In the first week of October, 1964, Roy Orbison had his second (and final) #1 hit with the song most associated with him: ‘Oh, Pretty Woman.’
This was long before Van Halen has a Top 20 hit with the track in 1982, and even longer before Julia Roberts became a household name starring in a movie of the same name in 1990.
Orbison wrote the song (along with partner Bill Dees) about his then wife, Frady, while she stepped out for a shopping trip. I’m not sure what she bought, but proceeds from the song he wrote when he was gone certainly covered the cost.
Sadly, Frady died in a motorcycle accident two years later.
Old songs. Great memories.
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Pretty woman, walking down the street
Pretty woman, the kind I’d like to meet
Pretty woman, I don’t believe you
You’re not the truth
No one could look as good as you
Mercy!
[Verse 2]
Pretty woman, won’t you pardon me?
Pretty woman, I couldn’t help but see
Pretty woman, that you look lovely as can be
Are you lonely just like me?
Rwar-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r
[Middle-Eight]
Pretty woman, stop a while
Pretty woman, talk a while
Pretty woman, give your smile to me
Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah
Pretty woman, look my way
Pretty woman, say you’ll stay with me
‘Cause I need you, I’ll treat you right
Come with me, baby, be mine tonight
[Verse 3]
Pretty woman, don’t walk on by
Pretty woman, don’t make me cry
Pretty woman, don’t walk away, hey
[Outro]
Okay
If that’s the way it must be, okay
I guess I’ll go on home, it’s late
There’ll be tomorrow night, but wait
What do I see?
Is she walking back to me?
Yeah, she’s walking back to me
Oh, oh, pretty woman
A classic, though I must confess I’ve never been a fan of Orbison’s voice and, probably sacrilegiously, prefer the Van Halen version.
love this song in the movie.