72 - Roy Orbison Sings

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1972 studio album by Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison Sings is the sixteenth album recorded by Roy Orbison and the ninth for MGM Records, released in May 1972. Around this time, Orbison`s hit singles had well and truly dried up, but this album is said to be one of his finest.

The album was released on compact disc for the first time by Diablo Records on October 25, 2004 as tracks 1 through 11 In a pairing of three albums on one CD with tracks 12 through 33 consisting of the others album being Orbison`s Last 2 MGM Album from November 1972, Memphis, and from September 1973, Milestones.[3] The Roy`s Boys was included in a box set entitled The MGM Years 1965-1973 - Roy Orbison, which contains 12 of his MGM studio albums, 1 compilation, and was released on Deember 4, 2015.[4]

History

The album was recorded during various sessions, starting in August 1969, then at various times during 1970 and 1971. Around this time Orbison`s former composer Joe Melson returned to Orbison after Melson was writing songs on his own.

Reception

Bruce Eder of AllMusic described the album as "amazingly consistent album" and noted " his voice at its strongest and most confident, whether on romantic ballads such as "God Love You" or "Rings of Gold," or on slightly more country-flavored numbers like "Plain Jane Country (Come to Town)." He achieves new heights of drama and soaring vocal purity on "Harlem Woman," and jumps to a bouncy, acoustic guitar-driven country-pop number on "Cheyenne.", "Changes"[1]

Billboard selected the album for a "Pop Special Merit" review, and called it "His best LP shot"[5]

Track listing

Side one

1. "God Love You" (Roy Orbison, Joe Melson) (Arr: Joe Tanner)
2. "Beaujolais" (John Carter, Tim Gilbert)
3. "If Only for a While" (Bill Dees, Larry Henley) (Arr: Jim Hall)
4. "Rings of Gold" (Gene Thomas) (Arr: Joe Tanner)
5. "Help Me" (Orbison, Melson) (Arr: Jim Hall)
6. "Plain Jane Country (Come to Town)" (Eddy Raven)

Side two

1. "Harlem Woman" (Orbison, Melson) (Arr: Bergen White)
2. "Cheyenne" (Carter, Gilbert)
3. "Changes" (Orbison, Melson) (Arr: Joe Tanner)
4. "It Takes All Kinds of People" (Orbison, Mike Curb) (Arr: Don Peake)
5. "Remember the Good" (Mickey Newbury) (Arr: Joe Tanner)

Side One:

Tracks 1, 5 Produced by Joe Melson & Roy Orbison

Track 2 Produced by Don Gant

Tracks 3, 4, 6 Produced by Wesley Rose

Side Two:

Tracks 1, 3 Produced by Joe Melson & Roy Orbison

Track 2 Produced by Don Gant

Track 4 Produced by Mike Curb

Track 5 Produced by Wesley Rose

European track listing

Side one

1. "Changes"
2. "Harlem Woman"
3. "Cheyenne"
4. "Yesterday`s Child" (originally appeared on Roy Orbison`s Many Moods) (Roy Orbison, Bill Dees)
5. "It Takes All Kinds of People"
6. "Beaujolais"

Side two

1. "God Love You"
2. "If Only for a While"
3. "Help Me"
4. "Plain Jane Country (Come to Town)"
5. "Rings of Gold"
6. "Remember the Good"

Released on London Records