I Drove All Night: Lauper vs. Orbison

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In my experience, it comes down to which side of the Atlantic you live on that determines which version you prefer. (It's not always the case, as some 'murcans prefer Orbison's version too). Is that true?

Poll Results

Option	Votes
Roy Orbison's version	7
Cyndi Lauper's version	2
SURPRISE TWIST: Celine Dion's version	0

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:06 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y1TZXc5DiY

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:07 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5N9IHqqGcA

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:07 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvz_gW5C2cY

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:07 (ten years ago)

Celine's version: junk
Orbison's version: recorded in 1987, it has the advantage of coming first, but then again it wasn't actually released until 1992 after I'd already listened to Lauper's version 30 million times. Also, it has that dumb Jeff Lynne sound and Orbison's ad libs are all over the place.
Lauper's version: the best produced, the most emotive, and the coolest drum fills. For serious, I play air drums every time I listen to it.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:25 (ten years ago)

real answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tt5DE4hbYY

― soref, Monday, 2 February 2015 21:30 (ten years ago)

i'd never actually heard this song. they're both lovely.

― qualx, Monday, 2 February 2015 22:34 (ten years ago)

I love the Orbison version -- I've written about it often. The Lynne production is more of a straitjacket than it is on the other Wilburys -- cuz it was one of the first?

When Orbison goes INSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDD-HIIIIIIIIIII-IIIIDDDE I melt.

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 February 2015 22:42 (ten years ago)

John Waite apparently recorded a version in 1987 too, but left it off his album. It doesn't appear to be on youtube, but I think I can almost imagine how it sounds.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 2 February 2015 22:48 (ten years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Saturday, 7 February 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Sunday, 8 February 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

People be dumb.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 8 February 2015 00:07 (ten years ago)

five years pass...

I am REALLY fuckin' into the Lauper rendition at the moment…that note she hits at 3:23-24 is a hard as fuck interval! and the standard late 80s production very much hits the spot. I really have no affection for anything she has done other than this tune, and furthermore find the Orbison and Dion versions unlistenable …furthermore, it seems to me that Billy Steinberg time travelled the inspiration some 21 years ahead into Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break…" what an interesting career that guy's had…

I like these live versions very much as reference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8aFBeeIJ9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjSEeCsTkrc

― veronica moser, Friday, 20 March 2020 03:26 (five years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tt5DE4hbYY

― God gave toilets rolls to you, gave toilet rolls to you (Tom D.), Friday, 20 March 2020 09:30 (five years ago)

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