Search - Roy Orbison :: Singles Collection

Will whet your appetite for Roy's MGM Recordings

Robert Miller | Eastern USA | 12/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some of the reviews seem mixed up - this cd is a Polydor release of Roy's singles from 1965-1973, the MGM years. Years ago, I saw the Thompson Twins on tv singing Hold Me Now. My reaction to them was "If this guy doesn't care what he's singing about, I surely don't care either." The antithesis of garbage like that was the emotion packed singing of Roy Orbsion. It wasn't his operatic voice alone that made him so great, it was his distilling of Mexican Music, R&B, Country and classical. The typical view is that only Roy's Monument recordings are worthwhile and the MGM recordings suck. WRONG! He recorded some weak tracks like The Crowd at Monument and strong tracks at MGM such as the ones found on this cd. Listen to the mid-60's rave up Twinkle Toes with it's fuzz guitar. Listen to Born to be loved by you - a fun, rollicking almost Euro-pop song that suggests Jay & The Americans. Listen to the Mexican influenced Heartache, the ambitious, psychedelic Southbound Jericho Parkway - a grand production. She cheats on me is a horn enhanced Memphis style production. So Young and Remember the good are classics in the style of Roy's Cryin'. In short, this wonderful collection offers a great variety of fine material. Some of it is absolutely stunning (especially So Young). If you buy it, you'll probably want to get your hands on every single MGM recording of his. My only complaint is that this collection avoided any songs from Roy's movie Fastest Guitar Alive. Still, this is better than the Rhino MGM collection. Five stars all the way."

The MGM Hits

09/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here are the Billboard Pop Hot 100 results for all 22 tracks cut at MGM after leaving Monument in 1965: 1] Ride Away [# 25 in late summer 1965]; 2] Crawling Back [# 46 in December 1965]; 3] Breakin' Up Is Breakin' My Heart [# 31 in February 1966]; 4] Twinkle Toes [# 39 in May 1966]; 5] Too Soon To Know [# 68 cover of a Don Gibson 1957 recording in August 1966]; 6] Communication Breakdown [# 60 in December 1966/January 1967]; 7] So Good [uncharted in 1967]; 8] Cry Softly Lonely One [# 52 in August 1967]; 9] She [uncharted in 1967]; 10] Born To Be Loved By You [uncharted in 1967]; 11] Walk On [uncharted in 1968]; 12] Heartache [uncharted in 1968]; 13]Southbound Jericho Parkway [7:00 long and uncharted in 1969]; 14] Penny Arcade [uncharted in 1969]; 15] She Cheats On Me [uncharted in 1970]; 16] So Young [uncharted in 1970]; 17] (Love Me Like You Did) Last Night [uncharted in 1971]; 18] God Love You [uncharted in 1972]; 19] Remember The Good [uncharted in 1972]; 20] Memphis, Tennessee [uncharted in 1972]; 21] Blue Rain (Coming Down) [uncharted in 1973]; 22] I Wanna Live [uncharted in 1973].



In addition there are five pages of liner notes written by noted author Colin Escott and a discography of the contents. This is one that should be re-issued by those concerned as it is the only one to offer up all the A-side MGM hits. Truly an essential volume for any devoted Roy Orbison fan."