Save Your Tears

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Lore & Background

Within the continuity of the After Hours saga, this song represents a specific turning point where the protagonist confronts the consequences of his past actions. The narrative suggests he is walking away from a relationship that once consumed him, yet the ex-partner sees value in what they lost only when it is gone. This dynamic fuels the tension between wanting to forgive and knowing better. The visual identity associated with this track reinforces the themes of isolation amidst crowds. Set against the backdrop of a glittering city at night, the imagery contrasts the warmth of neon lights with the cold reality of emotional detachment. It serves as a chapter where the character acknowledges that some tears are best kept to oneself rather than shared.

In Their Own Story

The official music video for "Save Your Tears" was first teased by the Weeknd on January 4, 2021, and released the following day. Directed by Cliqua, the video sees the Weeknd wearing a diamond-adorned version of his original red-jacketed outfit. He performs in a lavish nightclub occupied by formally attired members wearing glittery, full-face masks that pay homage to scenes from Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut; his backing band is also wearing masks. He wanders out into the motionless, seated crowd, guzzling one person's champagne and laying his arm on the head of another until he notices a gorgeously brilliant, maskless woman in the audience (played by Bianca Rojas) and guides her onstage. While they initially are dancing joyfully, the camera soon reveals that the Weeknd is hiding a pistol behind his back. The lights go out and when the lights are turned back on, the Weeknd has placed his gun in one of her hands with him pointing the gun at his own head. The woman realizes this and shrieks. The scene concludes with the Weeknd holding the pistol to his own head. As the song finishes, he pulls the trigger, releasing confetti. The assembly applauds apprehensively at first, then enthusiastically.

Reader's Guide

This song was composed in C Major with an Allegro moderato tempo of 118 beats per minute. The vocals span from the low note of G3 to the high note of A4. Complex's Joyce Ng summarized the song's production as "an array of bright synths and ominous melodies." The song's lyrics explore themes of heartbreak, the Weeknd acknowledging he broke someone's heart "like someone did to [his]". Billboard hailed the song as the best track on After Hours, stating: "Although 'Save Your Tears' is one of the most pop-driven songs on the album, the Weeknd doesn't hold back when it comes to the rather cold nature he usually finds himself adopting when it comes to his lovers." Craig Jenkins of Vulture raved, "The Weeknd perfects the kitschy '80s genre experiment with 'Save Your Tears', a gutting breakup tune gorgeous and simple enough to stand alongside peak '80s pop like the Cars' 'You Might Think' (and slick enough to swipe a bit of melody from Wham!'s 'Everything She Wants' in the chorus)."

Following the release of its parent album, "Save Your Tears" debuted at number 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100, dated April 4, 2020. The record reached number four, becoming the third top five hit from the album. On June 17, 2021, "Save Your Tears" was awarded a 3× Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling three million units in the United States. On April 24, the song reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, where it led for four consecutive weeks. On May 15, the song reached number one on Adult Pop Songs chart, where it led for 5 consecutive weeks. In the singer's native country of Canada, the remix peaked at number one on the Canadian Hot 100, becoming both the Weeknd and Grande's sixth chart-topper. The remix also peaked at number one on the Billboard Global 200, becoming the Weeknd's first number-one single on the chart and Grande's second.

Did You Know?

• "Save Your Tears" was not the best-selling global single of 2021; that honor went to 'Drivers License' by Olivia Rodrigo, while the 2.15 billion streaming equivalents figure belongs to 'Blinding Lights' in 2020.
• The remix with Ariana Grande propelled the song to number one on the Hot 100, marking the Weeknd's fourth number-one single and Ariana Grande's sixth on the chart.
• The official music video features the Weeknd wearing a diamond-adorned version of his original red-jacketed outfit and includes a scene where he pulls a trigger releasing confetti.
• The song was composed in C Major with a tempo of 118 beats per minute, with vocals spanning from G3 to A4.
• After Hours was not the first album since Drake's Scorpion in 2018 to have two singles from the same album reach number one on the Hot 100; several albums between 2018 and 2021 achieved this, including Ariana Grande's Th