OH, PRETTY WOMAN^©

Roy Orbison's original version

Pretty woman, walkin' down the street
Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet
Pretty woman
I don't believe you, you're not the truth
No one could look as good as you
Mercy!

Pretty woman, won't you pardon me
Pretty woman, I couldn't help but see
Pretty woman
That you look as lovely as can be
Are you lonely just like me
[growl]

Pretty woman, stop awhile
Pretty woman, talk awhile
Pretty woman, give your smile to me
Pretty woman, yeah, yeah, yeah
Pretty woman, look my way
Pretty woman, say you'll stay with me
'Cause I need you, I'll treat you right
Come with me baby, be mine tonight

Pretty woman, don't walk on by
Pretty woman, don't make me cry
Pretty woman, don't walk away, hey...okay
If that's the way it must be, okay

I guess I'll go on home, it's late
There'll be tomorrow nigh, but wait
What do I see
Is she walking back to me
Yeah, she's walking back to me
Oh, oh, pretty woman

Page last updated: 19 Apr 2008

Written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees, OH, PRETTY WOMAN was originally released by Orbison in August 1964 as a single (Monument 851) with YO TE AMO MARIA as b-side. The single peaked at #1 on The Billboard Hot 100 and at #1 in the UK. The song can now be found on several Orbison compilations including The Essential Roy Orbison, released on Sony Music in 2006.

OH, PRETTY WOMAN is considered by many the may as the most well-known song of Roy's career. Unlike many artists, Orbison maintained his success as the British Invasion swept America in 1964. His single OH, PRETTY WOMAN broke the Beatles stranglehold on the Top 10, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and No. 1 on the British charts. The record sold more copies in its first ten days of release than any single up to that time, and eventually sold over seven million copies.

OH, PRETTY WOMAN was included in the soundtrack of the 1990 motion picture Pretty Woman. It became the signature tune for the film which brought fame to actress Julia Roberts.

In 1999, OH, PRETTY WOMAN was honored with a Grammy Hall Of Fame Award, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance". It was also named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked OH, PRETTY WOMAN #222 on their "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" list.

The above lyrics are for Roy Orbison's original version. Check also the live 30 Sep 1987 version.