NOTE:  'Crying' featuring k.d. Lang was a UK hit in 1992

.. 'I Drove All Night' re-charted at UK #47 in 1993


Year 1956 1959 1960 1960 1961 1961 1961 1961 1962 1962 1962 1962 1963 1963 1963 1963 1964 1964 1964 1964 1965 1965 1965 1965 1966 1966 1966 1966 1966 1966 1966 1967 1967 1968 1968 1969 1969 1980 1985 19881988198919891989 1989 1992 1992

Song Title Ooby Dooby ............................................................... Uptown ..................................................................... Only the Lonely ........................................................... Blue Angel .................................................................. I'm Hurtin' .................................................................. Running Scared ........................................................... Crying ........................................................................ Candy Man ................................................................. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) ........................... The Crowd ................................................................. Leah ......................................................................... Workin' For the Man .................................................... In Dreams .................................................................. Falling ........................................................................ Blue Bayou ................................................................. Mean Woman Blues ..................................................... Pretty Paper ............................................................... Borne on the Wind ...................................................... It's Over .................................................................... Oh, Pretty Woman ...................................................... Goodnight .................................................................. (Say) You're My Girl ..................................................... Rideaway ................................................................... Crawling Back ............................................................. Breakin' Up is Breaking My Heart .................................... Distant Drums ............................................................. Twinkle Toes ............................................................. Lana ......................................................................... Too Soon to Know ..................................................... There Won't Be Many Coming Home ............................. Communication Breakdown ........................................... So Good .................................................................... Cry Softly Lonely One .................................................. Walk On .................................................................... Heartache .................................................................. My Friend ..................................................................Penny Arcade ............................................................. That Lovin' You Feeling Again <w/ Emmylou Harris> ........ Wild Hearts ................................................................ Crying <w/ k.d. Lang> ................................................ Handle With Care <w/ Traveling Wilburys> ..................... End of the Line <w/ Traveling Wilburys> ....................... You Got It ................................................................. She's A Mystery to Me ................................................. California Blue ............................................................. I Drove All Night ......................................................... Heartbreak Radio ........................................................

US #56 #72 #2 #9 #27 #1 #2 #25 #4 #26 #25 #33 #7 #22 #29 #5 #15 - #9 #1 #21 #39 #25 #46 #31 #81 #39 - #68 - #60 - #52 - - - - #55--#45#63#9- - #74 -

CAN - - #2 #14 #27 #1 #3 #25 #8 #25 #19 #19 #7 #29 #14 #14 #9 - #29 #1 #14 #20 #12 #2 #2 - #26 - #71 - #19 - #21 #93 #89 - - - -#2#6#11#1#13 #75 #22 #31

UK - - #1 #11 - #9 #25 - #2 #40 - #50 #6 #9 #3 #3 #6 #15 #1 #1 #14 #23 #34 #19 #22 - #29 #15 #3 #18-#32--#44#35#39-#76#13#21#52#3#27 #77 #7#36

I really loved Orbison's late 80s comeback.  Shame he passed on around the same time :\'(

For me:
♦ 1960 - Only the Lonely
♦ 1988 - Handle Wth Care (that whole Traveling Wilburys album was fantastic!)
♦ 1989 - You Got It

Born 23 Apr 1936, Texas ... died Dec 6th, 1988. Just 52. His voice was just as excellent as it had been in his 60's heyday. You could hear that was the case on 'California Blue', and those other late 80's songs.

Tough to pick just 3.

'In dreams' has to be in there ... but I'm talking the version he recorded on the excellent 'A black & white night' video/dvd ... with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Steven Soles, Timothy B. Schmit,  k.d. lang, Jennifer Warnes, and Bonnie Raitt.  Admirers of his who were in the audience included Kris Kristofferson, and Billy Idol.

Read about this excellent video here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Orbison_and_Friends,_A_Black_and_White_Night

It was great to see the look on Bruce Springsteen's face .. who appeared to be in awe/admiration  whilst Roy was singing. Terrific stuff!

The next one is very tough .... I think between 'It's over' and 'Crying'. I have done the latter quite a few times at karaoke ... and gotten a fantastic response from the audience a number of times.  My voice isn't good enough though to tackle 'It's over' ... so I'd say that's the tougher range / a more challenging song ... and believe it's brought tears to my eyes before ... so I'll go for that one. The other reason I'll go for it, is because I think 'Crying' will do OK in this poll .. and doesn't need my support of its greatness. If nobody voted for Crying ... I'd choose it over 'It's over' ... but again, I'm talking the version from the video (above).

Finally, California Blue .. to have something from his later years .. and 'cause I like the song a lot too. EDIT .. after further reflection, I think 'Handle with care' has more going for it ... so, I'll pick that instead.

In summary, for me:

. In dreams

. It's over

. Handle with care

:) 8)

In summary, for me:

. In dreams

. It's over

. Handle with care


Excellent choices, sir!

Orbison's vocals on 'Handle With Care' made that song the great classic that it was.  It's a shame he didn't get to hang around to appear on the follow-up Wilbury's record 'Traveling Wilburys 3' :\'(

He did provide backing vocals for Tom Petty's 1989 album 'Full Moon Fever' which is unofficially classified as the 2nd Wilbury's album

Excellent choices, sir!


Wow! 'sir!'. What a well mannered young man this Jason is!  :)  8)

I know, I know  :( :-http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8712/orbisonptf9.jpg  < ->  http://www.inthe00s.com/avatars_custom/avatar_9529.png

Identical twins?  ???

It's these ->  8)  that do it!

:D

I simply like all his record, and for the moment I cannot pick out a particular favourite.

Almost a year later, why not resurrect this poll LOL

I've always liked "Running Scared", "Blue Bayou", "Crying", and "You Got It".  :)

"Mean Woman Blues," "Pretty Woman," " I Drove All Night"  and "You Got It" are my faves. 

I've heard a lot of Roy Orbison, and I still have to go with "Only the Lonely."

He was a strange cat.  They exploited him in his later years, I thought.