# Roy Orbison **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231 "2011-07-25T02:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/1 "2011-07-25T02:05:27Z")
I’ve been peripherally aware of Big O for twenty-five years, at least, but didn’t have any of his stuff except with the Traveling Wilburys. Finally bought a compilation and paid attention. My god what a voice. It’s just… other worldly. My favorite song is probably Blue Bayou, but I’ve enjoyed digging deeper in the catalog. The early rockabilly stuff is fine, but he didn’t really find himself until he let himself get weird. “In Dreams” and “Crying” are two of the finest vocal albums I’ve heard, they are damn near perfect. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/2 "2011-07-25T02:16:36Z")
No Orbison thread would be complete without [Roy Orbison Wrapped in Clingfilm](http://michaelkelly.artofeurope.com/karl.htm) stories. Note: I have not had the nerve to actually read these things. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/3 "2011-07-25T02:27:32Z")
The only man I can think of who has a comparable voice today is Raul Malo. [Here’s his cover of Roy’s _Crying_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSZuMouUnlE&feature=related). [Here’s one I shot](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fUETlA30KI) of his original song _Matter Much To You_ ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/4 "2011-07-25T02:38:07Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > No Orbison thread would be complete without [Roy Orbison Wrapped in Clingfilm](http://michaelkelly.artofeurope.com/karl.htm) stories. > > Note: I have not had the nerve to actually read these things. You should – they are amusing (and not sexual). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/5 "2011-07-25T03:21:34Z")
I saw Roy here at the Austin Aqua Festival just few months before he died. He LOOKED absolutely ridiculous- he was fat and pushing 60, but was still dressing like a Fifties greaser. But I swear, his voice was at LEAST as good as it had ever been. He hit every note, and had me in tears a few times. Oddly enough, though, I thought Linda Ronstadt’s cover of “Blue Bayou” was better than Roy’s, mainly because I didn’t like the arrangements on Roy’s single. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/6 "2011-07-25T03:28:23Z")
I like her version too. Amusing footnote on Wiki page is that baseball players used to call a fastball a Linda Ronstadt because it “blew by you.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/7 "2011-07-25T04:00:50Z")
Notice in any videos you see of him that his mouth barely opens when that glorious voice comes forth. It’s astonishing in its effortlessness. In real life he was an insecure, pasty white, jug-eared myopic geek from west Texas. What’s weird is that he was a baritone, but had something like a three or four octave range. In my younger days, after a few drinks to loosen up the vocal chords, I could keep up with him, but that was a seriously exceptional voice. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/8 "2011-07-25T04:13:38Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > In my younger days, after a few drinks to loosen up the vocal chords, I could keep up with him… But just barely, and you silently congratulated yourself when you did without shifting into screechy falsetto. I know because I was states away doing the same thing. Discovered by Pat Boone. Only thing keeping Boone from The Wall. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/9 "2011-07-25T05:49:29Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > I like her version too. Amusing footnote on Wiki page is that baseball players used to call a fastball a Linda Ronstadt because it “blew by you.” Heh. Heh. I have Sony’s “The Show” MLB game for my PS3 and announcer Dave Campbell uses that phrase quite regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/10 "2011-07-25T06:17:30Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > “In Dreams” and “Crying” are two of the finest vocal albums I’ve heard, they are damn near perfect. Ah, one of my all time [favorite scenes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CSoWg3nBeU), ever. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/11 "2011-07-25T06:26:08Z")
An Aussie singer Damien Leith just released a tribute album to Roy’s music. He worked closely with Roy’s widow. a preview of the album and Damien talks about recording in Nashville. I’ve pre-ordered the album. Damien does an incredible job with Roy’s music. Making of and he talks about Roy’s influence on music [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/N34jC1OVC9s/hqdefault.jpg "Damien Leith - Making Of - Roy - A Tribute To Roy Orbison") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N34jC1OVC9s) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/12 "2011-07-25T06:42:03Z")
Damien Leith’s tribute to Roy is $9.99 for the Mp3 album. There’s a preview button for all the songs. [http://www.amazon.com/Roy/dp/B0058OMTNE/ref=sr\_1\_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1311575372&sr=8-8](http://www.amazon.com/Roy/dp/B0058OMTNE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1311575372&sr=8-8) I ordered the real CD from an Aussie seller on Ebay because it’s cheaper than Amazon. It seems like Import CD’s are always higher on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/13 "2011-07-25T09:57:04Z")
I’m sure I can look it up on Wikipedia anytime I want, but I don’t think any thread about Roy Orbison can be complete without acknowledging the incalculable pain and grieving his life must have been with regards to the death of his boys (in a house fire I believe?) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/14 "2011-07-25T10:30:53Z")
Or the tragic death of his first wife Claudette in a motorcycle crash in 1966. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/15 "2011-07-25T11:30:12Z")
Yep… that too. I can’t imagine how my life could ever have any happiness in it again, if that happened to me. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/16 "2011-07-25T12:56:14Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Ah, one of my all time [favorite scenes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CSoWg3nBeU), ever. Believe me, I do not need to click on that to know what it is. And there’s no coincidence when I say I was aware of Orbison’s music for about 25 years. Van Halen helped, too. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/17 "2011-07-25T13:05:09Z")
I recall Roy’s last comeback. He had a history of heart problems and looked so bad. Amazing that his voice was still strong as ever. I don’t think Roy expected to survive that tour. He introduced his incredible music to another generation of fans and he went out doing what he loved. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/18 "2011-07-25T13:07:18Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > I like her version too. Amusing footnote on Wiki page is that baseball players used to call a fastball a Linda Ronstadt because it “blew by you.” A friend of mine has a speedster character in a superhero game named Blue Bayou. ---
**Author:** ![rebeccasrevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@rebeccasrevenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rebeccasrevenge)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/19 "2011-07-25T13:56:01Z")
Roy Orbison.One word; sublime ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231/20 "2011-07-25T15:07:57Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Or the tragic death of his first wife Claudette in a motorcycle crash in 1966. He wrote a song about her, [recorded](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aroPvjmhu9g) and made a hit by The Everly Brothers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roy-orbison/590231.md?page=2)