Toby Keith – Cryin’ For Me

About the song

There are some songs that don’t just tell a story—they carry a memory. They don’t just play across speakers—they speak straight to the heart. Toby Keith’s “Cryin’ For Me (Wayman’s Song)” is one of those rare pieces. It’s not a typical country tune with a catchy hook or a honky-tonk beat. Instead, this song is a heartfelt tribute—a gentle, honest farewell from one friend to another. And like all truly personal songs, its emotional power comes not from the studio polish, but from the sincerity that seeps through every note.

Written in memory of Keith’s close friend, Wayman Tisdale, “Cryin’ For Me” is a deeply personal ballad that captures the ache of loss and the quiet gratitude of shared time. Tisdale, a former professional basketball player turned jazz musician, passed away in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. His death left a void not just in the lives of his family and fans, but in Toby’s heart as well. This song became Keith’s way of processing that grief, of saying what words often fail to express: how much someone meant, and how hard it is to let go.

Musically, the track is restrained and respectful. The instrumentation is soft, built around a simple acoustic arrangement that lets the lyrics breathe. There’s a notable saxophone part in the background—an intentional nod to Tisdale’s second career as a jazz musician and a loving musical thread that ties his spirit into the composition. But what stands out most is Toby Keith’s vocal delivery—low, unhurried, and full of that raw vulnerability that only comes when the performance is real, not rehearsed.

“I’m not cryin’ ’cause I feel so sorry for you,” Keith sings. “I’m cryin’ for me.” It’s a line that speaks volumes. It’s not about the person who’s passed, but the people left behind—the ones who carry the grief and the memories, who smile through the tears, and who miss the music of a voice that’s gone silent.

“Cryin’ For Me” reminds us that even the toughest cowboys feel loss. And in honoring his friend so tenderly, Toby Keith gives us all permission to grieve honestly and to remember those we’ve loved and lost—with music, with words, and with heart.

Video

Lyrics

Got the news on Friday morning
But a tear I couldn’t find
You showed me how I am supposed to live
Now you showed me how to die
I was lost til Sunday morning
I woke up to face my fear
While writing you this good bye song I found a tear

I’m going to miss that smile
I’m going to miss you my friend
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
Id do it all again

So play it sweet in heaven
Cause that’s right where you want to be
I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you
I am cryin’ for me

I got up and dialed your number
Your voice came on the line
That old familiar message
I have heard a thousand times
It just said, sorry that I missed you
Leave a message and god bless
I know that you think I am crazy
But I just had to hear your voice I guess

I’m going to miss that smile
I’m going to miss you my friend
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
Id do it all again

So play it sweet in heaven
Cause that’s right where you want to be
I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you
I am cryin’ for me

Oh

So play your upsidedown, left handed
Backward bass guitar
I’ll see you on the other side superstar

I’m going to miss that smile
I’m going to miss you my friend
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I’d do it all again

So play it sweet in heaven
Cause that’s right where you want to be
I’m not cryin’ cause I feel so sorry for you
I am cryin’ for me

I’m still cryin’
I’m cryin’ for me
Oh
I’m still cryin’