"96 Tears" is a popular song recorded by ? & the
Mysterians in 1966. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
and is ranked #210 on the
Rolling Stonelist of the 500 Greatest Songs of All
Time.
The song was originally written by likely Question Mark,
Rudy Martinez, around 1962. The recording was done in Bay City,
Michigan. It was first released on the small Pa-Go-Go label and
then picked up by Cameo Records for national distribution. The
original issue is quite rare and sought after by record
collectors.
Known for its signature organ licks and bare-bones lyrics,
"96 Tears" has been widely-recognized as one of the first
garage band hits and has even been given credit for starting
the punk rock movement. It is generally accepted that rock
critic Dave Marsh coined the term "Punk rock" when referring to
this song.
The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 and
was the band's only major hit single. Follow-up song "I Need
Somebody" peaked at number 22 later that year and no other U.S.
top-forty singles followed. It appears on the band's album
96 Tears.
The song has been covered by the following artists:
It is alluded to in the song "Plus Ones" by folk band
Okkervil River and also by the B-52's in "Deadbeat Club". Other
allusions to "96 Tears" occur in the songs "Johnny Hit and Run
Pauline" by X and "Human Fly" by the Cramps.