On This Day in 1960, Roy Orbison Scored a Career-First With a Song That Was Turned Down by Both Elvis and the Everly Brothers

On this day (October 20) in 1960, Roy Orbison topped the Official UK Singles Chart with “Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel),” where it stayed for two weeks. It was more than Orbison’s first No. 1 in the United Kingdom. It was one of the biggest hits of his career. However, he almost didn’t record the song. Instead, he pitched it to a pair of high-profile acts.

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Orbison had been releasing and seeing no real chart success for four years by 1960. Before “Only the Lonely,” his highest-charting single was “Uptown,” which peaked at No. 72 on the Hot 100 in 1959. However, it failed to chart anywhere else. It was his eighth solo single. “Only the Lonely” turned things around for the singer/songwriter.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1964, Roy Orbison Went No. 1 With a Song That Resulted in a Supreme Court Ruling That Changed Music Forever]

Roy Orbison Almost Didn’t Record His Biggest Hit

“Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)” was an international hit. It topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. It also reached the top 10 in multiple countries around the globe. Surprisingly, Orbison originally didn’t plan to record the song. Instead, he pitched it to high-profile artists, like Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers. The latter had already recorded one of his songs, so he hoped they would cut this one as well.

According to Songfacts, the Everly Brothers didn’t just turn down the song. Instead, they convinced Orbison to record it.

He recorded his version of “Only the Lonely” at the legendary RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Monument Records founder Fred Foster produced the session and some of Music City’s finest musicians played on it. The original recording of the song features members of the Nashville A-Team, including Bob Moore (Bass), Floyd Cramer (piano), Hank Garland (guitar), and Harold Bradley (guitar). Additionally, the Anita Kerr Singers provided backing vocals. More importantly, Orbison was becoming more comfortable as an artist. As a result, he stepped outside the box and showcased his impressive vocal range on the track.

“Only the Lonely” wasn’t just a hit for Roy Orbison. It was the songs that made him an international rock icon.

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