Classic Pop Icons

Roy Orbison’s biggest hit “Oh, Pretty Woman” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Oh, Pretty Woman” was released in August 1964, backed with “Yo Te Amo Maria.” It wouldn’t appear on an album until the November 1965 release of “Orbisongs – Roy Orbison,” which came out in November 1965.

Roy Orbison released “Oh, Pretty Woman” as the popularity of the British bands was exploding around the world but, unlike some of his 1950s contemporaries, he was not swept away by this tide. There are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, Orbison had achieved his biggest successes in recent years, rather than the now bygone mid-’50s, so perhaps wasn’t as strongly associated with the first wave of rock ‘n’ roll. He was also never an artist who would qualify as a pin-up, so didn’t suffer so much at the hands of the fickle tastes of teenage girls. His credibility was also boosted by the fact that some of the biggest groups on the planet were open in their admiration for him – Orbison would tour with the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in the mid-1960s. Lastly and, most significantly, Roy Orbison was at his creative peak in this period and making some all time great records. “Oh, Pretty Woman” was the most successful of the lot.

Roy Orbison with The Beatles and Gerry & The Pacemakers

The bulk of the song was written in super quick time in response to a joke by Orbison’s songwriting partner, Bill Dees, with whom he had penned the recent UK number one “It’s Over.” Orbison’s wife, Claudette, was going to the store and Roy asked her if she needed any money. Dees quipped that “A pretty woman never needs any money,” or something to that effect. Within an hour or so they had most of the song written. The only tricky part was coming up with the “What do I see?/ Is she walking back to me?” ending, which Dees has said took a day-and-a-half to get right.

“Oh, Pretty Woman” begins with a strong snare drum in 4/4 time, before one of the most recognisable riffs in pop history kicks in. Roy then drives the song along with his incomparable voice, offering up moments of both bravado and vulnerability, and including the trademark growls that, along with “Mercy!”, would always delight audiences when the song was performed live. In December 2008, Dee told NPR about how the word “Mercy” came to be included in the song:

Mention should also be made of the harmony vocal (by Bill Dees), which works perfectly against Roy’s main melody line.

Although the song never really went away, it had a particularly strong revival in the early 1990s when it became the title track of the wildly successful movie “Pretty Woman,” starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. In 1999, “Oh, Pretty Woman” was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and in 2007 it was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

“Pretty Woman” – Roy Orbison

The live version of “Oh, Pretty Woman” from the acclaimed television special “Roy Orbison and Friends – A Black and White Night” won Orbison a posthumous Grammy in 1991 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, although there were certainly better vocals from Roy that night.

“Pretty Woman” (live) – Roy Orbison and Friends

Authorship

“Oh, Pretty Woman” was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees.

Recording date/location

“Oh Pretty Woman” was recorded on August 1st, 1964 at Fred Foster Sound Studios, Nashville TN. The session also produced the B-side “Yo Te Amo Maria”.

Musicians

The following musicians appear on “Oh, Pretty Woman”:

• Roy Orbison – vocals
• Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy and Wayne Moss – guitars
• Floyd Cramer – piano
• Henry Strzelecki – Fender Jazz bass
• Buddy Harman, Paul Garrison – drums
• Bill Dees – harmony vocals.

Some sources also credit Grady Martin as a guitarist on the track, and Bob Moore on bass.

Chart performance

“Oh, Pretty Woman” became Orbison’s second and final US number one when it topped the Billboard Hot 100 on September 20, 1964. His previous number one was “Running Scared” in 1961.

“Oh, Pretty Woman” repeated the chart topping feat in many other countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia.

Covers

“Oh, Pretty Woman” – Van Halen

Van Halen reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982 with their cover of “Oh, Pretty Woman,” which was also featured on their album “Diver Down.” With Eddie Van Halen’s taste for strong riffs, it’s no surprise that he was drawn to the song. His trademark guitar sound beefs up the recording, and David Lee Roth does a fair job behind the mic, but it lacks the charm of the original.

“Oh, Pretty Woman” – Chris Isaak

Chris Isaak is a big fan of Roy Orbison and that shows on his 2011 cover of “Oh, Pretty Woman,” which is on the deluxe edition of his rock ‘n’ roll album “Beyond The Sun.” Isaak pays homage to Orbison with a solid recording, which remains faithful to the original. There are no surprises here.

“Oh, Pretty Woman” – Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty

Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty had a lot of fun with their “Oh, Pretty Woman” duet at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009. Both deliver a sincere and enthusiastic performance, if a little ragged in places.

There will be a new Song of the Week on June 18.

Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” is available on numerous compilations. Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” is available on numerous compilations. The 2011 “Monument Singles Collection” is available as a single CD or a 2CD/DVD edition.

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Roy Orbison – The Monument Singles Collection (2 CDs/1 DVD)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Roy Orbison – Monument Singles: A Sides (CD)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now