If Roy Orbison would have been more attractive do you think he would have been bigger than Elvis?

[LostInAnomie]

Nobody in that era had a voice like him, but he was ass ugly. Stage fright aside, do you think he could have been bigger than Elvis?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. For some of us,

he was always bigger than Elvis.................

[MissMillie]

6. +1

I could listen to Roy Orbison all day.

Elvis? The only Elvis I'll listen to is Elvis Costello.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yes. Definitely. Though I think Elvis has an incredible voice that could do anything.

[JeanGrey]

3. Not a chance. Elvis was the King and always will be.

The one thing that struck me when I saw him in person was how powerful his voice was, and how much range he had.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Orbison is Gerhig to Elvis's Ruth. Both great. But different. nt

[JeanGrey]

5. I'll go with that. I always loved Orbison as well.

[EndersDame]

7. What Orbison songs should I check out ?

I only know about Ooby Dooby and Pretty Woman

[abq e streeter]

9. Leah, It's Over, Running Scared, Mystery Girl (written by Bono--BEAUTIFUL song)

( actually I think the previous song might actually be titled She's a Mystery to Me , but it's from his great, posthumously released 1989 album Mystery Girl).....Mean Woman Blues,Blue Bayou,In Dreams, Only the Lonely ( do you know Springsteen's Thunder Road?---"Roy Orbison singing for the lonely"),Dream Baby,You Got It ( also from Mystery Girl)

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9MAXR4K3ac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdVdaqaXsH0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCpBVilFSbw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-uCMRiAT0U

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e3Wu8lP0WE

[EndersDame]

14. Thanks abq!

As always you never disappoint with your music knowledge. You totally rock!

[abq e streeter]

18. you're very welcome;(and unfortunately, at 58, I only partially rock... but I still try)

also, I hate to not take full credit for being a musical encyclopedia ( of certain eras and genres) but many DUers of a similar frighteningly advanced age could have easily come up with most or all the songs I did...but no matter who turned you on to those songs, I hope you've listened to them (or plan to check em out soon), and enjoyed( or, again, will enjoy) at least some of them. And I also am hoping that these first days of being alone for a little while are going all right, and that you're staying busy and keeping in mind that it's just for a little while, even though it'll no doubt seem like forever some times. Your geezer DU buddy, abq e streeter.

[MAGICBULLET]

20. yep, he was amazing

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3iFY_ULLkw>

"In the Real World" is also a powerful one

[abq e streeter]

21. hadn't heard that one in a while-- thanks..... and really, the whole album is great

not a bad song on it. I still remember finding it ( in cassette form) at a truck stop around Kingman, Arizona. Hadn't heard it, but figured, hey it's Roy Orbison and it's 3.99$ (or whatever); gotta buy it... Somehow lost it a few years later, so you tube has been a godsend for being able to hear stuff from that somewhat unknown, but magnificent album...I was fortunate enough to see Roy; just once, but did see him, at the New Mexico State Fair in 85 or 86. I'll always be eternally grateful to be able to say yes, I saw Roy Orbison.

[Captain Hilts]

17. Wasn't Crying Game originally an Orbison song? I think so...nt

[SteppingRazor]

8. Basic rule of music: Anyone in the Traveling Wilburys is awesome.

Of course, the exception that proves the rule is Jeff Lynne.

[DevonRex]

23. Agreed. nt

[abq e streeter]

10. No---Whatever "it" is, beyond looks, Elvis had it...

although I do recall one of his contemporaries saying something along the lines of "that's the PURTIEST man I've ever seen". I don't think Orbison was ugly either; although certainly not matinee idol handsome either...Both were magnificent singers and I like the analogy above to Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. And Orbison was still doing C&W with the Wink Westerners when Elvis, Scotty and Bill launched into an impromptu version of that's All Right Mama, and the whole world changed forever...And a lot of those good ol boys ( "drinkin whiskey and rye") in West Texas heard Elvis, and their world went kablooie too. Roy turned the Westerners into The Teen Kings ; Buddy Holly , and a host of lesser known country boys did the same with their music, just like how all those "hillbilly" singers flocked to Sam Philips' studio in the wake of Elvis. Elvis was the nuclear ( excuse me, nucular) explosion and everyone else was the fallout. ( not to denigrate the black R&B artists without whom none of this would have been possible, but in 1950's America, sadly, it DID take a white man to spread this music across the land, but, at least at the beginning, Elvis Presley did this with freshness, originality and musical integrity ).

[michreject]

11. Naw

If Lyle Lovett can make it without looks, any decent voice can.

[MajorChode]

12. Before the MTV age, looks didn't matter so much

I think this is rather sad because music goes in your ear, not in your eye (to paraphrase from Lewis Black).

Elvis was a phenomenon because he was one of the first to be able to make it into both music and film and both fed from each other to propel his popularity much more so that talent alone could have done in either. As poor as Elvis' acting skills were, I'm not sure Roy Orbison could have done the same regardless of his looks. Elvis had a persona that transcended looks alone. Lots of butt ugly singers made it to super stardom. As far as country music was concerned, I think ugly was a highly desirable attribute.

Roy Orbison's career went down the drain for a variety of reasons. I'm sure his wife and son's deaths played a big part in that, as well as the revolution in the music industry that happened in the 60's. Clearly his voice was better than Elvis, and even Elvis himself I'm sure would have admitted as much.

[Brother Buzz]

13. If he had worn an eye patch and talked like a pirate...

his career would have skyrocketed into the stratosphere.

[lillypaddle]

15. Mick Jagger

has done pretty well, and he's not exactly a pretty boy!

[rcrush]

16. I think Elvis was just as ugly.

[gmoney]

19. For years, I thought Roy was blind...

Back in the 70s or 80s, pre-internet, you'd almost never see a picture of Roy without very dark shades, and I don't recall ever seeing him doing anything but standing on a stage playing. He was so stiff, I thought it was because he was afraid of bumping into something. Jose Feliciano was more animated than Roy!

But yeah, Roy was a little square looking, and stiff and had kind of a funny name, so his success was in spite of his image due to making quality music.

I'd estimate Elvis' success was 70% about looks and charisma and stage presence, and probably 30% about his singing. But that's what rock and roll is largely about... an image and an attitude.

The army and Col. Tom killed Elvis before we really got to see what he could do musically. The 68 special kind of hinted that there could have been a lot more there, but it was drowned by the need for money.

[DeepBlueC]

25. his glasses had a huge prism in them

you could see the rings in glasses like that so dark lenses obscured that. I think it is why. I saw his glasses and god they were thick.

[TheKentuckian]

22. All else being equal he still wouldn't be the kind of charismatic figure

Equal or better talent doesn't always translate to being more of a star. Orbison just wasn't that kind of showman and I think his music was probably too complex/had too much depth to package the same way.

[DeepBlueC]

24. he sure was creepy

I met him backstage when I was in high school and he looked even worse in person. Hair phony-black and possibly not even his, pasty skin and massively thick glasses. I could barely look at him while I was shaking his hand because I thought the revulsion might show. But whoa did he sound great! And his wife was a long haired blonde about a foot and a half taller than he was and sort of pretty but not outstandingly so.