By now you have probably heard about Amy Winehouse, the British soul singer whose CD Back to Black had its Stateside debut last month.
Understandably, the track on Back to Black that gets the most attention is “Rehab,” which is ear-catching right out of the gate: “They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said no, no no…” Winehouse, who has had her share of publicly drunken episodes, wrote this song before they tried to make Britney Spears go to rehab. The song would have gotten noticed anyway, but how’s that for timing?
My real introduction to Amy Winehouse was via this tour video by Roots drummer Questlove, which features an all-Winehouse soundtrack and a teensy cameo by the singer. The video closes with a full-blast, fade-to-black airing of the track “Tears Dry on Their Own.” While “Rehab” is fun to listen to, it’s “Tears Dry on Their Own” that made me say, “Wait… who is this, again?”
“Tears Dry on Their Own” is a treasure for those of us who have, on occasion, done some wallowing in heartache with musical accompaniment. Many R&B singers have carried on the “I Will Survive” tradition, from Mariah Carey (“Someday,” a favorite of my mom’s) to Mary J. Blige (“Not Gon’ Cry”) to Beyonce (“Me, Myself and I”).
Winehouse’s contribution to the musical-healing subgenre is striking because it captures emotional devastation, defiance and regret without pitching into melodrama or silliness. The chorus is lovely: “He walks away/The sun goes down/He takes the day, but I’m grown/And it’s OK/In this blue shade/My tears dry on their own.” Wash that face and get your stoicism on, ladies!