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
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.