Rock legend Roy Orbison would’ve been 81 today. To give Roy our best on his birthday, we’re going to take a look at the one song that many consider to be his best — “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
In the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, there were songs that are still known by their opening riffs. “Johnny B. Goode,” “Wooly Bully,” and “Twist and Shout” all leap to mind. But probably one of the most recognizable is the opening 5-note riff guitarist Billy Sanford belted out for Roy Orbison’s runaway hit, “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
Up to that point, Roy Orbison was known for his soulful ballads and slow dance numbers. “Crying” and “Only the Lonely” could be heard at proms and makeout hideaways across the country. But “Oh, Pretty Woman” was radically different.
Legend has it that Roy and his songwriting partner Bill Dees were hanging out at Roy’s house, trying to come up with some new songs. While they were working, Roy’s wife, Claudette Frady, strode into the room to let Roy know she was going shopping. “Do you need any money?” Roy asked. “I’m fine,” she replied, and left the room, her heels echoing on the floor.
Bill took the opportunity to tease his friend, “Man, don’t you know women don’t need money?”
Roy began to sing, “Pretty woman, walking down the street.” Bill slapped his hand on the table, matching the tempo of Claudette’s fading footsteps. Inspiration hit like a lightning bolt. By the time Claudette returned from her shopping, Roy and Bill had finished the song, “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
Many years later, Bill would look back with authors Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, still amazed by the speed at which the song came into existence. “We wrote ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ on a Friday, the next Friday we recorded it, and the next Friday it was out.”
“Oh, Pretty Woman” was officially recorded on August 1, 1964, at producer Fred Foster’s studio in Nashville. The master plan for the session included guitarists Wayne Moss, Jerry Kennedy, and Billy Sanford accompanying Roy while he played his Epiphone Bard acoustic 12-string into a microphone set off to one side. Fred Foster had other ideas.
“I wasn’t looking for a 12-string sound — I was looking for an electric sound,” Fred remembered. “When they were running it down for real, Jerry Kennedy said, ‘Man, this is so powerful. What would it be like if you opened up with one guitar, and when it repeats, add a guitar? When it repeats again, add another guitar?'” The riff heard ’round the world was born.
As they played, Roy felt that something was missing. “I feel like I need to say something while they’re playing [that guitar lick],” he told Bill Dees.
“Well, you’re always saying [the word] ‘mercy,’ why don’t you say mercy?” Bill replied. “You know, every time you see a pretty girl you say ‘mercy.'” And the rest, as they say, is history.
Born fast, produced fast, released fast. The momentum “Oh, Pretty Woman” enjoyed continued after its August 1964 release. By September 1964, Roy’s song stayed at #1 on Billboard’s US and UK charts for three weeks. He was the only American artist in 1964 to reach #1 on the UK charts. By October 1964, “Oh, Pretty Woman” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and ultimately sold more than 7 million copies worldwide.
Perhaps the real charm of “Oh, Pretty Woman” is the accessibility of the song. That unforgettable riff is beautiful in its simplicity. The universal story of “boy sees girl, boy falls for girl, boy and girl meet” is irresistible to musicians of any genre.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=6sBSLQIV1ME
Even Roy himself couldn’t resist revisiting the song that etched his name into the history of rock ‘n’ roll. On January 3, 1988, he put on a show for Cinemax, titled Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night. That night, Roy strolled onstage with a ridiculously loaded backup band: Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, James Burton, Glen D. Hardin, Tom Waits, k.d. lang, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, JD Souther, T Bone Burnett, Steven Soles, and Jennifer Warnes. During the performance, he delivered an unforgettable, 6-minute version of “Oh, Pretty Woman.” The concert would go down as one of Roy’s best, earning him a posthumous Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1991.
Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” will live on as a simple classic. From the song’s debut to Roy’s Cinemax performance, it is a true testament to the power of creative collaboration, and a perfect example of what can happen when a few musicians get together to make music.