"Cry Me a River" is a popular American torch song, written by Arthur Hamilton and first published in 1953.

jazzy blues ballad, "Cry Me a River" was originally written for Ella Fitzgerald to sing in the 1920s-set film, Pete Kelly's Blues (released 1955) but the song was dropped. Fitzgerald first released a recording of the song on Clap Hands, [bad word] Charlie! in 1961.

The song's first release and most famous recording was by actress/singer Julie London in 1955. sultry performance of the song by London in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It helped to make it a million-selling blockbuster (#9 US/#22 UK).

In 1970, British blues rocker Joe [bad word] made the chart with an upbeat hard-rock rendition on the album, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. In 1995, British actress Denise Welch's double A-side "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" / "Cry Me a River" spent three weeks in the UK Singles Chart, reaching #23. In 1999, future "Britain's Got Talent" star Susan Boyle recorded a version for a charity CD of which only 1,000 copies were made. Following her 2009 appearance on the show, her rendition of the song, which appeared on You Tube in April 2009, became an internet sensation.