He tried throwing himself into work but his foray into the movies flopped and his songwriting dried up. Worse followed in 1968, when two of his sons died in a house fire. His wife, Claudette, was killed in a motorbike accident. He was soon in demand and hit followed hit right up to his biggest success in 1964, Oh, Pretty Woman. This mix of honest vulnerability and stoic masculinity transfixed his audience. Somehow, he recovers enough at the end to re-enter the fray in search of lover, regardless of the risk. By the time The Big O rips his heart apart hitting the high notes at the song’s climax, our hearts are broken too. The pain expressed feels complex and deeply personal, yet involving and inclusive at the same time. Orbison’s lead is gentle, unassuming, compelling the listener to pull up a chair and pay close attention. The backing vocals are a whisper, pushing the musicians right into the background. The song’s power is strengthened by being delivered with little force. His first hit, Only The Lonely set the tone. He began his career blending Country, Rockabilly and Rock & Roll at Sun Records, just like Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins, but it was at Monument Records in the first half of the sixties where he made his mark. He is credited with popularising the Rock & Roll Ballad and bringing splendour to the ‘Nashville’ sound. Roy Orbison is famous for his operatic vocal range, his emotive, melodramatic ballads and his tragic personal life.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |