“Orbison 1955-1965” by ROY ORBISON. A Comprehensive Review of the 2001 Bear Family 7CD Box Set with Added 7" and LP Discographies.

"…No One Can Look As Good As You…Mercy!”

The 7CD retrospective “Orbison 1955-1965” was released August 2001 on Bear Family BCD 16423 GL in Germany and contains 199 tracks. Included are remastered mono and stereo LP and 7” single cuts, his 1st ever Acetate, Coke adverts from the 1960’s and many previously unreleased outtakes and alternate versions (majority are stereo). It was produced by Howard Cockburn, Richard Weize and John Beecher with Tape Research, Transfers and Mastering by Adam Skeaping, Howard Cockburn, Richard Weize and “Boppin’ Bob Jones. The details are many, so here goes…

CONTENTS:
Disc 1, 29 Tracks, 62:48 minutes
Disc 2, 26 Tracks, 58:29 minutes
Disc 3, 17 Tracks, 72:48 minutes
Disc 4, 27 Tracks, 68:39 minutes
Disc 5, 28 Tracks, 73:58 minutes
Disc 6, 24 Tracks, 66:58 minutes
Disc 7, 38 Tracks, 79:21 minutes
(28 to 38 on Disc 7 are Coke Adverts, all Previously Unreleased)

This box will allow you to sequence the A&B sides of 34 singles – 1 on Je-Wel, 1 on Imperial by Weldon Rogers (B-side only), 5 on Sun (one of them is a re-issue), 2 on RCA, 1 on Phillips International by Ken Cook (A-side only), 1 on London Germany (both A&B versions are exclusive to this release), 1 on London UK (the A-side version is exclusive to this release), 20 on Monument, 1 on MGM Records (A-side only) and 1 UK-only 4-Track EP on CBS/Monument from 1983.

The Sun and Monument albums from the period are all here too (complete) along with all or parts of relevant subsequent LP/CD releases. In the list below, it should also be noted that 1 and 3 to 9 were issued in ‘both’ Mono and Stereo on original LP – but in all cases Bear Family have used ONLY the STEREO versions (2 was only ever issued in Mono).

1. “Lonely And Blue”
(Monument SM-14002, Stereo, 1961)
2. “Roy Orbison At The Rock House”
(Sun Records SLP-1260, Mono, 1961)
3. “Crying”
(Monument SM-14007, Stereo, May 1961)
4. “Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits”
(Monument SM-14009, Stereo, August 1962)
5. “In Dreams”
(Monument SLP 18003, Stereo, July 1963)
6. ”More Of Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits”
(Monument SLP 18024, August 1964)
7. “Early Orbison”
(Monument SLP 18023, Stereo, October 1964)
8. “There Is Only One Roy Orbison”
(MGM Records SE 4308, Stereo, September 1965)
[Note: only the opening track of Side 1 and his 1st single on the label is featured – “Ride Away”]
9. “Orbisongs”
(Monument SLP 18035, Stereo, December 1965)

Other/Subsequent releases:
10. “Special Delivery” [by Roy Orbison, Joey Powers & Bobby Bare]
(1964 USA LP on RCA Camden)
11. “The Roy Orbison Collection”
(1983 UK 2LP set on CBS/Monument MNT 10041 with a bonus 4-Track EP (XPS 178))
12. “Problem Child – Sun Sessions 1956-8”
(1988 UK LP on Zu-Zazz Records Z 2006 with 12 Previously Unreleased Sun Sides)
13. “Rare Orbison II”
(1990 USA CD on CBS AK 45404
14. “The Golden Decade”
(Knight Records ROYCD 47002, 1990 UK 3CD Set)
15. “Are You Ready – Previously Unissued 1956 Recordings” [by THE TEEN KINGS]
(2000 UK CD on Rollercoaster RRCD 3012 – all 17 tracks featured)

PACKAGING:
It’s housed in a 12” x 12” hard card box with a 104-page ‘hardback’ book of the same dimensions. Pages 4 to 66 are a beautifully written appraisal of his career and legacy by noted musicologist COLIN ESCOTT which is peppered with exclusive black & white and colour photographs. Pages 68 to 83 has a brand new Discography by Bear Family’s own RICHARD WEIZE which pictures those lovely Sun labels and between text features Trade Magazine reviews, session photos, record company tape boxes and master sheets, the Beatles and Roy Orbison Tour poster, his first acetate from 1955 etc. But it’s finished off in real style by a 6-page array of worldwide releases on 7”, EP and LP in eye-catching colour followed by Sheet Music covers and several beautiful full-plate colour photographs of Roy at home. Very, very nice…

Niggles; my biggest gripe is the cover photo which I think is rubbish – and worse it’s unfortunately repeated on the book cover and amazingly on every single one of the CD inlays. With so much at their disposal and being such a huge release for a genuinely important artist – you’d think surely better could have been done?
The discography gives every Monument 7” single as having an ‘MO’ prefix (MO 461, MO 815 etc) when they are all 45-461 and 45-815, the Sun LP isn’t referenced at all, the worldwide pictures don’t tell you what is from what country (no catalogue numbers either), LPs and CDs referenced in the discography aren’t pictured, catalogue numbers turn up without any hint as to what they are (XPS 178 is a 4-track EP in a British-only 2LP release in 1983!).
Also – for the casual buyer - getting all of the Monument albums on separate CDs and the Sun stuff will probably only cost you about £50 – so that’s an awful lot of money in 2010 for deluxe packaging and Coke adverts! But in real terms – these are only niggles…

“Orbison 1955-1965” is expensive for sure, but as with all of these hugely sumptuous box sets from Bear Family, it has exclusive musical rarities, a very comprehensive newly formed discography and presentation–wise is a genuinely beautiful thing to behold. A legendary amount of work and affection has gone into this release - and it shows. All this - and the sound quality is fabulous too.

Just get a better photo next time Richard!

PS: Below is a full discography of both the 7”s and LPs (referencing the entire box)

PPS: see also my reviews for 4 other BF box sets
– Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Nellie Luther and Louis Jordan

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ROY ORBISON - USA 7” SINGLE DISCOGRAPHY (1955 to 1965)
Referencing the 7-CD Box Set “Orbison 1955-1965” issued in 2001 on Bear Family BCD 16423 GL

Notes:
1/2 = Disc 1, Track 2
2/14 = Disc 2. Track 14 etc
Excepting 1, 4, 8 and 25 - all tracks are credited to ROY ORBISON
(9 to 19 also feature “Bob Moore’s Orchestra & Chorus”; 21 features “Joe Turner’s Orchestra and Chorus”)

1. Trying To Get To You b/w Ooby Dooby (April 1956, Je-Wel JE-101)
(Credited to THE TEEN KINGS - A is 1/2, B is 1/1
The A is a cover version of a B-side sung by a black vocal group called THE EAGLES on Mercury 70391 in 1954 (“Please, Please” is the A) – it was also covered by Elvis Presley who released his version on the RCA LP “Elvis Presley” on 23 March 1956. Roy’s version is more akin to the Presley take.)

2. Ooby Dooby b/w Go! Go! Go! (May 1956, Sun 242)
(A is 1/3, B is 1/4)

3. So Long, Good Luck And Goodbye b/w Trying To Get To You (July 1956, Imperial X5451)
(A is credited to WELDON ROGERS (a Country Artist); THE TEEN KINGS featuring Roy Orbison are on the B-side only)

4. Rockhouse b/w You’re My Baby (September 1956, Sun 251)
(A is 1/7, B is 1/6)

5. Devil Doll b/w Sweet And Easy To Love (January 1957, Sun 265)
(Credited to ROY ORBISON And The Roses – A is 1/9, B is 1/8
Both sides are written by SAM PHILLIPS)

6. Chicken-Hearted b/w I Like Love (December 1957, Sun 284)
(A is 1/13, B is 1/14)

7. Sweet And Innocent b/w Seems To Me (October 1958, RCA Victor 47-7381)
(A is 2/11, B is 2/12)

8. Jolie b/w Almost Eighteen (January 1959, RCA Victor 47-7447)
(A is 2/14, B is 2/15)

9. I Was A Fool b/w Crazy Baby (1959. Phillips International PI 3534)
(Credited to KEN COOK.
Roy Orbison is uncredited, but plays Guitar and Sings on the A-side; the session also includes CHARLIE RICH on Piano, BILLY RILEY on Guitar and BILL JUSTIS on Tenor Saxophone.
A is on 2/10 – the B-side is not on the Box set)

10. Paper Boy b/w With The Bug (July 1959, Monument 45-409)
(A is on 4/1, B is on 4/3
Note: there are many Previously Unreleased Outtakes of these songs on Disc 7)

11. Uptown b/w Pretty One (November 1959, Monument 45-412)
(A is on 4/4, B is on 4/6)

12. Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) b/w Here Comes That Song Again (June 1960, Monument 45-421)
(A is on 4/8, B is on 4/9)

13. Blue Angel b/w Today’s Teardrops (October 1960, Monument 45-425)
(A is on 4/11, B is on 4/10)

14. Devil Doll b/w Sweet And Easy To Love (November 1960 Reissue, Sun 353)
(Not referenced on the Box Set – presumably the same as Sun 265)

15. I’m Hurtin’ b/w I Can’t Stop Loving You (December 1960, Monument 45-433)
(A is on Disc 4/19, B is on 4/18)

16. Running Scared b/w Love Hurts (April 1961, Monument 45-438)
(A is on 4/23, B is on 4/22 – B-side is a cover of The Everly Brothers hit)

17. Crying b/w Candy Man (August 1961, Monument 45-447)
(A is on Disc 5/4, B is on 5/7)

18. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) b/w The Actress (February 1962, Monument 45-456)
(A is on 5/19, B is on 5/20)

19. The Crowd b/w Mama (June 1962, Monument 45-461)
(A is on 5/22, B is 5 is on 5/23)

20. Leah b/w Workin’ For The Man (October 1962, Monument 45-467)
(A is on 5/25, B is on 5/26)

21. In Dreams b/w Shahdaroba (February 1963, Monument 45-806)
(A is on 6/3, B is on 6/2)

22. Falling b/w Distant Drums (June 1963, Monument 45-815)
(A is on 6/1, B is on 5/28. Note: “Distant Drums” also turned up as a B-side for “Let The Good Times Roll” on Monument MO 906 in 1965)

23. Mean Woman Blues b/w Blue Bayou (September 1963, Monument 45-824)
(A is on 6/9, B is on 5/15)

24. Pretty Paper b/w Beautiful Dreamer (December 1963, Monument 45-830)
(A is on 6/13, B is on 6/7. Note: the A-side is a WILLIE NELSON song while the B-side is also a cover, a version of STEPHEN FOSTER’s famous traditional tune)

25. It’s Over b/w Indian Wedding (April 1964, Monument 45-837)
(A is on 6/15, B is on 6/16)

26. Oh’ Pretty Woman b/w Ye Te Amo Maria (August 1964, Monument 45-851)
(Credited as ROY ORBISON and THE CANDY MEN. A is on 6/17, B is on 6/18. Note: there is also a Stereo Version of “Oh, Pretty Woman” on 7/1 from the Stereo LP “Orbisongs” on Monument SLP 18035 from 1965)

27. Goodnight b/w Only With You (February 1965, Monument 45-873)
(A is on 6/20, B is on 6/19)

28. (Say) You’re My Girl b/w Sleepy Hollow (August 1965, Monument 45-891)
(A is on 6/21, B is on 6/23. Note: the box has two versions of “Sleepy Hollow” 6/21 is the “Fast” version while 6/22 is the “Slow” - but confusingly the discography lists BOTH as Monument 891. The “slow” version is also on the Stereo LP “Orbisongs” from 1965, so I’ve ‘presumed’ that the “Fast” version (6/21) is therefore the single mix?)

29. Ride Away b/w Wonderin’ (September 1965, MGM Records K 13386)
(A is on Disc 6/24, B isn’t on the Box set)

30. Let The Good Times Roll b/w Distant Drums (1966, Monument 45-906)
(A is on 5/14, B is on 5/28. Note the same version of “Distant Drums” was used on Monument MO 815 in 1963 – see 21)

31. Lana b/w Summer Song (1966, Monument 45-939)
(A is on Disc 5/1, B is on 4/25)

32. FREE EP
(CBS/Monument XPS 178 – Comes With “The Roy Orbison Collection” from 1983 on CBS/Monument MNT 10041)
Yes [5/13]/How Are Things in Paradise [5/10]/Party Heart [5/16]/Darkness [4/20]

Note: other Non-USA 7” singles referenced in the box are:

1. “San Fernando (Shahdaroba)” b/w “Mama” (1963, Germany, London DL 20 726, 6/11 and 6/12)
2. “Borne On The Wind” b/w “What I’d Say” (UK-only 45, 1964, London HL-U 9845, the A-side only is exclusive – it’s 7/6)


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ROY ORBISON - USA LP DISCOGRAPHY
(Referencing the 7-CD Box Set “Orbison 1955-1965”
Issued 2001 in Germany on Bear Family BCD 16423 GL)

Notes:
[1/2] = Disc 1, Track 2
[2/14] = Disc 2. Track 14 etc

1. “Lonely And Blue”
1961 USA LP on Monument M-4002 [Mono] and SM-14002 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version

Side 1:
1. Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) [4/8]
2. Bye-Bye, Love [4/15]
3. Cry [4/17]
4. Blue Avenue [4/7]
5. I Can’t Stop Loving You [4/18]
6. Come Back To Me (My Love) [4/13]

Side 2:
1. Blue Angel [4/11]
2. Raindrops [4/5]
3. (I’d Be) A Legend In My Time [4/14]
4. I’m Hurtin’ [4/19]
5. Twenty Two Days [4/16]
6. I’ll Say It’s My Fault [4/12]
Note: the version of “Twenty Two Days” that appears on the LP “Orbisongs” from 1965 is different to the version above – the “Orbisongs” version is 7/2

2. “Roy Orbison At The Rock House”
1961 USA Mono-Only LP on Sun LP 1260
Info only – the box set references the 7” singles – not the overdubbed LP cuts which are largely different

Side 1:
1. This Kind Of Love
2. Devil Doll
3. You’re My Baby
4. Tryin’ To Get To You
5. It’s Too Late
6. Rock House

Side 2:
1. You’re Gonna Cry
2. I Never Knew
3. Sweet And Easy To Love
4. Mean Little Mama
5. Ooby Dooby
6. Problem Child

3. “Crying”
May 1961 USA LP on Monument M-4007 [Mono] and SM-14007 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version

Side 1:
1. Crying [5/4]
2. The Great Pretender [5/6]
3. Love Hurts [4/22]
4. She Wears My Ring [5/3]
5. Wedding Day [5/12]
6. Summer Song [4/25]

Side 2
1. Dance [4/27]
2. Lana [5/1]
3. Loneliness [4/26]
4. Let's Make A Memory [4/21]
5. Nite Life [4/24]
6. Running Scared [4/23]

4. “Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits”
August 1962 USA LP on Monument M-4009 [Mono] and SM-14009 [Stereo]
(It was re-issued in 1963 as Monument SLP-18000; the box set references this STEREO version)
* = First appearance on this LP
** = Previously only available as a 7” single

Side 1:
1. The Crowd [5/22] **
2. Love Star [5/18] *
3. Crying [5/4]
4. Evergreen [5/17]
5. Running Scared [4/23]
6. Mama [5/23]

Side 2:
1. Candy Man [5/7]
2. Only The Lonely [4/8]
3. Dream Baby [5/19]
4. Blue Angel [4/11]
5. Uptown [4/4]
6. I'm Hurtin' [4/19]

5. “In Dreams”
July 1963 USA LP on Monument MLP 8003 [Mono] and SLP 18003 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version

Side 1:
1. In Dreams [6/3]
2. Lonely Wine [6/6]
3. Shahdaroba [6/2]
4. No One Will Ever Know [5/21]
5. Sunset [5/5]
6. House Without Windows [5/8]

Side 2:
1. Dream [6/4]
2. Blue Bayou [5/15]
3. (They Call You) Gigolette [5/11]
4. All I Have To Do Is Dream [6/8]
5. Beautiful Dreamer [6/7]
6. My Prayer [6/5]

6. “More Of Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits”
July 1964 USA LP on Monument MLP 8024 [Mono] and SLP 18024 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version
* = First appearance on this LP
** = Previously only available as a 7” single

Side1:
1. Blue Bayou [5/15]
2. Borne On The Wind [5/27] *
3. Falling [6/1] *
4. In Dreams [6/3]
5. Indian Wedding [6/16] *
6. It's Over [6/15] **

Side 2:
1. Lana [5/1]
2. Leah [5/25] **
3. Mean Woman Blues [6/9] **
4. Pretty Paper [6/13] **
5. What'd I Say [6/10] *
6. Working For The Man [5/26] **


7. “Early Orbison”
October 1964 USA LP on Monument MLP 8023 [Mono] and SLP 18023 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version

Side 1:
1. The Great Pretender [5/6]
2. Cry [4/17]
3. I Can't Stop Loving You [4/18]
4. I'll Say It's My Fault [4/12]
5. She Wears My Ring [5/3]
6. Love Hurts [4/22]

Side 2:
1. Bye Bye Love [4/15]
2. Blue Avenue [4/7]
3. Raindrops [4/5]
4. Come Back To Me (My Love) [4/13]
5. Summer Song [4/25]
6. Pretty One [4/6]

8. “There Is Only One Roy Orbison”
September 1965 USA LP on MGM Records E 4379 [Mono] and SE 4308 [Stereo]
The box set only has one song off this album, the opening track on Side 1 “Ride Away” (also his debut 7” single for MGM [6/24])

9. “Orbisongs”
December 1965 USA LP on Monument MLP 8035 [Mono] and SLP 18035 [Stereo]
The box set uses the STEREO version
* = First appearance on this LP
** = Previously only available as a 7” single

Side 1:
1. Oh, Pretty Woman [7/1] (the 7” single mix on Monument 45-851 is on 6/17)
2. Dance [5/2] (the version on the “Crying” LP is 4/27)
3. (Say) You're My Girl [6/22] (there is also a “Fast” version of this track on 6/21)
4. Goodnight [6/20] **
5. Nite Life [7/4] *
6. Let The Good Times Roll [5/14] **

Side 2:
1. (I Get So) Sentimental [5/24] *
2. Yo Te Amo Maria [6/18] **
3. Wedding Day [5/12]
4. Sleepy Hollow [6/23] **
5. Twenty Two Days [7/2] * (the version on the “Lonely And Blue” LP is on 4/16)
6. (I'd Be) A Legend In My Time [4/14]

Other LPs/CDs referenced…

10. “Special Delivery” [by Roy Orbison, Joey Powers & Bobby Bare]
1964 USA LP on RCA Camden CAL 820 [Mono] and CAS 820 [Stereo]
Several of the Mono tracks are referenced

11. “The Roy Orbison Collection”
1983 UK 2LP set on CBS/Monument MNT 10041 (includes a free 4-track EP, CBS/Monument XPS 178 – these 4 tracks are referenced on the box – see singles list)

11. “Problem Child! – Sun Sessions 1956-8”
1988 UK LP on Zu-Zazz Z 2006
(12 previously unreleased tracks)

13. “The Big O – The Early Years”
1989 UK 23-Track CD on Pickwick PWK 107

14. “Rare Orbison II”
1990 USA CD on CBS AK 45404

15. “The Golden Decade”
1990 UK 3CD set on Knight Records ROYCD 47002 (re-issued in 1993 on Sequel NXTCD 246)

16. “Are You Ready – Previously Unissued 1956 Recordings” [by THE TEEN KINGS]
2000 UK CD on Rollercoaster RRCD 3012 (all 17 tracks are referenced)