Lonely and Blue

This article is about the album by Roy Orbison. For the album by Etta Jones, see Lonely and Blue (Etta Jones album).
Sings Lonely and Blue
Studio album by
Roy Orbison
ReleasedJanuary 1961
RecordedSeptember 18, 1959 – September 17, 1960
StudioRCA Studio B, Nashville
GenreRock and roll
Length28:33
LabelMonument
ProducerFred Foster
Roy Orbison chronology
Sings Lonely and Blue
(1961) 		Roy Orbison at the Rock House
(1961)

Lonely and Blue is the debut studio album by Roy Orbison,[1] released on Monument Records in January 1961.[2]

The track entitled "Come Back to Me (My Love)" features an almost identical intro to "Only the Lonely" because this is where the vocal figure of "Only the Lonely" came from.[3] The Album also features Multiple covers songs from Don Gibson, The Everly Brothers, Gene Pitney, and Johnnie Ray"[4]

It entered the UK album chart two years later, on June 30, 1963 and reached number 14 over the course of eight weeks.[5]

The album was released on compact disc for the first time by Monument Records in 1993 as tracks 1 through 12 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 13 through 24 consisting of being Orbison 2nd Studio Album from January 1962, Crying.[6] Bear Family included also the album in the 2001 Orbison 1955-1965 box set.[7]

History

After a two-year stint at Sun Records, Roy Orbison signed up with RCA Records in 1958, but left after two singles. In early 1959 Orbison's manager Wesley Rose asked producer and owner Fred Foster if he was interested in signing him for Monument Records. Foster said yes. The album was recorded at RCA Studio B using two- and three-track tape machines.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]

Bruce Eder of AllMusic said that the album "packed with great moments and different permutations of that sound: the powerful lead vocal and the Boots Randolph sax break on "I'll Say It's My Fault"; the haunting Orbison-Melson "Come Back to Me (My Love)," a vest-pocket romantic melodrama sung with operatic depth and played to a light rock & roll beat; Don Gibson's "I'd Be a Legend in My Time", and "I Can't Stop Loving You".[8]

Billboard magazine gave a postive results, described the album as "a Spinnable Album"[10] Cashbox appreciated the effort. "Good material and a striking delivery add up to strong merchandise."[11] Variety gave the album a postive results, saying "Only The Lonely' [and] I'm Hurtin' are included here as well as some other Nashville orginated songs"[12]

Track listing

All tracks recorded 15–17 September 1960, except where indicated.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Only the Lonely" (March 25, 1960)Roy Orbison, Joe Melson2:26
2."Bye Bye Love"Felice & Boudleaux Bryant2:14
3."Cry"Churchill Kohlman2:41
4."Blue Avenue" (March 25, 1960)Roy Orbison, Joe Melson2:20
5."I Can't Stop Loving You"Don Gibson2:43
6."Come Back to Me (My Love)"Roy Orbison, Joe Melson2:27
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blue Angel" (August 8, 1960)Roy Orbison, Joe Melson2:51
2."Raindrops" (September 18, 1959)Joe Melson1:53
3."(I'd Be) A Legend in My Time"Don Gibson3:08
4."I'm Hurtin'"Roy Orbison, Joe Melson2:43
5."Twenty-Two Days"Gene Pitney3:07
6."I'll Say It's My Fault"Roy Orbison, Fred Foster2:21
2006 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Up Town" (1959 single)Orbison, Melson2:07
14."Pretty One" (B-side to "Up Town")Orbison2:18
15."Here Comes That Song Again" (B-side to "Only the Lonely")D. Flood2:44
16."Today's Teardrops" (B-side to "Blue Angel")Pitney, A. Schroeder2:12

References

  1. ^ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The Authorized Roy Orbison. Wesley Orbison, Alex Orbison, Jeff Slate (First ed.). New York: Center Street. p. 247. ISBN 978-1-4789-7654-7. OCLC 1017566749.
  2. ^ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The Authorized Roy Orbison. Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex,, Slate, Jeff (First ed.). New York: Center Street. p. 251. ISBN 9781478976547. OCLC 1017566749.
  3. ^ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017-10-17). The Authorized Roy Orbison. Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex (First ed.). New York. ISBN 9781478976547. OCLC 1005700738.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Kruth, John (2013). Rhapsody in black : the life and music of Roy Orbison. Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-4768-8679-4.
  5. ^ "Roy Orbison". Official Charts. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Sings Lonely and Blue/Crying". allmusic.com. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Orbison 1955-1965". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Roy Orbison – Lonely and Blue: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1062. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Pop Spotlight: Lonely and Blue". Billboard. January 16, 1961. p. 28.
  11. ^ "Album Popular Pick Reviews: Roy Orbison Sings Lonely and Blue". Cash Box. Vol. 22, no. 17. January 21, 1961. p. 30.
  12. ^ "Variety Album Reviews: Roy Orbison Sings Lonely and Blue". Variety. Vol. 221, no. 7. January 11, 1961. p. 46.