Tag: Garland Jefferies

I absolutely love the organ riff that starts out this song. It was performed on a Vox Continental.

Well, it’s an original name I will say that much for the group…or the lead singer anyway. This song was written by “Question Mark,” the band’s frontman who wanted to be anonymous (he’s listed on the composer credits as (Rudy Martinez). At one point, he referred to the individual band members only by three-letter names (at one point, the band was known as XYZ). The mystery helped market the group, who wore dark glasses to add to the intrigue. He publicly stated that his soul had originated from Mars and that he once walked on Earth with the dinosaurs.

There’s a reason 96 Tears is often tagged as one of the first true garage rock hits, and even a proto-punk to what The Stooges and Ramones would soon torch the world with. It’s raw, it’s relentless, and it’s got attitude for days. It was recorded in Bay City, Michigan, by a band of mostly teenage Mexican-American kids, and it has that magical garage sound. No overthinking. Just a stomp and a sneer. 

The song was originally released on the tiny Pa-Go-Go label before being picked up by Cameo Records. Against all odds, it climbed all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Think about that: in a year dominated by the Beatles, stones, Motown, and the Beach Boys, this little three-chord song with an organ and a singer named Question Mark took the top spot.

The song peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100, #1 in Canada, and #37 in the UK in 1966.  They were an American garage rock band of Mexican origins from Bay City and Saginaw in Michigan who were initially active between 1962 and 1969.

It was later covered by Garlan Jefferies. 

96 Tears

Too many teardrops
For one heart to be crying
Too many teardrops
For one heart to carry on

You`re way on top now since you left me
You’re always laughing way down at me
But watch out now, I`m gonna get there
We`ll be together for just a little while
And then I`m gonna put you way down here
And you`ll start crying ninety-six tears
Cry, cry

And when the sun comes up, I`ll be on top
You`ll be way down there, looking up
And I might wave, come up here
But I don`t see you waving now
I`m way down here, wondering how
I`m gonna get you but I know now
I`ll just cry, cry, I`ll just cry

Too many teardrops
For one heart to be crying
Too many teardrops
For one heart to carry on

You’re gonna cry ninety-six tears
You’re gonna cry ninety-six tears
You’re gonna cry, cry, cry, cry now
You’re gonna cry, cry, cry, cry
Ninety-six tears

Come on and lemme hear you cry, now
Ninety-six tears, woo
I wanna hear you cry
Night and day, yeah, all night long

Uh, ninety-six tears, cry cry cry
Come on, baby
Let me hear you cry now, all night long
Uh, ninety-six tears, yeah, come on now
Uh, ninety-six tears