在创作歌曲之前，贾斯汀·汀布莱克与女朋友进行了一段不愉快的电话交谈，这让他十分恼火。当贾斯汀·汀布莱克进入工作室看到Timbaland后，他便向后者索要一些歌曲样品，并通过写歌的方式发泄自己内心中的负面情绪。而《Cry Me a River》正是在这样的背景下被创作出来的，歌词灵感来源于贾斯汀·汀布莱克觉得女友背叛自己后的感想。在歌曲的製作过程中，拉里·金担任歌曲弦乐器伴奏的编排、拉奏工作，斯科特·斯托奇和Bill Pettaway分别弹奏击弦古钢琴和吉他。

You were my sun

You were my earth

But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no

So you took a chance

And made other plans

But I bet you didn't think that they would come crashing down, no

You don't have to say, what you did,

I already know, I found out from him

Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be

And don't it make you sad about it

You told me you loved me

Why did you leave me, all alone

Now you tell me you need me

When you call me, on the phone

Girl I refuse, you must have me confused

With some other guy

Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn

To cry, cry me a river

Cry me a river-er

Cry me a river

Cry me a river-er, yea yea

I know that they say

That somethings are better left unsaid

It wasn't like you only talked to him and you know it

(Don't act like you don't know it)

All of these things people told me

Keep messing with my head

(Messing with my head)

You should've picked honesty

Then you may not have blown it

(Yea..)

You don't have to say, what you did,

(Don't have to say, what you did)

I already know, I found out from him

(I already know, uh)

Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be

(No chance, you and me)

And don't it make you sad about it

You told me you loved me

Why did you leave me, all alone

(All alone)

Now you tell me you need me

When you call me, on the phone

(When you call me on the phone)

Girl I refuse, you must have me confused

With some other guy

(I'm not like them baby)

Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn

(It's your turn)

To cry, cry me a river

(Go on and just)

Cry me a river-er

(Go on and just)

Cry me a river

(Baby go on and just)

Cry me a river-er, yea yea

Oh

(Oh)

The damage is done

So I guess I be leaving

Oh

(Oh)

The damage is done

So I guess I be leaving

Oh

(Oh)

The damage is done

So I guess I be leaving

Oh

(Oh)

The damage is done

So I guess I be... leaving

You don't have to say, what you did,

(Don't have to say, what you did)

I already know, I found out from him

(I already know, uh)

Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be

(No chance, you and me)

And don't it make you sad about it

Cry me a river

(Go on and just)

Cry me a river-er

(Baby go on and just)

Cry me a river

(You can go on and just)

Cry me a river-er, yea yea

Cry me a river

(Baby go on and just)

Cry me a river-er

(Go on and just)

Cry me a river

(Cause I've already cried)

Cry me a river-er, yea yea

(Ain't gonna cry no more, yea-yea)

Cry me a river

Cry me a river, oh

Cry me a river, oh

Cry me a river, oh

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river, oh

(Cry me, cry me)

Cry me a river

(Cry me, cry me)

你是我的太阳

你是我的大地

但你不知道我有多爱你

所以你红杏出墙

另寻新欢

但我打赌你没想到

事情会搞砸

你不用告诉我你做了什幺

我已从他身上找到答案

现在你和我已经不可能了

永远不可能了

对此你难道不感到悲伤吗

你说过你爱过我

为什幺你又离开我

现在你说你需要我

当你打电话给我

我很困惑

你是不是把我和谁弄错了

鹊桥已毁

是时候轮到你流泪了

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

我知道他们说

有些事还是不要戳破

并不像你只和他说过

你知道

别装作你不知道

所有别人告诉我的

让我不知所措

不知所措

你应该选择诚实

那幺你就不会毁掉一切

耶

你不用告诉我你做了什幺

不用告诉我你做了什幺

我已从他身上找到答案

我早已知道

现在你和我已经不可能了

你和我已经不可能了

对此你难道不感到悲伤吗

你说过你爱过我

为什幺又离开我

离开我

现在你说你需要我

当你打电话给我

当你打电话给我

我很困惑

你是不是把我和谁弄错了

我并不像他们

鹊桥已断，现在轮到你了

轮到你

泪流成河了

继续

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

于事无补

所以我想我要离开

于事无补

所以我想我要离开

于事无补

所以我想我要离开

于事无补

所以我想我要离开

你不用说你做了什幺

你不用说你做了什幺

我早已从他身上得知

我早已知道

我们已经不可能了

不可能了

对此你难道不感到悲伤吗

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

继续

泪流成河吧

因为我早已哭了

泪流成河吧

不愿再哭

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

泪流成河吧

我落泪了

面对“分手”，最常规处理方式是消极对待，即表达出“悲痛欲绝”的状态。而这首歌曲则直接掀起眼泪攻势，其中听似平淡无奇实则惨烈的歌词足够摧毁任何情感防线，“泪流成河”是其中最到位的描述。《Cry Me a River》示範如何正确“晒伤”，那种情痛是带着性感的撩拨。同时，《Cry Me a River》成也是一首向对方真诚忏悔的輓歌，其音境体现出福音、歌剧乐的氛围。

该MV开头，主人公贾斯汀·汀布莱克与雇来的黑人男子及一名黑髮女子坐在车上（车子开在主人公女友的家院外），趁女友跟别的男人出去偷情时，只身潜入女友家院内，用石头砸碎玻璃进入客厅，并打开大门在家具中四处寻找录影机。

之后，主人公带来的黑髮女子走进客厅，并站在他面前脱下外衣。当主人公弄好录影机的时候，黑髮女子半跨坐在主人公的身上，两人开始边亲热边拍摄视频。拍完视频后，主人公与黑髮女子一前一后从客厅里走出（大雨又下了起来）。

主人公女友冒着大雨从车里跑回家后，并没有注意到什幺不对。她直接进入浴室洗澡。而主人公一直在外面，时而傻笑、时而闻着女友头髮留在空气中的芳香，隔着玻璃躲在浴室外默默的看着她沐浴，眼神中透露的还是一丝丝不捨。

当主人公女友回过神，从浴室走到客厅的时候，却看到电视上正卡在主人公与黑髮女子亲热时的视频。该歌曲MV由弗朗西斯·劳伦斯执导拍摄，地点选在美国加州的马里布地区的一间别墅。2003年4月28日，MV被发布在iTunes商店。