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Roy Orbison at the Rock House (1961)

Where the lyrics of Roy Orbison at the Rock House take you, and where it was really made.

Orbison wrote most of the songs on this album, yet the writing credits went to Sun boss Sam Phillips.

Key places

Where the Sun songs were recorded (1961)

Recording site Sun Studio — Orbison recorded these songs at Sun from 1956 to 1958; Sam Phillips later used them for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Roy Orbison at the Rock House: first album by Roy Orbison on the Sun Records label
• Released in 1961 in mono
• Released after Orbison had already moved to the Monument label
• Most songs written by Orbison, but songwriting credits assigned to Sam Phillips
• Songs in Sun's traditional rockabilly style
• "Rock House" credited to Orbison and Jenkins
• Every track except "Devil Doll" overdubbed with background vocals or additional instruments

Background

• Sun Records owner Sam Phillips held songs Orbison had recorded at Sun from 1956 to 1958
• Phillips aimed to capitalize on the national recognition Orbison gained at Monument
• Orbison's three major hit singles of 1960 and 1961 went to the top of the Billboard charts

Recording

• Core recordings are the Sun sessions from 1956 to 1958
• Overdubs of background vocals or additional instruments added to all tracks except "Devil Doll"
• Credited lineup: The Teen Kings; Roy Orbison on lead vocals and lead guitar
• James Morrow on electric mandolin, Jack Kennelley on double bass, Johnny Wilson on acoustic guitar, Billy Pat Ellis on drums
• The Four Roses provided backing vocals

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Roy Kelton Orbison (born April 23, 1936, Vernon, Texas; died December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist.
• He began singing in a country-and-western band as a teenager in Wink, Texas, formed the Wink Westerners in 1949 and later the Teen Kings.
• He was signed to Sun Records by Sam Phillips in 1956.

Career

• Known for a distinctive, powerful voice, complex song structures and dark, emotional ballads.
• Signed to Monument Records; from 1960 to 1966, 22 of his singles reached the Billboard top 40.
• Wrote or co-wrote almost all of his own top-10 hits, including "Only the Lonely", "Running Scared", "Crying" and "Oh, Pretty Woman".
• Suffered personal tragedies after the mid-1960s, including the deaths of his first wife Claudette and two sons, and his career faltered.
• Revived in the late 1980s after cover versions of his songs; co-founded the Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne in 1988.
• Died of a heart attack in December 1988 at age 52.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987; received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Billboard's 1961 reviewer said they enjoyed Orbison's exciting, rocking, dramatic style
• Cashbox's October 1964 review of The Exciting Sounds Of Roy Orbison said the album contains hits such as "Rock House" and "Devil Doll"
• Record World, reviewing the album as Roy Orbison - The Original Sound, said Orbison fans would find it an indispensable part of their collection

Reappraisal

• Bruce Eder of AllMusic called the album downright bracing and exciting
• Eder said it never succeeded at the time because songs like "You're Gonna Cry" and "Problem Child" were too intense and ambitious as rock and roll
• Eder pointed to too many changes and involved lyrics as the reason the audience did not embrace it en masse

Records

• UK release as The Exciting Sounds Of Roy Orbison in 1964
• Charted at number 17 for two weeks

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• In 1969 the album was retitled and rereleased in the USA as Roy Orbison - The Original Sound.
• In 2001 Bear Family included the album in its 1955-1965 Orbison box set.
• Avid Rock 'n' Roll later included it in the 3 Classic Albums Plus box set, released 3 February 2017.
• Of the album's tracks, only "Devil Doll" was not overdubbed.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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