thanks Toby for putting in words the initial self absorbed stage of sorrow.