Roy Orbison Base Collection
(Last update: 2007-03-03 )

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Base Collection | Songs Catalog 

I hope this site will allow you to dive more in depth into Roy Orbison musical universe. By the meantime, I would like to suggest some CD for those who wish to initiate themselves to the music of Roy Orbison or want to begin a collection.

1) SUN RECORDS

ORBY RECORDS SPOTLIGHTS ROY ORBISON
Several CD features material from the Sun recordings, this one offers I think the most enjoyable listening experience.

Tracks: Ooby Dooby – Trying to Get to You – (Go! Go! Go!) Down the Line – Sweet and Easy to Love – You're My Baby – Fool's Hall of Fame – It's Too Late – Domino – Chicken Hearted – I Never Knew – The Cause of It All – You Tell Me – A True Love Goodbye – Claudette.



2) MONUMENT YEARS

16 BIGGEST HITS
It's the best CD to discover and appreciate Roy Orbison in all it's glory.  Many compilations of the Monument recordings exist, but this one captures the essential and is truly a reference.

Tracks: Only the Lonely – Blue Angel – I'm Hurtin' – Running Scared – Crying – Candy Man – Dram Baby (How Long I Must Dream) – The Crowd – Leah – Working for the Man – In Dreams – Falling – Mean Woman Blues – Blue Bayou – It's Over – Oh, Pretty Woman.



3) MGM YEARS

THE SINGLES COLLECTION 1965 - 1973
This CD offers almost all the A-Sides that Roy Orbison recorded during his MGM contract.  It's the better way to discover this less succesfull and unkown period of Orbison career.  A period of Orbison life that was ponctuated by the loss of his wife Claudette in a moto accident and the loss of two of his childrens in the fire of his house few years later.

Tracks: Ride Away – Crawling Back – Breakin' Up Is Breakin' My Heart – Twinkle Toes – Too Soo To Know – Communication Breakdown – So Good – Cry Softly Lonely One – She – Born to Be Loved by You – Walk On – Heartache – Southbound Jericho Parkway – Penny Arcade – She Cheats on Me – So Young – (Love Me Like You Did) Last Night – God Love You – Remember the Good – Memphis, Tennessee – Blue Rain (Coming Down) – I Wanna Live.



4) 80's

MYSTERY GIRL
Released in 1989, in the months after his death, this original album was Orbison highest-charting album of his career.  It's Roy Orbison at his very best, a true comeback album. 

Tracks: You Got It – In the Real World – (All I Can Do Is) Dream You – A Love So Beautiful – California Blue – She's A Mystery To Me – The Comedians – The Only One – Windsurfer – Careless Heart.



KING OF HEARTS
This posthumous release contains some 80's non-LP singles and demo that where completed for this album.  It's an excellent follow-up to Mystery Girl that features the amazing duet "Crying" recorded with k.d. lang.

Tracks: You're The One [with k.d. lang] – HeartBreak Radio – We'll Take the Night – Crying [duet with k.d. lang] – After the Love Has Gone – Love in Time – I Drove All Night – Wild Hearts – Coming Home – Careless Heart [Original Demo].


5) LIVE RECORDINGS

A BLACK & WHITE NIGHT [CD & DVD]
It's the best-recorded Roy Orbison live disc ever issued.  At 51, Roy is vocally in exceptional shape, he's happy and he's with all his friends.  It's so wonderfull that this magical event has been captured like this!

Tracks: Only the Lonely – Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) – Blue Bayou – The Comedians – Ooby Dooby – Leah – Running Scared – Uptown – In Dreams – Crying – Candy Man – Go, Go, Go (Down the Line) – Mean Woman Blues – (All I Can Do Is) Dream You – Claudette – It's Over – Oh, Pretty Woman.



COMBO CONCERT - 1965 HOLLAND
Keep it simple: it's the ONLY live quality recording known to date that captures Roy Orbison essence from the 60's.  Soooo Great: RRROARRRR!!! :-)

Tracks: Only the Lonely – Running Scared –Crying – What'd I Say – Dream Baby – Mean Woman Blues – It's Over – Oh, Pretty Woman – Goodnight – Crying [*] – Dream Baby [*] – Blue Bayou [*] – Mean Woman [*] – Oh, Pretty Woman [*].  * Recorded at the Paris Olympia, 1965.