"[3] Kinks biographer Rob Jovanovic writes that "Stop Your Sobbing" was supposedly written by Ray about a former girlfriend who, fearing that fame would change him, broke down in tears upon seeing how popular he had become.
[5] AllMusic's Tom Maginnis described the track as "grounded more heavily in the classic 50s style of songwriting and playing," and said that "'Stop Your Sobbing' is a far cry from the wild aggression of ”You Really Got Me”.
Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde had been a longtime Kinks fan and suggested the band try the song.
[3][10] The Pretenders' version of "Stop Your Sobbing" was one of three demos given to Nick Lowe and became the A-side for the first single the band released.
Others include the version of "David Watts" recorded by the Jam, "The Hard Way" by the Knack, and "I Go to Sleep," an unreleased track written by Ray Davies, which, like "Stop Your Sobbing," was covered by the Pretenders.
[5] Rolling Stone critic Ken Tucker calls the Pretenders' "Stop Your Sobbing" "ideal radio fare," describing it as having "Labour of Lust's feathery pop feel" and that "echoed to enhance Davies' wistful melancholy, Hynde sounded like a solo Mamas and the Papas, but her tone surged at the ends of choruses to imply enormous resentment at even having to think about sobbing.
"[15] Cash Box said that "Lowe's production captures the jangling guitars perfectly and Chrissie Hynde's vocals are confident yet sensual.