Description
“Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and the Candy Men is one of the most recognizable rock and roll songs of the 1960s. Released in August 1964 by Monument Records, the song was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees and produced by Fred Foster. It was recorded on August 1, 1964, at Fred Foster Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and became one of Orbison’s signature hits.
Musically, “Oh, Pretty Woman” blends rock and roll and rockabilly with a powerful, instantly memorable guitar riff. The main instruments include electric guitars, piano, bass, drums, percussion, and saxophones. The recording featured several Nashville session musicians, including Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, and Roy Orbison on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Henry Strzelecki on bass, Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy on saxophones, Buddy Harman on drums, and Paul Garrison on percussion. Bill Dees also provided harmony vocals.
The song was a major commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for three weeks, and also topping the UK Singles Chart. It became Orbison’s second and final No. 1 single in the U.S. after “Running Scared.”
One of the most famous curiosities about “Oh, Pretty Woman” is its origin. The title was reportedly inspired by Orbison’s wife, Claudette, who said she was going out. When Orbison asked whether she had enough money, Bill Dees joked that “a pretty woman never needs any money,” giving them the idea for the song. Another curiosity is its later cultural impact: the track inspired the title of the 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and it was later connected to Pretty Woman: The Musical.
Lyrics
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!
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?
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
Pretty woman, don't walk on by
Pretty woman, don't make me cry
Pretty woman, don't walk away, hey!
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, pretty woman!
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Songs links
Specification
“Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and the Candy Men is one of the most recognizable rock and roll songs of the 1960s. Released in August 1964 by Monument Records, the song was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees and produced by Fred Foster. It was recorded on August 1, 1964, at Fred Foster Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and became one of Orbison’s signature hits.
Musically, “Oh, Pretty Woman” blends rock and roll and rockabilly with a powerful, instantly memorable guitar riff. The main instruments include electric guitars, piano, bass, drums, percussion, and saxophones. The recording featured several Nashville session musicians, including Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, and Roy Orbison on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Henry Strzelecki on bass, Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy on saxophones, Buddy Harman on drums, and Paul Garrison on percussion. Bill Dees also provided harmony vocals.
The song was a major commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for three weeks, and also topping the UK Singles Chart. It became Orbison’s second and final No. 1 single in the U.S. after “Running Scared.”
One of the most famous curiosities about “Oh, Pretty Woman” is its origin. The title was reportedly inspired by Orbison’s wife, Claudette, who said she was going out. When Orbison asked whether she had enough money, Bill Dees joked that “a pretty woman never needs any money,” giving them the idea for the song. Another curiosity is its later cultural impact: the track inspired the title of the 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and it was later connected to Pretty Woman: The Musical.
Specification
“Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and the Candy Men is one of the most recognizable rock and roll songs of the 1960s. Released in August 1964 by Monument Records, the song was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees and produced by Fred Foster. It was recorded on August 1, 1964, at Fred Foster Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and became one of Orbison’s signature hits.
Musically, “Oh, Pretty Woman” blends rock and roll and rockabilly with a powerful, instantly memorable guitar riff. The main instruments include electric guitars, piano, bass, drums, percussion, and saxophones. The recording featured several Nashville session musicians, including Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, and Roy Orbison on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Henry Strzelecki on bass, Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy on saxophones, Buddy Harman on drums, and Paul Garrison on percussion. Bill Dees also provided harmony vocals.
The song was a major commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for three weeks, and also topping the UK Singles Chart. It became Orbison’s second and final No. 1 single in the U.S. after “Running Scared.”
One of the most famous curiosities about “Oh, Pretty Woman” is its origin. The title was reportedly inspired by Orbison’s wife, Claudette, who said she was going out. When Orbison asked whether she had enough money, Bill Dees joked that “a pretty woman never needs any money,” giving them the idea for the song. Another curiosity is its later cultural impact: the track inspired the title of the 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and it was later connected to Pretty Woman: The Musical.
Specification
“Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and the Candy Men is one of the most recognizable rock and roll songs of the 1960s. Released in August 1964 by Monument Records, the song was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees and produced by Fred Foster. It was recorded on August 1, 1964, at Fred Foster Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, and became one of Orbison’s signature hits.
Musically, “Oh, Pretty Woman” blends rock and roll and rockabilly with a powerful, instantly memorable guitar riff. The main instruments include electric guitars, piano, bass, drums, percussion, and saxophones. The recording featured several Nashville session musicians, including Billy Sanford, Jerry Kennedy, Wayne Moss, and Roy Orbison on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Henry Strzelecki on bass, Boots Randolph and Charlie McCoy on saxophones, Buddy Harman on drums, and Paul Garrison on percussion. Bill Dees also provided harmony vocals.
The song was a major commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for three weeks, and also topping the UK Singles Chart. It became Orbison’s second and final No. 1 single in the U.S. after “Running Scared.”
One of the most famous curiosities about “Oh, Pretty Woman” is its origin. The title was reportedly inspired by Orbison’s wife, Claudette, who said she was going out. When Orbison asked whether she had enough money, Bill Dees joked that “a pretty woman never needs any money,” giving them the idea for the song. Another curiosity is its later cultural impact: the track inspired the title of the 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and it was later connected to Pretty Woman: The Musical.
