Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This video was already linked at the Bass section, but i just thought it deserves a mention here as well...
Pretty woman - live

Nice bass.

I have always wondered why Roy Orbison wore dark glasses. I noticed in that video that you could actually see through the glasses. His eyes seemed to be shut quite a lot of the time when he was singing. Perhaps that's why he wore the glasses? Anybody have the real answer to that one?

The U.S. Navy's list of ten 'warning signs of drug abuse' contains the entry: "The wearing of sunglasses in inappropriate situations"...

Because he was Roy Orbison.

Brian: I am sure there must be a lot of stories about Roy and his sunglasses.

The one that I have heard is that Roy forgot his glasses during one of his early gigs. Apparently he did have bad vision and these were prescription sunglasses. The press who covered this performance made particular mention of Roy's "sun-glassed look."

So he went forward with this look as a "trademark" if you will. I am afraid that I don't have the documentation to support this story.

There's a popular "theory" around which suggests that sunglasses are cool while regular glasses are "uncool". As far as singing with the eyes closed is concerned... methinks, some singers may close their eyes because they're a bit shy and the audience bothers them; the others may do it in order to concentrate, etc. Could be many reasons.

That story Peter is correct it is documented in the book Dark Star

I'd heard the fact that his prescriptions were so thick, he was embarrassed by them, and that's why he chose to stay with the prescription sunglasses.

A cool story - about the recording of "Wilburys" -when Orbison was recording the vocals, the guys in the booth (I don't know who, Petty, the others)heard these amazing notes coming out from behind a screen where Roy was singing. So someone went down to have a peek and was surprised when, while hearing these big, operatic notes blasting through the monitors, saw that Roy was hardly moving his lips at all. Couldn't tell he was singing! That sound seemed to effortlessly flow out of him.

I love this place. Ask a question and viola you get the answer. Thanks Peter (and Roy for validating the story)

Gee... i've found the first video i've ever seen on TV, a long time ago - "You got it" - Voila!
Ah, sweet memories! I love youtube!

Great video Sheena - I believe that was released posthumously.
The Cd from which it comes - Mystery Girl - is excellent.
You Got It was written by Roy, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty...there are songs on that CD written by The Edge and Bono and Elvis Costello, production by Mike Campbell, T. Bone Burnett, Jeff Lynne and a who's who of session guys on it. Worth picking up even today.