{{Infobox song | name = Cryin' Game | cover = Sara Evans--Cryin Game.jpg | type = single | artist = Sara Evans | album = No Place That Far | B-side = "Wait a Minute" | released = {{Start date|1998|06|23}} | recorded = March 1998 | studio = Emerald Sound Studios | genre = {{hlist|Country|Neotraditional country<ref name="Allmusic">{{cite web |last1=Jurek |first1=Thom |title=''No Place That Far'': Sara Evans: Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-place-that-far-mw0000042316 |website=Allmusic |accessdate=29 October 2020}}</ref>}} | length = {{duration|m=02|s=53}} | label = RCA Nashville | writer = Jamie O'Hara | producer = {{hlist|Buddy Cannon|Norro Wilson}} | prev_title = Shame About That | prev_year = 1997 | next_title = No Place That Far | next_year = 1998 }} '''"Cryin' Game"''' is a song written by Jamie O'Hara. It was originally recorded by American country artist Sara Evans and released as the lead single off her second studio album, ''No Place That Far.'' The song became a minor hit on the ''Billboard'' country chart in 1998. "Cryin' Game" received positive reviews from critics and writers alike.
==Background== "Cryin' Game" was composed by Jamie O'Hara.<ref name="Allmusic"/> Previously O'Hara had written Evans's single "Shame About That," which was released in 1997.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Evans |first1=Sara |title=''Three Chords and the Truth'' (CD Liner Notes and Album Information) |journal=RCA Records |date=July 1, 1997}}</ref> In reviewing her second studio album, Allmusic's Thom Jurek described "Cryin' Game" as an upbeat track that displayed a "country pub rock shuffle."<ref name="Allmusic"/> The song was recorded in March 1998 at Emerald Sound Studios, which was located in Nashville, Tennessee. The song's eventual B-side, "Wait a Minute," was also cut during the same recording session. The sessions were co-produced by Buddy Cannon and Norro Wilson. It was Evans's first experience recording at the studio and her first session with both producers. Cannon and Wilson would also co-produce her 1998 studio album.<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite journal |last1=Evans |first1=Sara |title=''No Place That Far'' (CD Liner Notes and Album Information) |journal=RCA Records |date=October 27, 1998}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Upon its release, "Cryin' Game" received a positive response from writers and critics. In July 1998, ''Billboard'' reviewed the single, praising its traditional production and Evans's vocal stylings. Reviewers also noted that the song was "strong" lyrically and may lead to Evans reaching commercial success: "The song is strong. Her performance is stunning. Here's hoping this is the one."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Reviews & Previews: Country: "Cryin' Game" |magazine=Billboard |date=July 18, 1998 |volume=110 |issue=29 |page=21 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9wkEAAAAMBAJ&q=sara+evans+cryin+game+single+review&pg=PA21 |access-date=29 October 2020}}</ref> Allmusic's Thom Jurek also praised the song when reviewing Evans's second album. Jurek compared its sound and style to that of early work by Rosanne Cash. He also made comparisons to the songwriting of Hank DeVito in his commentary: "It was a place where Evans' voice was left pretty much untreated and allowed to display its natural range and emotional depth."<ref name="Allmusic"/>
==Release and chart performance== "Cryin' Game" was released as a single to country radio on June 23, 1998, via RCA Nashville. It Evans's fourth single release in her career. It was issued as both a CD single and a vinyl single. It included a B-side, "Wait a Minute."<ref name="Billboard Singles">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> The song spent ten weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart in the summer of 1998. In August, it reached a peak of 56.<ref>{{cite web |title="Cryin' Game" chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/sara-evans/chart-history/csi/ |website=Billboard |accessdate=29 October 2020}}</ref> The single became Evans's fourth charting song on the ''Billboard'' country chart.<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> The single also was her first to reach the Canada ''RPM'' Country Songs chart, peaking at number 82.<ref name="Canadian Country Songs">{{cite magazine|title=Search results under "Country Singles" for Sara Evans|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Sara+Evans&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20|magazine=RPM|accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref> "Cryin' Game" was later released on Evans's second studio album, ''No Place That Far.''<ref name="Allmusic"/><ref name="Liner Notes"/> Despite only being a minor country hit, Evans would go on to have a series of major hits following "Cryin' Game." The title track off of ''No Place That Far'' would reach number one on the country charts in 1998. Evans would then continue having major hits through the next decade, including four more number one singles.<ref name="Billboard Singles"/>
==Track listing== '''CD single''',<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> '''7" vinyl single'''<ref>{{cite web |title=Sara Evans -- "Cryin' Game"/"Wait a Minute" (1998, Vinyl) |url=https://www.discogs.com/Sara-Evans-Cryin-Game-Wait-A-Minute/release/6225974 |website=Discogs |accessdate=29 October 2020}}</ref>
* "Cryin' Game" – 2:53 * "Wait a Minute" – 2:43
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (1998) ! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position |- ! scope="row"| Canada Country Songs (''RPM'')<ref name="Canadian Country Songs"/> | 82 |- {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|56|artist=Sara Evans|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 29, 2020}} |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Sara Evans songs}} {{authority control}}
Category:1998 singles Category:1998 songs Category:RCA Records singles Category:Sara Evans songs Category:Song recordings produced by Buddy Cannon Category:Song recordings produced by Norro Wilson Category:Songs written by Jamie O'Hara (singer)