Roy Orbison - For The Lonely 18 Greatest Hits (18 tracks) +Album Reviews

Rock-solid collection

Zub | Forks Twp., PA | 02/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Equally adept with rockabilly, plaintive ballads and drum-pounding rock, Roy Orbison stayed on the charts for thirty years from the very beginning of the rock era. His greatest legacy though, comes from his soaring, gut-wrenching musical melodramas. Other than Gene Pitney, only Roy Orbison was able to achieve this kind of incredible power and pathos flowing from his songs, examplified by "Only the Lonely", "In Dreams", "It's Over" and the incomparable "Crying". This early CD-era release from Rhino brings together most of Orbison's biggest chart successes from his early years. With more than two dozen charted records to his credit, this can hardly be comprehensive but does offer a condensed cream-of-the-crop collection of hits. As it does not go beyond his Monument Records years, it includes none of his MGM recordings. And, having been produced in 1988, it does not include his 1989 revival hit, "You Got It". What it does offer, it presents superbly in excellent sound quality with tracks having been taken from the original mono (tracks one and two) or multitrack masters. Orbison's vocals and the instrumental backrounds come through in startling clarity. The musical backround provided by way of the liner notes booklet follows the period of the recordings on the CD but could have had a bit more backround on more of the tracks included on the CD. Of all the numerous Orbison Greatest-Hits CDs available, this is among the best and an excellent piece around which to build a more comprehensive Orbison CD collection."

Rhino Does It Right by the Big 'O'!

keds999 | Richmond, CA USA | 07/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Rhino introduced this collection a few months before Roy's passing in 1988, It was recognized as an instant classic collection. I and my parents were floored when we first heard the CD. I've always known that Rhino does a fantastic job with oldies reissues like Dionne Warwick, Jerry Butler, the entire TK Records catalog, and the ENTIRE Atlantic Records catalog among others. Each song is done with care and been remastered from 3 track tapes(mono)and 4 track stereo tapes and mixed it directly to digital. Which means to us that the tracks you hear are at their sonic and accurate peak. I've never heard the background instruments that clearly before, even down to the xylophone on "Crying", not to mention the fact that Roy's voice was even more distinct and at his best. Even the liner notes are good enough to give you an insight to the man behind the shades. Although I wish that Rhino would give a better listing to which take was the 'hit' and if it was presented in stereo for the first time. Although there are at least one or two greater compilations out there if you want his MGM and RCA years, but it's kinda pricey. If you just want his hits, then you don't need to look any further than this disc. It has all his best from his Sun years through his Monument years. From "Ooby Dooby"(Sun 1956) to "Oh Pretty Woman"(Monument 1964), you'll hear why he was known as a 'Singer's singer'. He also influences a lot of artists to this day. I would highly recommend this disc because of the GREAT sound and the price is just right for a collection 15 years after its release, is STILL considered one of the finest around. Great job, Rhino!!"

The cassette and vinyl version gets the five star rating

keds999 | 09/24/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 4 star rating might seem shocking, especially when 5 stars has seemed to be the rule. However, let's remember that this a truncated version of the 25 track vinyl and cassette release. Tracks such as Go!Go!Go!, Falling, and The Crowd are missing. And while the 18 tracks offered here are indeed his very best, and this is the only release that includes Sun recordings, with Roy Orbison less is not better.What makes this infuriating is the fact that the entire album and cassette could fit on one CD! The CD was to be the alternative to vinyl and cassette by having more disc space for bonus tracks. What's the point of this reverse rule-of-thumb by having the cassette verion be superior to the CD? Is it to force people to buy the cassette also, so they can get the seven bonus tracks? Note to Rhino: Why not rerelease the longer version on CD, newly remastered by CD sound wiz Bill Inglot.For now: Get the DCC version of All Time Greatest Hits, which includes superior sound, additional liner notes, and pics!!"

The classic collection of this Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

Paul Tognetti | Cranston, RI USA | 05/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In spite of the fact this this disc was released back in 1988, "For The Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits" remains one of the finest Roy Orbison anthologies ever issued. He achieved his initial success at Sam Phillips' Sun records way back in 1956 with his memorable recording of "Ooby Dooby". He bounced around for a few years before finally landing at Fred Foster's fledgling Monument Records in 1960. This was a match made in heaven. For the next five years Roy Orbison made some of the most memorable sides in rock and roll history.

"For The Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits" features a pair of his best recordings from his days at Sun including "Rockhouse" and the aforementioned "Ooby Dooby". The remaining 16 tracks are devoted to the Monument years. Oddly enough, his biggest hit of all time was one of his last at Monument. "Oh, Pretty Woman" went all the way to #1 in the late summer of 1964 and reportedly sold over 7 million copies! It remains one of the staples of oldies stations to this day! Among the other familiar hits you will find in this collection are "In Dreams", "It's Over", "Running Scared" and of course "Only The Lonely" from 1960. You might not be familiar with some of the lesser hits that are included but I would recommend to you "Working For The Man" and the wonderful "Uptown" which was his first single on the Monument label. I was also pleased to see Orbison's fine rendition of Willie Nelson's holiday classic "Pretty Paper" included here as well. For those who appreciate such things there is a nicely done 12 page booklet included for your enjoyment.

Roy Orbison left Monument records for what he hoped were greener pastures at M-G-M back in 1965. But despite the fact that he continued to churn out high quality material times had changed and Roy Orbison was simply out of tune with prevailing trends. He would be largely out of the limelight for the next two decades. Happily, Roy Orbison would be introduced to a whole new generation of fans in the late 1980's as a member of the Traveling Wilburys. We lost Roy Orbison unexpectedly in 1988 but the public honered him by making "You Got It" a surprise Top Ten hit shortly after his death.

No collection of classic rock and roll or American popular music for that matter can be considered complete without the biggest hits of Roy Orbison. This was actually one of the first discs I purchased when I bought my CD player back in 1988. And for my money, "For The Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits" remains the best Orbison collection around. Highly recommended!"

Rhino Creates Orbison Hits Collection Of Choice

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 08/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The final 24 months of Roy Orbison's life must have been among his most rewarding. His re-recorded greatest hits collection had gone gold and was nominated for a Grammy, inspiring Rhino's release of this hits set. He had had his "In Dreams" featured in the film "Blue Velvet," then starred in a memorable HBO special and "Saturday Night Live" appearance. Best of all, he had returned as a contemporary artist with the Traveling Wilburys and had a solo LP ready for release. His death those last days of 1988 may have been one last cruel trick on a performer who sang and lived many, or an exclamation point confirming his musical legacy.While not comprehensive, "For The Lonely" stands among the best Orbison collecions 12 years after his death. Credit this to Rhino's trademark stellar repackaging: an excellent Todd Everett essay discussing the creation of Orbison's hits and of his stoic image, Bill Inglot's remastering which raised hidden gems in Fred Foster's Monument Records productions (the staccato horns in "Running Scared," the near-classical, dreamlike strings in "Blue Angel," the boogie piano in "Dream Baby") while keeping Orbison's legendary voice at the fore. Most of all, its the songs, recorded at his vocal peak, from "Only The Lonely," to Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper" to the elegaic "Crying" and "It's Over," that makes Roy Orbsion's "For The Lonely" the collection of choice from one of music's most essential performers."

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