Tears Don't Lie

Alan Jones from Music Week wrote, "The oddest single of the week has to be Mark 'Oh's 'Tears Don't Lie', which starts with some fairly ambient synth work before turning into a very fast techno track, overlaid with the humming melody from 'When a Child is Born'. Already making its ascent of RM{{'}}s On a Pop Tip chart, it's so unusual it can't help but attract attention and seems destined to maintain the Systematic label's 100% strike rate."{{cite magazine|first= Alan |last= Jones |title= Talking Music |magazine= Music Week |date= 15 April 1995 |page= 10 |access-date= 7 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-04-15.pdf}}

James Hyman from the RM Dance Update gave it four out of five, saying, "Using Johnny Mathis 'When a Child is Born' theme, the Euro stomper adds its 140bpm-plus breakbeats, sped-up {{'}}tears don't lie{{'}} bytes and great melodic breakdowns to great commercial effect."{{cite magazine|first= James |last= Hyman |title= Hot Vinyl |magazine= Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) |date= 15 April 1995 |page= 10 |access-date= 6 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-04-15.pdf |author-link= James Hyman}} Another RM editor, James Hamilton, named it a "insanely infectious German novelty".{{cite magazine|first= James |last= Hamilton |title= Dj directory |magazine= Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) |date= 22 April 1995 |page= 11 |access-date= 6 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-04-22.pdf|author-link=James Hamilton (DJ and journalist)}} In April 1995, Smash Hits predicted that 'Tears Don't Lie' would be a future hit, writing, "They're calling it the next 'Saturday Night' — a record by an unknown European that comes from nowhere straight into the charts. [...] You'll either find it the most annoying thing ever or you'll love it. Either way, it's going to be a massive hit!"{{cite magazine|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/54314363100/in/album-72177720323699768/|title=Singles: Top 10 — No Probs!|work=Smash Hits|date=26 April 1995|page=63|access-date=20 February 2025}}

"Tears Don't Lie" was very successful on the charts in Europe, remaining Mark 'Oh's biggest and sole number-one hit. It peaked at number-one in at least three countries; Austria (5 weeks), Germany (3 weeks), and Sweden (2 weeks). The song was also a top-10 hit in Belgium (Flanders) (2), Denmark (2), Finland (6), Ireland (9), the Netherlands (2), Norway (8), and Switzerland (3), as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number two. In the UK, the single reached number 24 in its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on 30 April 1995,{{cite web|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 30 April 1995 - 06 May 1995|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19950430/7501/|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=17 September 2020}} with three weeks within the chart in total. On the Record Mirror UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart, it reached number five.{{cite magazine|url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-04-29.pdf |title= The RM on a Pop Tip Club Chart |magazine= Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) |date= 29 April 1995 |page= 8 |access-date= 2 September 2021}} In Belgium and the Netherlands, "Tears Don't Lie" was kept of the top spot by "Love Me for a Reason" by Boyzone and "No Limit" by Irene Moors & De Smurfen. The song was also a top-20 hit in Scotland (18) and Wallonia (14).

In 2002, it was released in a new version as "Tears Don't Lie 2002", peaking at numbers 35 and 36 in Germany and Austria, respectively.

The accompanying music video for "Tears Don't Lie" was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkKE_ZavBTA|title=mark oh - tears don't lie ( viva tv )|date=14 September 2018 |publisher=YouTube|access-date=9 December 2018}} It was A-listed on Germany's VIVA in December 1994.{{cite magazine|first=|last=|title=Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-12-24.pdf|magazine=Music & Media|volume=11|issue=52|date=24 December 1994|page=18|accessdate=25 December 2022}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• 12-inch single

1. "Tears Don't Lie" (12" Mix) – 4:57
2. "Tears Don't Lie" (O. Lieb Remix) – 6:17
3. "Tears Don't Lie" (Mark' Oh Remix) – 4:32
4. "Tears Don't Lie" (Hooligan Remix) – 5:29

• CD single

1. "Tears Don't Lie" (Short Mix) – 3:34
2. "Tears Don't Lie" (12" Mix) – 4:55

{{col-2}}

• CD maxi

1. "Tears Don't Lie" (12" Mix) – 4:55
2. "Ultimate" – 4:16
3. "Tears Don't Lie" (Shortmix) – 3:34

• CD maxi - Remixes

1. "Tears Don't Lie" (O.Lieb Remix) – 6:17
2. "Tears Don't Lie" (Mark' Oh Remix) – 4:36
3. "Tears Don't Lie" (Hooligan Remix) – 5:34

{{col-end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=Mark' Oh|title=Tears Don't Lie|award=Platinum|relyear=1995|certyear=1995|salesamount=850,000|salesref={{cite magazine|title='Oh Well|magazine=Record Mirror Dance Update|page=1|date=15 April 1995|quote=When 'Tears Don't Lie' was originally released in Germany, it reached number one and sold 850,000...}}|access-date=20 March 2025|refname="BVMI"}}

{{Table end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1994 singles

Category:1994 songs

Category:Happy hardcore songs

Category:Music videos directed by Matt Broadley

Category:Number-one singles in Austria

Category:Number-one singles in Germany

Category:Number-one singles in Sweden

Category:Techno songs