Since 1989 (notably rather late in her career, after nearly thirty years of prior recording), James has received over 30 awards and recognitions from eight different organizations, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences which organizes the Grammys.

In 1989, the newly formed Rhythm and Blues Foundation included James in their first Pioneer Awards for artists whose "lifelong contributions have been instrumental in the development of Rhythm & Blues music". The following year, 1990, she received an NAACP Image Award, which is given for "outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts;" it was an award she cherished as it "was coming from my own people". In 2020, James was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame




Lyrics 

How many tears now darling

Must a girl let fall

How many years will it take

To forgive me for it all

You see when i took you for granted

I knew not just what I'd done

I was a fool not to see

That you were the perfect one

I made some wrong moves

I won't deny

Went lookin'for love when it was

Right before my eyes

So now don't go and tell me

That you found somebody new

I tell you that's gonna hurt me

More than i could ever hurt you

I'm gonna cry

It's just that I

Don't want to see

A good thing slip away

Late at night that's when I

I hope and pray

These lonely tears

Will wash the pain away

And I'm gonna cry, cry, cry

Like a rainy day

I'm gonna get it together

Gonna try to make you understand

Wrote all down in a letter

From one woman to a man

Remember these arms

How they held you then

Mark my words

It's gonna be that way again

Give me one more chance

I swear to god I'll be true

Don't walk away

Now i'll never never make it without you

I'm gonna cry

Like a rainy day

It's just that i don't want to see

A good thing slip away

Late at night that's when I, I hope and pray

These lonely tears will wash the pain away

I'm gonna cry cry cry like a rainy day

I'm gonna cry cry like a rainy day

I'm gonna cry cry

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Kenny Greenberg / Gregory William Barnhill

Cry Like a Rainy Day lyrics © Wb Music Corp.