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Running Scared (Roy Orbison song)

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Wikipedia article




"'Running Scared'" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison. An operatic rock ballad, the recording of the song was overseen by audio engineer Bill Porter and released as a 45 rpm single by Monument Records in March 1961 and went to number one on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart. "Running Scared" also reached No.9 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold over one million copies in the US alone. The song was included on Orbison's 1962 album 'Crying' as the final track on the album.

Background



Noted for being a song written without a chorus, the song builds in the lyrics, arrangement, and vocals to a climax that, without vibrato, demonstrates the power of Orbison's clear, full voice. It is written in the bolero style; Orbison is credited with bringing this to the rock genre. Fred Foster, producer of the session and of Monument Records, did not want the powerful high note that ends the song to end in falsetto but in full or natural voice. According to Foster, the last note that ends the song is actually G above High C in full natural voice. The note is actually tenor high A, over Middle C.

While "Running Scared" was an international hit, the B-side "Love Hurts" also picked up significant airplay in Australia. Consequently, chart figures for Australia show "Running Scared"/"Love Hurts" as a double A-side, both sides peaking at number five. This makes Orbison's recording of "Love Hurts" the first version to be a hit. "Love Hurts" later became better known in a version by rock band Nazareth, who had an international hit with it in 1975.

Charts



Covers and popular culture



*Jack Scott, a Canadian born rockabilly singer from the same era, also had a minor 1962 hit with "Running Scared". He later re-recorded it in 1990 for one of his compilation albums, 'Jack Scott's Greatest Hits'.

*Glen Campbell recorded the song on his 1973 album 'Glen Travis Campbell'.

*The Fools on their 1981 album 'Heavy Mental', reaching No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100.

*Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on their 1986 album 'Kicking Against the Pricks'.

*Brokeback on their 2001 album 'Morse Code in the Modern Age: Across the Americas'.

*John Peel, the British BBC Radio DJ who died in 2004, listed "Running Scared" by Roy Orbison as one of the songs to be played at his memorial service.

*Jeff Lynne on his 2012 album 'Long Wave'.

*Del Shannon recorded the song for his 1965 album '1,661 Seconds with Del Shannon' and sang the finale "with me" just as Orbison had, in full voice, not falsetto.

*Sound Track= Jigsaw (Saw 8 film 2017) used as the main song in the film's trailer

See also



*List of 'Billboard' Hot 100 number-one singles of 1961

References



Category:1961 singles

Category:Roy Orbison songs

Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

Category:Cashbox number-one singles

Category:Songs written by Roy Orbison

Category:Songs written by Joe Melson

Category:Monument Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Fred Foster

Category:1961 songs

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