What does "CRY ME A RIVER" means?

Question

The song "CRY ME A RIVER" sung by Julie London is nice. I want to know "what its title "CRY ME A RIVER" means.
Thank you

Answer 1

Minkus is right. It means cry A LOT but is being used sarcastically/sardonically to say that the crying is unjustifed.

Answer 2

I think it varies by age. You don't say how old your child is, and what I would think about what you are doing would be vastly different if your child is 1 week old versus if he is 10 months old. I think that if your child is under 3 months, you should go to him immediately when he starts crying. That is how infants begin to learn trust. On the other hand, if your child is older, and obviously sleepy (e.g. falling asleep as soon as you hold him but waking up the moment you put him down) then letting him cry for a few minutes to see if he will go to sleep isn't a problem. I think letting your child scream for two hours is excessive no matter his age because if he has had his leg stuck in crib rails, or there is some other serious problem, you would feel like complete crap when you finally went in. I think Dr. Ferber's book Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems, is the best on the proper way to do the cry-it-out method. When my 1st son was 8 months old, he started waking up in the middle of the night after having been sleeping through the night for months. I used Dr. Ferber's method, and in a week he was back to sleeping throught the night with no problems, and at 2 1/2, he is still a good sleeper.

Answer 3

To cry a lot until it becomes a river of tears.

Answer 4

I think it just means to cry alot. To shed as many tears to create a river. Not literally. But you get it im sure!

Answer 5

It means the reason you are crying is pointless so cry me a river , at least a river is useful.

Answer 6

The singer has been cheated on by a past lover who now wants her/him back. The ex-lover realises the mistake they have made and is "crying a river" - in floods of tears, begging forgiveness.
The singer is making the point just how badly it hurts to be cheated on, to be betrayed by someone you truly love by saying " I cried a river over you."
This beautiful song is about the pain of betrayal, how it feels to have your heart broken and the singer's genuine understanding of that and how, now, the ex-lover is learning that lesson for the first time although we feel she/he still doesn't believe the ex's tears are genuine.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F0Q1-PiU42U
and here's a clip by the wonderful Billie Holiday
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=l0BeBmJY9Aw

Here's info on the song itself - originally written for Ella Fitzgerald - on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cry_Me_A_River

and for anyone who wants to sing the song....

Now you say you're lonely
You cry the whole night through
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you

Now you say you're sorry
For bein' so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you

You drove me, nearly drove me out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember all that you said
Told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and
Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove you do
Come on and cry me a river, cry me a river
I cried a river over you

I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you

Answer 7

I think it means that they don't really think the reason someone is crying is justifiable, thus, saying "cry me a river" is the opposite of what they really feel.

Answer 8

cry allot to build a river out of it.
so if people say "cry me a river" means i don't care if you cry so cry allot

Answer 9

To shed a lot of tears.