Suggestions for someone trying to be a Roy Orbison completist

So my two disc set for "Most Famous Hits : The Album" arrived...

Comments... looks like something you'd find at a gas station on the interstate (e.g. Love's)
Low budget release, aimed at truck drivers searching for something to play in the cab.

Amazingly, the tracks from the "Living Legend" film are an upgrade (with respect to sound) over what I ripped from the
DVD. So it was worth the 10 or so bucks I spent on it. Now only one of the 10 songs I have in my ersatz digital (Itunes)
album for the soundtrack LP doesn't belong ("You Were There" still has film talking at the front of the song - because that's how
it was on the bonus DVD)

Anyone care to venture an educated guess when the live material for "Most Famous Songs: was recorded ?

I'm guessing 1986 - but that's purely a guess.

The comment on the packaging about the live tracks is (unintentionally) hilarious ("concert recordings but digitally reworked")

OK....

 

As documented in my catalog, the 4 - awefull - overdubed songs from "Living Legend" were first issued in 2001.



For long, those were the only available versions...

After Roy's passing, some live bootlegs were released, with a generally very bad sound (on Polygram, by example). These CDs are really need to be ignored.



In 1999, we finally got a definitive and official release of these bootlegs.

 

Unsure if it's on the comps that have been mentioned, but Roy's cover of "Life Fades Away," written by Glenn Danzig, is a must: Life Fades Away

 

The movie version (only availabe at the end of the movie "Less than Zero") is better than the album version. Too bad it never had a proper release!

 

I was going to recommend Anthology as well but Bespin already did. It also has a nice live version of "Pretty Paper" with an strings overdub.

I was never happy with the way Anthology was marketed. There's nothing to indicate that there are some alternate versions on it like the previously mentioned Pretty Paper, That Lovin' You feeling Again, and if I remember correctly an alternate of Walk On (I think that was from a BBC recording) and the overdubbed Ooby Dooby.

I hope more Roy performances get released on DVD, I have an 80s era concert on VHS that I never saw on DVD and I recently purchased a R4 version of Bandstand that features Roy from I think 1965 or 66 (and a separate show featuring The Everly Brothers).

 

The Anthology [CD]
You Got It – Walk On – That Lovin' You Feelin' Again [solo version] – Crying [1987] – Oh, Pretty Woman [Black & White Night Live, 1987] – Running Scared [Combo Concert, Holland 1965] – Ooby Dooby [overdubbed 1955 version] – Only The Lonely [Combo Concert, Holland 1965] – Dream Baby [Black & White Night Live, 1987] – Pretty Paper [overbubbed live version, 1964] – It's Over [1987] – Blue Bayou [Live, 197?] – In Dreams [Black & White Night Live, 1987]. Orbison Records, 1999.

The Pretty Paper beautiful overdubbed versions was first released in 1998, on a Christmas compilation.

Pretty Paper [1964/overdubbed live version] – Anthology CD, Orbison Records (1999); Holiday Heroes (1998, KOCH, KOC-CD-8800)

 

Here's the new thing, to be released in february!

Expanded Edition of Roy Orbison's Iconic 'Black & White Night' Concert Film & Album Coming for 30th Anniversary
Expanded Edition of Roy Orbison's Iconic 'Black & White Night' Concert Film & Album Coming for 30th Anniversary: Exclusive »

 

I finally got my own copy of the compilation "Rare Orbison II".

It's still the only way to get "Tired Old Country" on CD. Same for the two MGM unreleased track "Mother" and "Boogie Baby".

 

I'm disappointed that the MGM singles and B-sides disk is not available as a single disk purchase. I am not shelling out for the entire MGM box just for 8 or so songs you can't find elsewhere.

 

A great singer and songwriter. I saw him on stage back in the sixties. He sang for little over 30 minutes (which was the norm for performers back then - even the Beatles) but he was outstanding.

 

Roy Orbison is one of those artists that I just have to listen to whenever his name comes up on this forum. Listening to CD2 of the Soul Of Rock N Roll set right now.

 

Recently picked up this German import on vinyl.



Darryl

 

When the MGM box was released, I wound up purchasing that plus the other available albums on CD, and wound up getting everything except for Orbisongs and King of Hearts. I thought that King of Hearts was going to be re-released. And I figured that surely the one album that has "Pretty Woman" would be re-released on something besides a twofer CD that contains an extra album that I already possess.

What's the latest news on Roy Orbison's catalog? Are Roy's Boys still doing anything?

 

Well the MGM Boxset offers more than just the B-Sides disc. The whole MGM catalog has been remixed using the multitrack tapes. The presence of the "Fastest Guitar Soundtrack" is also welcome on this boxset.

And sorry to say that if you are looking for the original versions of those two B-side singles, the box features alternates...

- How Do You Start Over [1969/alt/unreleased] (that's a version where the band make a mistake near the end)
- Tennessee Owns My Soul [1969/alt/unreleased]

The right version of "How Do You Start Over" can be found on many CDs: The Platinum Collection (2004); Love Songs (2002, EMI); Best Of His Rare Classics (1991, Curb, D2-77481).

For "Tennessee Owns My Soul", the alt version appears to me, to be better than the original... which was never properly released on CD yet. To be honest, let say, we don't really care! ;-)

 

Normally, a remastered (and expanded) version of "King of Hearts" originally released in 1992, would be the "next" thing. When? I don't know.

For the Monument Material, the 2001 Bear family boxset (Orbison 1955-1965) is still the reference... but it has yet to be reissued in a more economical way by Roy's Boys...

They released a Monument boxset on vinyl in 2013... Wondering what they wait to make a CD version (and add the few singles missing from the LP box).

 

I don't really care about the remixes, though they would probably be nice to have, I just want the MGM songs that were never available on CD before without paying an arm and a leg.

 

I actually have this album because I'm a Bristow Hopper fan. I mean, I love Roy, but wouldn't normally seek out budget label exploitation releases, but for the Hopper tracks.

Anyway, anyone know for which label these Orbison tracks were originally recorded?



Edit: this album was also released with different cover art under the title "Problem Child," which is the version I have.

 

Those recordings are from the Sun Records period (1956/57).

 

I like the Orbiting with Roy Orbison art and title. The Sun years are not his strongest IMO, so don't give up on Roy if it's not to your taste, as he has much better material.

 

I believe Roy has a few "cameo" appearances on Ringo Starr's 2003 album 'RingoRama' in the form of his trademark "grrrrroooowwwwlllll" and "mercy"on the song "Memphis In Your Mind" (below) and also on a bonus track "I'm Home" included on the deluxe edition.

Memphis In Your Mind:


I'm Home:
I'm Home

 

I've got the Classic reissues of Crying and Lonely and Blue, the MoFi of Mystery Girl and Sings Lonely and Blue, the DCC Lp of All Time Greatest Hits, Rhino's The Sun Years and a few lesser titles, including a still sealed "Fastest Guitar in the West."

As I said, I love me some Orbison, but Roy's not why I bought Problem Child.

 

Samples? Roy died in '88.

 

Regarding the Sun Records era (which is not my favourite), you will find mixed candies on CD... Poor sound, in-your-face sound, the real singles songs mixed with strange demos... that's a little bit the far-west here.

If you want to seriously dig in that era... this UK CD (that is maybe rare now), is THE ONLY ONE TO GET (don't jugde it by it's cover). That's the real sound of Roy from that era... And it contains the real released stuff, no demos (well except one maybe, because he really should have been released!) ;-)


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roy-Orbison-Mono-Unprocessed-Original/dp/B00HZNK3BQ

 

Vinyl the 'Monument Singles' set is on my wantlist.
Roy Orbison - The Monument Singles Collection (1960-1964)

Would like to see a set on vinyl exclusive of his MGM singles.

Darryl

 

Don't buy that ****. These are not the real mono versions, they just downgraded the stereo version into mono ones.

They thought they could surf on the "mono" craze started by the Beatles Mono boxsets... they failed. We are fans, but were not fools.