<Tr> <Th> Label </Th> <Td> Chess </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Gwen Gordy </Td> </Tr> <P> "All I Could Do Was Cry" is a doo - wop / rhythm and blues single recorded in 1960 and released that same year by singer Etta James and was written for James by Chess songwriter Billy Davis, Berry Gordy and his sister Gwen Gordy . The song was said to be inspired by James' former boyfriend Harvey Fuqua dating Davis' former girlfriend, who was Gwen . Gordy and Fuqua later married the same year the song was recorded, which likely added to the tension in James' bluesy vocals . The song eventually peaked at number two on the R&B charts and number 33 on the pop charts . James would later re-record the song in the early nineties . Beyoncé Knowles later covered the song while filming her role as James in the 2008 film, Cadillac Records . </P> <Dl> <Dt> Etta James version </Dt> </Dl>

All i could do is cry by etta james