"She Cried" is a song written by Ted Daryll and Greg Richards. It was initially recorded by Daryll in July 1961 but became a big hit when covered by Jay and the Americans for the B-side of their second single, "Dawning". The single initially flopped, but six months after its release a disc jockey on the West Coast played the B-side for six hours straight, and listeners responded. In 1962, "She Cried" reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Jay and the Americans' first major hit. Both sides of the single were subsequently included on their first album, She Cried, which was named in recognition of the song's popularity.