1989 Roy Orbison – Mystery Girl

Mystery Girl is the twenty-second album by American singer Roy Orbison. It was completed in November 1988, a month before his death at the age of 52, and according to the official Roy Orbison discography by Marcel Riesco, released on the Virgin record label on January 31, 1989. It includes the hit singles “You Got It”, which was co-written by Orbison and his Traveling Wilburys bandmates Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, and “She’s a Mystery to Me”, written by Bono and The Edge. The album was a critical and commercial success; it peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, the highest position Orbison had achieved on that chart, and number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.

Mystery Girl was Orbison’s first album of all-new material since 1979 and its success posthumously continued the resurgence that his career had undergone since 1986. Among the many other contributors to the album were Mike Campbell and other members of the Heartbreakers, T Bone Burnett, George Harrison, Jim Keltner and Rick Vito. For the 25th anniversary of its release, the album was reissued with bonus tracks including “The Way Is Love”, a song recorded by Orbison on a cassette tape in the 1980s that was subsequently completed by his sons and producer John Carter Cash.

Tracks

1  You Got It (Jeff Lynne; Roy Orbison; Tom Petty) 3:30
2  In The Real World (Richard Kerr; Will Jennings) 3:44
3  (All I Can Do Is) Dream You (Billy Burnette; David Malloy) 3:39
4  A Love So Beautiful (Jeff Lynne; Roy Orbison) 3:33
5  California Blue (Jeff Lynne; Roy Orbison; Tom Petty) 3:57
6  She\’s A Mystery To Me (Dave Evans; Paul Hewson) 4:16
7  The Comedians (Elvis Costello) 3:26
8  The Only One (Craig Wiseman; Wesley Orbison) 3:55
9  Windsurfer (Roy Orbison; Bill Dees) 4:01
10  Careless Heart (Albert Hammond; Diane Warren; Roy Orbison) 4:09

Media

Musicians

1 You Got It

BassJeff Lynne
DrumsJeff Lynne
GuitarJeff Lynne
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
Acoustic GuitarTom Petty
KeyboardsJeff Lynne
Background VocalsJeff Lynne
Background VocalsTom Petty
VocalsRoy Orbison


2 In The Real World

BassMike Campbell
DrumsJim Keltner
GuitarMike Campbell
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
OrganAl Kooper
Background VocalsBarbara Orbison
Background VocalsHowie Epstein
Background VocalsTom Petty
VocalsRoy Orbison


3 (All I Can Do Is) Dream You

BassBuell Neidlinger
BassT-Bone Wolk
DrumsMickey Curry
GuitarRick Vito
Acoustic GuitarBilly Burnette
Background VocalsBilly Burnette
Background VocalsRick Vito
VocalsRoy Orbison


4 A Love So Beautiful

BassJeff Lynne
DrumsRay Cooper
Acoustic GuitarGeorge Harrison
Acoustic GuitarJeff Lynne
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
KeyboardsJeff Lynne
Background VocalsJeff Lynne
VocalsRoy Orbison


5 California Blue

BassJeff Lynne
DrumsIan Wallace
GuitarJeff Lynne
Acoustic GuitarMike Campbell
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
Acoustic GuitarTom Petty
MandolinMike Campbell
KeyboardsJeff Lynne
PercussionIan Wallace
Background VocalsJeff Lynne
Background VocalsTom Petty
VocalsRoy Orbison


6 She\’s A Mystery To Me

BassHowie Epstein
DrumsJim Keltner
GuitarBono
GuitarRoy Orbison
PianoBenmont Tench
StringsBenmont Tench
VocalsRoy Orbison


7 The Comedians

BassBuell Neidlinger
Double BassDavid Miner
Double BassJerry Scheff
GuitarDavid Rhodes
GuitarT-Bone Burnett
PercussionGary Coleman
VocalsRoy Orbison


8 The Only One

BassHowie Epstein
DrumsJim Keltner
GuitarSteve Cropper
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
OrganBenmont Tench
PianoBenmont Tench
HornsJim Horn
Background VocalsHowie Epstein
VocalsRoy Orbison


9 Windsurfer

BassHowie Epstein
DrumsJim Keltner
Slide GuitarRick Vito
Acoustic GuitarMike Campbell
PianoBenmont Tench
StringsMike Utley
Background VocalsHowie Epstein
Background VocalsJeff Lynne
VocalsRoy Orbison


10 Careless Heart

BassMike Campbell
DrumsJim Keltner
GuitarMike Campbell
Acoustic GuitarMike Campbell
Acoustic GuitarRoy Orbison
PianoBenmont Tench
Background VocalsHowie Epstein
VocalsRoy Orbison

Liner Notes

Producer – Jeff Lynne (Tracks 1, 4, 5)
Producer – Roy Orbison (Tracks 2, 8, 9, 10)
Producer – Mike Campbell (Track 2, 8, 9, 10)
Producer – Barbara Orbison(Track 2)
Producer – Bono (Track 6)
Producer – T-Bone Burnett (Tracks 3, 7)
Producer (Executive) – Barbara Orbison
Arranged By – Benmont Tench (Track 6)
Arranged By (Memphis Horn Arrangements) – Steve Cropper (Track 8)
Arranged By (Strings) – Mike Utley (Tracks 2, 7)
Concertmaster – Sidney Page (Track 7)
Conductor (Strings) – Louis Clark (Tracks 4, 5)
Engineer – Don Smith (Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)
Engineer – Phil McDonald, Richard Dodd (Tracks 1, 4, 5)
Engineer – Kevin Killen, Rik Pekkonen (Tracks 3, 7)
Engineer (Assistant By) – Michael C Ross (Tracks 3, 7)
Engineer (Assistant Engineer – A & M Studios) – Randy Staub
Engineer (Assistant Engineer – Rumbo Recorders) – Andy Udoff, Julian Stoll, Robin Laine
Mastered By – Stephen Marcussen
Mixed By – Don Smith (Tracks 6, 8, 9, 10)
Mixed By – Randy Staub (Track 8)

Art Direction – Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff, Melanie Nissen
Design – Tim Stedman
Photography By – Glen Erler

Record Company – EMI / Kemongsa Music Ltd.
Licensed From – EMI/Kemongsa
Licensed From – Virgin Records Ltd.
Recorded At – A&M Studios
Recorded At – Rumbo Recorders
Mastered At – Precision Lacquer