Only the Lonely

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This article is about the Roy Orbison song. For other uses, see Only the Lonely (disambiguation).
"Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)"
Single by Roy Orbison
from the album Lonely and Blue
B-side "Here Comes That Song Again"
Released May 1960
Genre Rock and roll, pop
Length 2:24
Label Monument 45-421
Writer(s) Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
Producer(s) Fred Foster
Roy Orbison singles chronology
"Up Town"
(1959)		 "Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)"
(1960)		 "Blue Angel"
(1960)

"Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)" is a 1960 song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson.[1] Produced by Fred Foster for Monument Records it became the first major hit for Orbison. As an operatic rock ballad, it was a sound unheard of at the time except It's Now or Never by Elvis Presley, described by the New York Times as expressing "a clenched, driven urgency".[1] It is seen as a seminal event in the evolution of Rock and Roll. Released as a 45rpm single by Monument Records in May 1960, "Only the Lonely" went to No. 2 on the United States Billboard pop music charts on 25 July 1960 (blocked by Brenda Lee's "I'm Sorry") & No. 14 on the Billboard R&B charts.[2] "Only the Lonely" reached Number One in the United Kingdom, a position it achieved on 20 October 1960, staying there for two weeks (out of a total of 24 weeks spent on the UK singles chart from 28 July 1960).[3] the personnel who were featured on the original recording included Orbison's session regulars Buddy Harman on drums, Floyd Cramer on piano and Bob Moore on bass with Hank Garland and Harold Bradley on guitar.

In 1999, "Only the Lonely" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.[citation needed] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 232 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[citation needed]

Cover versions

In 1969, country singer Sonny James recorded the song and had a number-one hit on the Billboard country music charts.[4]

In 1996, Rock singer Chris Isaak recorded the song, for his album Baja Sessions.

In popular culture

  • Orbison's version of his song has been used in motion pictures, including The Love Letter (1999) and Only the Lonely (1991).[5]
  • Bruce Springsteen references the song in his 1975 song "Thunder Road", but Orbison's influence ran deeper than just a passing mention. When inducting Orbison into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, Springsteen said, "In '75, when I went into the studio to make Born to Run, I wanted to make a record with words like Bob Dylan that sounded like Phil Spector, but most of all I wanted to sing like Roy Orbison." Springsteen originally intended to begin his album with an alarm clock followed by Orbison's song playing over the radio.[6]

References

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  6. ↑ Barker, Derek (2009). Liner notes to Bruce Springsteen's Jukebox: The Songs that Inspired the Man [CD]. Chrome Dreams.

8.^http://www.discogs.com/Roy-Orbison-The-Monument-Singles-Collection-1960-1964/release/3646494

External links

Preceded by UK number-one single (Roy Orbison version)
October 20, 1960 (2 weeks)		 Succeeded by
"It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley
Preceded by Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single
(Sonny James version)
March 8-March 22, 1969		 Succeeded by
"Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass"
by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos
Preceded by RPM Country Tracks number-one single
(Sonny James version)
April 28, 1969
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