Geir Rakvaag from Arbeiderbladet deemed it one of the "most tender ballads" of the album Red. Håkon Moslet from Dagbladet described it as "pompous handkerchiefpop of the best brand". Robert St. Dyrnes from Finnmark Dagblad called it a "sugarsweet ballad". A reviewer from Göteborgs-Tidningen declared it as a "tasty piano ballad".Göteborgs-Tidningen. 22 January 1998. Listen to Norway wrote that "When Susannah Cries" "comprises catchy refrains, suggestive bridges, a guitar solo, a dramatic crescendo (with heavenly strings from the Oslo Philharmonic and a closing finale on the piano". Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times said it is a "romantic weepy tune that should go down well with fans of sentimental pop ballads." He also noted that Lind "has a voice remarkably similar to Rick Price — powerful, plaintive and with the occasional surges into falsetto." Rune Slyngstad from Nordlandsposten called it a "kind pop-ballad with a huge exclamation mark behind the name George Michael." Geir Seljeseth from Nordlys described it as "powerful".
