Carey (1990) with longtime co-writer Ben Margulies rather than well-known producers, Mottola believed it "needed more variety in the songwriting department". Ienner recommended that they hire Narada Michael Walden, who was known for producing several popular songs for Houston in the late 1980s and an output that connected pop and R&B audiences. This aligned with their view of Carey as "a franchise" with an appeal to multiple demographics. Recording Walden agreed to see Carey in New York after Mottola phoned him personally. This troubled Carey as she feared that her music would become "too schmaltzy" like his work with Houston. After meeting each other, the pair held a writing session at the city's Hit Factory studio where Walden heard Carey's voice for the first time. While working on some uptempo tunes, he believed she needed a slower, melodramatic song. Influenced by recordings such as Chuck Jackson's "I Don't Want to Cry", Walden began singing a concept to Carey. They composed the melody and wrote the chorus to "I Don't Wanna Cry" with two microphones and a keyboard. Carey subsequently completed the remaining lyrics. "I Don't Wanna Cry" was recorded at Tarpan Studios and The Plant Studios in California. Carey sought to redo licks multiple times during the process, to which Walden initially agreed. After she recorded more vocals, Walden refused to incorporate them because he felt the record was complete. Mottola encouraged Carey to follow Walden's advice but acknowledged her discontent. Retrospectively, he considers Carey's experiences with Walden how "her whole issue of feeling controlled" came into being. Her relationship with Mottola later ended due to his controlling nature, and she never collaborated with Walden again. Carey reflected on her experience in 2015, stating, "The label was very excited for me to work with him because of his collaborations with hugely successful vocalists... it was very important for me to keep my identity as a songwriter." Composition and lyrics "I Don't Wanna Cry" is a torch song in the form of a Latin soul-influenced pop ballad. Like many recordings, it references the act of crying due to a tearful circumstance. The lyrics are simple and concern the demise of a romantic relationship: "Though I've given you my heart and soul / I must find a way of letting go / 'Cause baby, I don't wanna cry." Dorothy Marcic views them as an example of the progression of womens' societal role