"Teardrops from My Eyes", written by Rudy Toombs, was the first upbeat major hit for Ruth Brown, establishing her as an important figure in rhythm and blues.
The huge hit earned Brown the nickname "Miss Rhythm" and within a few months she became the acknowledged queen of R&B.
[1] Before this hit single, Brown was thought of strictly as a torch singer.
When Ruby Toombs showed her the song, Brown was initially reluctant to do it as it was so rhythmically different from the popular standards and ballads she was comfortable singing.
[3] Atlantic used a process that it repeated over the years, that is, turning an uptown singer funky.