“I Don't Wanna Cry” was released as the fourth and final single from Mariah's debut album on March 19, 1991. Mariah wrote the song with Narada Michael Walden, who had previously worked with Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and George Michael. “It was my first experience with a big-time producer,” she explained. “They just sort of threw me in the room and said, ‘Write with him!’ I was really sort of intimidated but we sat down at the piano, we just came up with this song and I took it home and wrote the lyrics and that was it.”
“She was very shy, and I asked her what she liked. She said she liked George Michael, so I got an idea of where she was coming from. Then we set up a day to actually go and write,” Walden said about meeting Mariah for the first time. “The first time I heard her sing was in a writing session at the Hit Factory, where we wrote some songs. Mariah is very astute in the studio, very picky. I don't mean to make it sound like a negative; for her, it's a positive, because she knows she wants to hear herself sound a certain way.”
“I Don't Wanna Cry” reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of May 25, 1991, making Mariah the first artist since the Jackson Five to have their first four singles reach number one. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 17, 2022.
| Song | Remix | Run time |
|---|---|---|
| I Don't Wanna Cry | Radio Edit |
4:25 |
Larry Jordan was chosen to direct the “I Don't Wanna Cry” music video, which premiered in May 1991 and features Mariah in a dark Midwest home and in maize, brooding over her tainted relationship. The director's cut version of the clip was included on the #1's home video, released in 1999.
In the United States, the “I Don't Wanna Cry” Single was released on cassette including “You Need Me” as the B-side.
In Europe, “I Don't Wanna Cry” was released as a double A-side with “There's Got To Be A Way.” The Single was released on 7" Vinyl including both songs, while the Maxi Single, available on CD, also includes the 12" Remix of “There's Got To Be A Way.”
In Australia, the “I Don't Wanna Cry” Single, including “You Need Me” as the B-side, was released on CD, Cassette and 7" Vinyl.
The Japanese “I Don't Wanna Cry” 3" CD Single, released on May 2, 1991, also includes the song “You Need Me.”
Once again we sit in silence
After all is said and done
Only emptiness inside us
Baby, look what we've become
We can make a million promises
But we still won't change
It isn't right to stay together
When you only bring each other pain
I don't wanna cry
Don't wanna cry
Nothing in the world
Could take us back
To where we used to be
Though I've give you my heart and soul
I must find a way of letting go
'Cause baby, I don't wanna cry
Too far apart to bridge the distance
But something keeps us hanging on and on
Pretending not to know the difference
Denying what we had is gone
Every moment we're together
It's just breaking me down
I know we swore it was forever
But it hurts too much to stay around
I don't wanna cry
Don't wanna cry
Nothing in the world
Could take us back
To where we used to be
Though I've give you my heart and soul
I must find a way of letting go
'Cause baby, I don't wanna cry
All the magic's gone
There's just a shadow of a memory
Something just went wrong
We can't go on make-believing
I don't wanna cry
Don't wanna cry
Nothing in the world
Could take us back
To where we used to be
Though I've give you my heart and soul
I must find a way of letting go
'Cause baby, I don't wanna cry
Written by Mariah Carey, Narada Michael Walden.
Produced by Narada Michael Walden.
