Best Roy Orbison Songs to Play on Acoustic Guitar

Whether you're a fan of his rockabilly roots or his emotionally charged ballads, these lessons will guide you through the essential chords, strumming patterns, and arrangement details to bring each track to life.

\All tutorials are demonstrated on acoustic guitar and are ideal for intermediate players looking to expand their repertoire with timeless classics.

California Blue is a song that was written and recorded by Roy Orbison for his 1989 album "Mystery Girl."

The recording of "California Blue" was produced by Jeff Lynne, who was a longtime friend and collaborator of Orbison's. Lynne also played guitar on the track, and he used his signature production style to create a lush, layered sound that complemented Orbison's vocals perfectly.

Upon its release, "California Blue" was praised by critics and fans alike, and it became a fan favorite from the "Mystery Girl" album. The song was also released as a single, and it reached the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

Overall, "California Blue" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that showcases Roy Orbison's unique talent as a singer and songwriter. It remains a beloved and iconic track in his catalog, and it is a fitting tribute to the beauty of the state of California.

Communication Breakdown is found on the 1966 album The Orbison Way. It was released as a single during Roy’s tenure with MGM Records, reaching number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, though it found significantly greater success in Australia where it hit number 6.

Written by Orbison and his longtime collaborator Bill Dees, the track is a dramatic ballad that showcases the "big" production style Orbison favored. Interestingly, despite the shared title, this song predates the famous Led Zeppelin track by several years and bears no musical resemblance to the hard rock classic.

Crying is one of Roy Orbison's most iconic and beloved songs, and it was a big hit for him in the early 1960s.

"Crying" was written by Orbison and his frequent collaborator Joe Melson, and it was produced by Fred Foster.

Upon its release in 1961, "Crying" became a huge hit for Orbison, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Cash Box chart. The song also did well internationally, charting in countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Over the years, "Crying" has become one of Roy Orbison's most enduring and iconic songs, and it has been covered by many other artists, including Don McLean, K.D. Lang, and even Orbison's own supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys.

Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" is a song written and recorded by Roy Orbison, and was released as a single in 1962. The song was produced by Fred Foster for Monument Records.

"Dream Baby" was a commercial success for Orbison, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Interestingly, the song was originally written as a country ballad, but Orbison and Foster decided to re-arrange it as a rock and roll number during the recording process.

The song was later included on a greatest hits album. This is one of those Roy Orbison best songs in my opinion. Glen Campbell covered the song in 1971.

I Drove All Night appears on the posthumously released 1992 album King of Hearts. While recorded in 1987, it wasn't released until after Orbison's death, at which point it became a hit, reaching number 7 in the UK and charting on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who originally offered it to Orbison, though Cyndi Lauper released her version first.

The music video is iconic in its own right, featuring actors Jason Priestley and Jennifer Connelly, creating a cinematic tribute that introduced Roy's voice to a new generation of MTV viewers.

In Dreams was written and recorded by Roy Orbison in 1963. The song was produced by Fred Foster for Monument Records.

The song is a slow, dramatic ballad that features Orbison's signature operatic vocals and a haunting melody.

"In Dreams" was a commercial and critical success for Orbison, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

"In Dreams" is widely regarded as one of Orbison's greatest songs, and remains a testament to his enduring legacy as a singer, songwriter, and performer.

Mean Woman Blues was actually written by Claude Demetrius and first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957. However, Roy Orbison also recorded a version of the song in 1963, which became a hit for him.

"Mean Woman Blues" was a commercial success for Orbison, reaching No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Mean Woman Blues appeared in Elvis Presley's 1957 film "Loving You".  The song eventually appeared on the Roy Orbison album "The All-Time Greatest Hits Of Roy Orbison".

Not Alone Anymore is a standout vocal performance from the 1988 supergroup album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. Although it wasn't released as a commercial single in the US, it remains one of the most celebrated tracks on the record.

Written primarily by Jeff Lynne for Roy to sing, the song was designed to showcase Orbison's operatic range within the context of the band.

It serves as a powerful reminder of his unique talent; even surrounded by legends like George Harrison and Bob Dylan, Orbison’s soaring vocals on the bridge make this track unmistakably his own.

Only The Lonely was co-written by Roy Orbison with Joe Melson at a time when he did not have much success in the music biz during the early part of 1960.

They pitched the song to a guy named Elvis and a couple of brothers calling themselves The Everly Brothers, but both of them refused to record the song.

Roy Orbison's version of "Only The Lonely" was a huge success. The song was released in 1960 and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, staying in the top 40 for 14 weeks. It also reached number one on the Cashbox Top 100 chart and number one on the UK Singles Chart.

 "Only The Lonely" has since become one of Orbison's signature songs and a classic of the rock and roll era.

When Elvis first heard the song, he bought a box of records and handed them out to friends. The song can be found on Roy's album "Lonely And Blue".

Ooby Dooby is a rock and roll song written by Wade Lee Moore and Dick Penner and was first heard by Roy Orbison while in high school well before he got a record deal. Then it was first recorded by a band called The Teen Kings, featuring a young Roy Orbison on vocals, in 1956 on the Sun label, where Elvis and Johnny Cash first recorded.

 "Ooby Dooby" was a regional hit in Orbison's home state of Texas, and it helped to establish his career as a recording artist.

The song was later covered by several other artists, including Creedence Clearwater Revival, who had a hit with their version in 1972.

Pretty Paper is a Christmas song that was written by Willie Nelson in 1963. The song tells the story of a street vendor selling colorful Christmas wrapping paper and ribbons on a cold winter day. As people rush by, the vendor wonders about their lives and what they might be doing for the holiday.

Roy Orbison recorded the song in the same year it was written, and his version became a hit, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Over the years, "Pretty Paper" has been covered by many other artists, including Glen Campbell, Kenny Chesney, and Randy Travis. The song has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, and it remains a favorite of Christmas music fans around the world.

The track can be found on the "More Of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits" album from 1964.

Pretty Woman is a rock and roll classic that was written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees in 1964. According to Orbison, the song's inspiration came from a real-life encounter he had while on tour in the UK.

"Pretty Woman" was released as a single in 1964 and became a huge hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remaining there for three weeks. It was also a hit around the world and has since become one of the most recognizable and beloved songs of the rock and roll era.

Over the years, "Pretty Woman" has been covered by many other artists, including Van Halen, Al Green, and Bruce Springsteen. It has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, most famously in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman," starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

Running Scared is included on the 1962 album Crying. It was a monumental success, becoming Orbison’s first single to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The composition is famous among musicologists for its unusual structure; it completely lacks a chorus. Instead, the song uses a "Bolero" style rhythm that builds constant tension, crescendoing until Orbison hits the final, stunning high A note.

Orbison famously wasn't sure he could hit that note during the session, but when he nailed it on the third take, the band was so impressed they stopped playing, knowing they had the master.

She's A Mystery To Me closes out the 1989 comeback album Mystery Girl. Released as a single, it reached number 27 in the UK and number 5 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.

The song was written and produced by Bono and The Edge of U2. Legend has it that Bono wrote the song after waking up with a melody in his head following a concert where the soundtrack to the film Blue Velvet—which features Orbison’s "In Dreams"—had been playing on a loop.

He rushed to meet Orbison backstage and offered him the song, forging a cross-generational musical bond.

You Got It is another song written by Bono, along with his U2 bandmates The Edge and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. It was recorded by Roy Orbison in 1988, and produced by Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra.

The song was a comeback hit for Orbison, who had experienced a decline in popularity in the 1980s. "You Got It" reached the top 10 in several countries, including the US and UK, and its success helped to reignite Orbison's career.

Sadly, Orbison passed away in December 1988, just a few months after the song's release.

You're My Baby is an early rockabilly track recorded at Sun Studio in 1956. While it wasn't a national chart hit at the time, it appeared on later compilations like The Sun Story.

The song was actually written by Johnny Cash, who gave it to Orbison to record. It features the raw, manic energy characteristic of the Sun Records sound, with a driving rhythm that contrasts sharply with the operatic ballads Orbison would later become famous for.

It remains a fascinating snapshot of the era when Roy, Cash, and Elvis were all peers in Memphis, trading songs and styles.