Blue Bayou

“Blue Bayou” is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. It was originally sung and recorded by Orbison, who had an international hit with his version in 1963. It later became Linda Ronstadt’s signature song, with which she scored a Top 5 hit with her cover in 1977. The song has since been recorded by many others. “Blue Bayou” was originally recorded by Roy Orbison at the end of 1961. In the UK, it was released by London Monument as the double A-side track with “Mean Woman Blues” on a Monument Records single (HLU 9777), where both sides peaked at number 3. In the US, it was issued as a B-side single, peaking at number 29; the A-side, “Mean Woman Blues”, peaked at number 5. The song also appeared on Orbison’s 1963 full-length album In Dreams. According to the authorised biography of Roy Orbison a rare different version of “Blue Bayou” was released only in Italy . “Blue Bayou” reappeared on his 1989 posthumous album A Black & White Night Live, from the 1988 television special on Cinemax.