Rolling Stones songs: Out of Tears
*Click for MORE ROLLING STONES SONGS 1962-PRESENT

Written by: Jagger/Richards
Recorded: Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 3-Dec. 10 1993; Ronnie Wood’s Sandymount Studios, Kildare, Ireland, July 9-Aug. 6 and Sept. 1994; Don Was’ Studio and A&M Studios, Los Angeles, USA, Jan. 15-Apr. 1994
Guest musicians: Darryl Jones (bass), Chuck Leavell (piano), Benmont Tench (organ), Lenny Castro (percussion), David Campbell (strings arrangements)
*Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012

From the The Rolling Stones – All the Songs book:
Mick Jagger wrote “Out of Tears” on the piano in Ron Wood’s studio. Over
the course of the years, the singer had toned down his misogyny, which had
proved more than a tad provocative, in favor of a fairly romantic vision of
male-female relationships. And indeed here, in a voice filled with emotion,
he describes the end of a beautiful romance: I won’t cry when you say
goodbye/I’m out of tears, expressing the inner torment of the narrator. This
song follows in direct succession from “Let It Loose,” “Angie,” and “Fool
to Cry.”
“Out of Tears” was the A-side of the third single from Voodoo Lounge.
Released on November 1, 1994, it peaked at number 36 on the UK charts
on December 10. This single also included the same song remixed by Bob
Clearmountain at Right Track Studios in New York City in April 1994 (the
Bob Clearmountain Remix Edit) and “I’m Gonna Drive.”

Don Smith explains that while mixing the album at the A&M Studios in
Los Angeles, it was to “Out of Tears” that he applied the biggest effects,
seeking to achieve a result both more direct and more appealing: “I actually
tried to imitate the John Lennon ‘Imagine’ feel by putting 15 ips tape slap
on the drums to start with, and then I wondered what it would sound like if I
put it on the piano too. I ended up putting it on everything, the whole track,
just like the old Phil Spector way of doing things—and it worked.” The
mixing is of astonishing clarity and evident depth, and has delivered superb
results, even if the echo is actually pretty modest. We are a long way here
from Spector’s later work—apart from Ronnie’s excellent slide part with a
solo at 3:00 that is reminiscent of George Harrison.
The rest of this very beautiful ballad shows us the Stones singer
adopting a rather different approach to his singing, searching for new
inflections and letting his sensitivity show through as he already has on
“New Faces.” Chuck Leavell delivers a good piano part, and Benmont
Tench skillfully blends his organ with the magnificent strings arranged by
David Campbell. Charlie and Darryl provide good rhythmic support, while
Mick is on acoustic guitar and Keith provides a subtle accompaniment on
electric. “Out of Tears” is one of the triumphs of the album.