Maps of Music

There Is Only One Roy Orbison (1965)

Where the lyrics of There Is Only One Roy Orbison take you, and where it was really made.

The album's "Claudette" was recorded after Orbison had divorced the wife who inspired its lyrics.

Key places

Recorded at RCA Studios, Nashville (1965)

Recording site Nashville — This album was recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville. The pin marks the city centre, not the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

There Is Only One Roy Orbison: seventh album by Roy Orbison, and his first for MGM Records
Released July 1965, available in both stereo and mono
Includes a studio recording of "Claudette", a song Orbison wrote that became a hit for the Everly Brothers in 1958
Single "Ride Away" taken from the album
Diablo Records reissued it on CD on 5 October 2004, paired with Orbison's 1966 album The Orbison Way
The 2015 box set The MGM Years 1965-1973 also contains it

Background

In 1965 Orbison was riding high with "Oh, Pretty Woman", No. 1 globally
His Monument contract was due to expire in June 1965
Orbison was interested in Hollywood and signed to MGM Records for $1 million, three albums per year from 1965 to 1985
Half of the money went to Decca's London Records
He was also looking for freedom when he signed with the label
Monument producer Fred Foster and manager Wesley Rose disagreed over whether to keep Orbison

Recording

Recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville
Produced by Wesley Rose & Jim Vienneau

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.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

Variety described the album as "an excellent performance", and noted it "features a solid group of contemporary ballads"
Billboard called it "a first-rate fashion destined" and named "Ride Away" and "I'm in a Blue Mood" as standout performances
Cash Box praised Orbison's song styling and his skill as a composer
Record Mirror called it "a good LP" and praised the vocals as really good

Reappraisal

Richie Unterberger of AllMusic called it "unimpressive"
He noted that Orbison moved away from the rock and roll base of his early-1960s hits toward Nashville country and western on most of the LP

Records

UK album chart: No. 10
US chart: No. 55 (No. 41 on Cash Box, Top 30 on Record World)
Single "Ride Away" reached No. 25 in the US, No. 12 in Australia and No. 34 in the UK

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

Trivia

Orbison had divorced Claudette by the time he recorded "Claudette" in 1965, though she had inspired the lyrics.
They reconciled in 1966, before her death in a motorcycle accident that June near Galatin, Tennessee.
Bear Family put "Ride Away" on its 2001 Orbison 1955-1965 box set.
The 2015 box set The MGM Years 1965-1973 holds 12 of his MGM studio albums and 1 compilation, and includes this album.
Cash Box called "Ride Away" a rhythmic teen-angled ode about a somewhat ego-oriented lad who cuts-out on romance.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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