King of Hearts (Roy Orbison album)

King of Hearts
King of Hearts
Studio album by Roy Orbison
Released	October 20, 1992
Recorded	1985 ("Coming Home"); 1987–1992
Genre	Rock; soft rock; country;
Length	41:21
Label	Virgin
Producer	Various
Roy Orbison chronology
Singles from King of Hearts
	"I Drove All Night"; Released: June 22, 1992; "Crying"; Released: August 10, 1992; "Heartbreak Radio"; Released: 1992;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[5]

King of Hearts is a posthumous album of American singer Roy Orbison's songs put together from master sessions and demos by Jeff Lynne for Virgin Records, and Orbison's 23rd album overall. According to the authorized Roy Orbison biography,^[6] the collection was originally released in October 1992 on CD, music cassette, and LP.

History

Orbison died on December 6, 1988, aged 52, from a heart attack in the middle of his career revival. In January 1989, his new studio album Mystery Girl, on which Orbison had been working until his death, was released. Several songs on King of Hearts had been recorded during the Mystery Girl sessions, and there was enough material for another album. Some songs on King of Hearts were recorded as demos. Several individuals produced the recordings, including Lynne. They were: Don Was, David Was, Pete Anderson, Robbie Robertson, Will Jennings, David Briggs, Chips Moman, Guy Roche, Albert Hammond and Diane Warren.^{[citation needed]}

Several songs had been previously released.

"Wild Hearts Run Out of Time" was from the soundtrack of the 1985 film Insignificance, and under the title "Wild Hearts (...Time)" had been issued as a single in Canada, Australia and Europe that same year.
"Coming Home" was initially issued on the 1986 collaborative album Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming, which also featured Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. It was Orbison's only solo lead vocal on that album.
A duet with k.d. lang of Orbison's 1961 hit single "Crying" was released as part of the soundtrack for the 1987 motion picture Hiding Out. The collaboration won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. The duet "Crying" was a minor US chart hit for the pair, peaking at No. 42 on the Hot Country Songs chart,^[7] but a more substantial hit in the UK in 1992, reaching No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart.^[8]

"I Drove All Night" was another hit single from the album.^{[citation needed]}

Clarence Clemons performed saxophone on "We'll Take the Night".^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

*King of Hearts* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"You're the One"	Roy Orbison Bill Dees	T Bone Burnett	2:59
2.	"Heartbreak Radio"	Troy Seals Frankie Miller	Jeff Lynne	2:57
3.	"We'll Take the Night"	Orbison Will Jennings JD Souther	Don Was	4:55
4.	"Crying" (duet with k.d. lang)	Orbison Joe Melson	Don Was David Was Pete Anderson	3:48
5.	"After the Love Has Gone"	Orbison Jerry L. Williams	Don Was	4:38
6.	"Love in Time"	Orbison Jennings	Robbie Robertson	5:31
7.	"I Drove All Night"	Billy Steinberg Tom Kelly	Jeff Lynne	3:46
8.	"Wild Hearts Run Out of Time"	Orbison Jennings	David Briggs Will Jennings	4:10
9.	"Coming Home"	Orbison Jennings Souther	Chips Moman	4:00
10.	"Careless Heart" (original demo)	Orbison Diane Warren Albert Hammond	Albert Hammond Diane Warren Guy Roche Roy Orbison	5:15

2007 reissue bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
11.	"Life Fades Away"	Orbison Glenn Danzig	Rick Rubin

Charts

Chart performance for *King of Hearts*
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[9]	25
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[10]	18
UK Albums (OCC)^[11]	23
US Billboard 200^[12]	179

Certifications

Certifications for *King of Hearts*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[13]	Gold	35,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "King of Hearts - Roy Orbison | Releases | AllMusic". AllMusic.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 20, 1992. p. 19.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 8, 1992. p. 19.
^ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r55434
^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1062. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
^ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The Authorized Roy Orbison. Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex,, Slate, Jeff (First ed.). New York: Center Street. p. 248. ISBN 9781478976547. OCLC 1017566749.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 305. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
^ "ROY ORBISON". Official Charts. Aug 3, 1960. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.
^ "Australiancharts.com – Roy Orbison – King of Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
^ "Charts.nz – Roy Orbison – King of Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
^ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 28, 2021.

[1] "King of Hearts - Roy Orbison | Releases | AllMusic". AllMusic.

[2] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 20, 1992. p. 19.

[3] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 8, 1992. p. 19.

[4] ttps://www.allmusic.com/album/r55434

[5] Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1062. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 29 August 2024.

[6] Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The Authorized Roy Orbison. Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex,, Slate, Jeff (First ed.). New York: Center Street. p. 248. ISBN 9781478976547. OCLC 1017566749.

[whitburn-7] Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 305. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.

[8] "ROY ORBISON". Official Charts. Aug 3, 1960. Retrieved Dec 23, 2024.

[ac_Australia_Roy_Orbison-9] "Australiancharts.com – Roy Orbison – King of Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[ac_New_Zealand_Roy_Orbison-10] "Charts.nz – Roy Orbison – King of Hearts". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[ac_UK2_-11] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[ac_Billboard200_Roy_Orbison-12] "Roy Orbison Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[AustraliaRoy_OrbisonKing_of_HeartsalbumCertRef-13] "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1993 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 28, 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

v t e Roy Orbison
Discography
Studio albums	Lonely and Blue Roy Orbison at the Rock House Crying In Dreams There Is Only One Roy Orbison Orbisongs The Orbison Way The Classic Roy Orbison Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson The Fastest Guitar Alive Cry Softly Lonely One Roy Orbison's Many Moods Big O Hank Williams: The Roy Orbison Way Roy Orbison Sings Memphis Milestones I'm Still in Love With You Regeneration Laminar Flow In Dreams: The Greatest Hits studio re-recordings of earlier hits) Mystery Girl King of Hearts One of the Lonely Ones
Compilations	Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits Early Orbison The Great Songs of Roy Orbison The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison In Dreams: The Greatest Hits The Legendary Roy Orbison 16 Biggest Hits Greatest Hits Live The Essential Roy Orbison A Love So Beautiful Unchained Melodies
Collaborations	Class of '55 Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
Soundtrack appearances	Roadie Blue Velvet Less than Zero
Live	A Black & White Night Live
Singles	"Tryin' to Get to You" "Ooby Dooby" "Go Go Go" "Only the Lonely" "Blue Angel" "Running Scared" "Crying" / "Candy Man" "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" "Working for the Man" "In Dreams" "Blue Bayou" "Pretty Paper" "It's Over" "Oh, Pretty Woman" "Memphis, Tennessee" "You Got It" "She's a Mystery to Me" "I Drove All Night"
Related articles	Traveling Wilburys Roy Orbison/The Beatles Tour Fred Foster In Dreams (musical)
Category