Rumer: The Boys Don’t Cry Album Review

Sara Joyce, better known by her stage name, Rumer, recently launched her second album entitled Boys Don’t Cry last May 28, 2012. The album has 12 tracks originally sang by men during the early 70s. What I love about this album is that Rumer was able to deliver the song as if she owns it. Her own version makes the songs unique. You wouldn’t have guessed that these songs were originally sung by men. This album really brings out the artistic talent of Rumer.

P.F. Sloan, one of the songs in the album, was made by singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb, which talked about his contemporary, P.F. Sloan, during the time of Nixon. Imagine that, what has a 33 year old singer got to do with P.F. Sloan and Nixon? She was able to bring us back in time, as if we were able to time-travel thru her singing. Now, we may say that music is timeless and it knows no boundaries.

Sara Smile is the title of a song written and recorded by the American musical duo, Hall & Oates. For some of us, we may not know this popular Duo, but we are pretty sure that your parents would probably know them. I was only born when this song was first released in 1976. Here is the original version of Sara Smile of Hall & Oates.

As for Rumer, she sang Sara Smile very well as if she knew Sara Allen (Hall’s then-girlfriend). She showed us that music is something that you can actually dedicate to someone special (even if it was made for a specific person) and sing it like it was especially made for them.

This album also serves as a tribute to all the great male singers who contributed their talents and who are no longer with us, namely Isaac Hayes (Soulsville), Townes Van Zandt (Flyin’ Shoes), Clifford T. Ward (Home Thoughts From Abroad) and Ronnie Lane (Just For a Moment). Their songs will be forever remembered and their names will go down in music history as the original artists who introduced such theme for all the listeners. And thanks to Rumer, she reintroduced us to this bunch as if they are our long lost friends.

For those who may no longer be in the lime light, their hit songs will forever be influential to all future and upcoming singers that may follow their footsteps: It Could be the First Day by Richie Havens, Be Nice to Me by Todd Rundgren, Travelin’ Boy by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, The Same Old Tears On A New Background by Stephen Bishop, Brave Awakening by Terry Reid and We Will by Gilbert O’Sullivan.

Boys Don’t Cry is a suitable title for Rumer’s album, because I guarantee, that wherever these men may be, I assure you that they will be forever grateful. The 21st century generations of music lovers got to hear their great songs once again, and this boys will have smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.

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