Tears Don't Lie


"Tears Don't Lie" is a song by German DJ Mark 'Oh, released in late 1994, by Urban Records, as the third single from his debut album, Never Stop That Feeling. The song is based on the 1974 melody Soleado by Ciro Dammicco and was produced by Albrecht with Holger Scheiker. It uses the same melody best known in English-speaking countries as "When a Child is Born". "Tears Don't Lie" peaked at number-one in Austria, Germany, and Sweden and was a top-10 hit across continental Europe and Ireland. It was also nominated to the 1996 Echo Awards for the best German dance single. Matt Broadley directed the accompanying music video for the song.
In 2002, the song was released in a new version, as "Tears Don't Lie 2002", peaking at numbers 35 and 36 in Germany and Austria.

Critical reception

Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "The oddest single of the week has to be Mark 'Oh's 'Tears Don't Lie', which starts with some fairly ambient synth work before turning into a very fast techno track, overlaid with the humming melody from 'When a Child is Born'. Already making its ascent of RMs On a Pop Tip chart, it's so unusual it can't help but attract attention and seems destined to maintain the Systematic label's 100% strike rate."
James Hyman from the RM Dance Update gave it a score of four out of five, saying, "Using Johnny Mathis 'When a Child is Born' theme, the Euro stomper adds its 140bpm-plus breakbeats, sped-up tears don't lie bytes and great melodic breakdowns to great commercial effect." Another RM editor, James Hamilton, named it a "insanely infectious German novelty". In April 1995, Smash Hits predicted that "Tears Don't Lie" would be a future hit, writing, "They're calling it the next 'Saturday Night' — a record by an unknown European that comes from nowhere straight into the charts. You'll either find it the most annoying thing ever or you'll love it. Either way, it's going to be a massive hit!"

Chart performance

"Tears Don't Lie" was very successful on the charts in Europe, remaining Mark 'Oh's biggest and sole number-one hit. It peaked at number-one in at least three countries; Austria, Germany, and Sweden. The song was also a top-10 hit in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number two. In the UK, the single reached number 24 in its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on 30 April 1995, with three weeks within the chart in total. On the Record Mirror UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart, it reached number five. In Belgium and the Netherlands, "Tears Don't Lie" was kept of the top spot by "Love Me for a Reason" by Boyzone and "No Limit" by Irene Moors & De Smurfen. The song was also a top-20 hit in Scotland and Wallonia.
In 2002, it was released in a new version as "Tears Don't Lie 2002", peaking at numbers 35 and 36 in Germany and Austria, respectively.

Music video

The music video for "Tears Don't Lie" was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley. It was A-listed on German music television channel VIVA in December 1994. Two months later, the video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.

Track listings

12-inch single
  1. "Tears Don't Lie" – 4:57
  2. "Tears Don't Lie" – 6:17
  3. "Tears Don't Lie" – 4:32
  4. "Tears Don't Lie" – 5:29CD single
  5. "Tears Don't Lie" – 3:34
  6. "Tears Don't Lie" – 4:55CD maxi
  7. "Tears Don't Lie" – 4:55
  8. "Ultimate" – 4:16
  9. "Tears Don't Lie" – 3:34CD maxi - Remixes
  10. "Tears Don't Lie" – 6:17
  11. "Tears Don't Lie" – 4:36
  12. "Tears Don't Lie" – 5:34

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart Peak
position
Germany 35