| "When the Children Cry" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byWhite Lion | ||||
| from the albumPride | ||||
| B-side | "Lady of the Valley" | |||
| Released | October 1988[1] | |||
| Genre | Glam metal[2][3] | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Michael Wagener | |||
| White Lion singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"When the Children Cry" is apower ballad[4][5] performed by Danish-Americanglam metal bandWhite Lion. It is the third single and closing track on their 1987 album,Pride. It peaked at number three on the USBillboard Hot 100, number two in Canada, and number 88 in the United Kingdom.
The song was written immediately afterLive Aid, and was partly influenced by singerMike Tramp's childhood. He said, "“I was around five or six when my father left us. My mom was left with three boys. So without a doubt my own story is in that song."[6]
He also said,
Even though the words are simple, it has a very powerful lyric. Imagine being a kid fromCopenhagen, Denmark, sitting there inStaten Island and writing, “No more presidents, and all the wars will end" at the time whenRonald Reagan is the president. But it was how I felt at the time. That song began by just sitting around and playing. Then Vito changed it to the fingerpicking style.[7]
The song was re-recorded in 1999 on the albumRemembering White Lion (also released as "Last Roar" in 2004) and a live version was released on the White Lion live albumRocking the USA. The re-recorded and live versions were both released as promo singles and later as iTunes singles.[8] In 2004, an acoustic version of "When the Children Cry" was included on theVH1 Classic Metal Mania: Stripped compilation.
7-inch single[9]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
