Singin' and Cryin', also listed in some sources under the alternate spelling Sighin' and Cryin', is a composition by Horace Silver recorded during the October 1963 sessions for his celebrated Blue Note album Song for My Father. The tune features Silver's classic quintet lineup of Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor saxophone, Gene Taylor on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums. It exemplifies Silver's signature approach to hard bop composition, balancing soulful, plaintive melodic lines with earthy rhythmic drive and gospel-tinged harmonic sensibilities. The melody unfolds in C minor with a warm, lyrical character that invites expressive improvisation while maintaining the accessible, singable quality that defined Silver's writing throughout the 1960s. Song for My Father compiled tracks from two distinct session periods as Silver transitioned between quintet lineups, and this tune belongs to the earlier date, representing the final studio work of the Mitchell-Cook frontline. While the album's title track became one of the most recognized hard bop compositions in jazz history, Singin' and Cryin' remains a lesser-known album cut. Sheet music arrangements circulate in educational and performance settings, but no notable cover versions by other artists have been documented. The sole recording is Silver's original on Song for My Father.
