"Pretty Paper" | ||||
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Single by Roy Orbison | ||||
B-side | "Almost" | |||
Released | November 15, 1963 | |||
Recorded | September 11, 1963 [1] | |||
Studio | Decca Studios, London | |||
Genre | Christmas, country | |||
Length | 2:41 | |||
Label | Monument | |||
Songwriter(s) | Willie Nelson | |||
Producer(s) | Fred Foster | |||
Roy Orbison singles chronology | ||||
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"Pretty Paper" is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson in 1963. After being signed to Monument Records, Nelson played the song for producer Fred Foster. Foster pitched the song to Roy Orbison, who turned it into a hit. Nelson later recorded his own version of the song in November 1964.
The song tells the story of a street vendor who, during the Christmas season, sells pencils and paper on the streets. [2] In October 1963, while walking in his farm in Ridgetop, Tennessee, Nelson was inspired to write the song after he remembered a man he often saw while he lived in Fort Worth, Texas. [3] The man moved with rollers, selling paper and pencils in front of Leonard's Department Store. [4] In 2013, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram identified the man as Frankie Brierton, of Santo, Texas. Both of Brierton's legs were atrophied below the knee due to childhood meningitis. [5]
Early in 1963, Nelson was signed by Fred Foster to the label Monument Records. [6] In October 1963, Nelson sang "Pretty Paper" for Foster, who was impressed and decided to forward the song to Roy Orbison in London. Bill Justis worked the arrangements and the demo tape was sent to Orbison in England. [7] According to the official Roy Orbison biography, [8] The Authorized Roy Orbison, "Pretty Paper" was recorded at Decca Studio 2 in London with music director Ivor Raymonde, who made last-minute arrangements with his orchestra. Each musician was provided with microphones newly designed by Decca Records' engineers. The microphones were worn around the neck to amplify the strings. Orbison attended the session with a 102-degree fever. [4] According to the biography, Orbison recorded the song in 12 takes. The B-side, "Almost," [7] was also done that day.
The record by Orbison was released in November 1963. The song peaked at number 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 27 on the Christmas Singles Chart. [2] The record was released in the UK in November 1964 and peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was included on More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits in 1964, and has appeared on numerous compilations through the years.
After moving to RCA Records in November 1964, Willie Nelson recorded his own version, produced by Chet Atkins. The musicians for the session were Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano), Pete Drake (pedal steel), Henry Strzelecki (bass), Kenneth Buttrey (drums), Jerry Reed (guitar) and Velma Smith (guitar). Nelson recorded for the B-side "What a Merry Christmas This Could Be". Nelson returned to the studio in December and recorded with the melody of the song in phonetic German the song "Little Darling". [9] Nelson re-recorded the song for his 1979 album Pretty Paper , and once more with his sister Bobbie Nelson for their 1997 album Hill Country Christmas.
There have been numerous cover versions of the song, by artists including Glen Campbell (1968), Mickey Gilley (1976), Randy Travis (1986), Don McLean (1991), Asleep at the Wheel (1997), Kenny Chesney (2003), Chris Isaak (2004), Reverend Horton Heat (2005), Emmy Rossum (2013), The Lumineers (2018), Dolly Parton (2020), Eilen Jewell (2021) and dozens of others.
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country singer, guitarist and songwriter. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. The critical success of his album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
Red Headed Stranger is the eighteenth studio album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1975. Following the success of his recordings with Atlantic Records, coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager, Neil Reshen, Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records, the label that gave him total creative control over his works. The concept for the album was inspired by the "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", a song that Nelson used to play as a disc jockey on his program in Fort Worth, Texas. After signing with Columbia, he decided to record the song, and arranged the details during his return to Austin, Texas, from a trip to Colorado. It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas. The songs featured sparse arrangements, largely limited to Nelson's guitar, piano, and drums. Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives, who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo. However, Nelson had creative control, so no further production was added.
Fred Luther Foster was an American record producer, songwriter, and music business executive who founded Monument Records. As a record producer he was most closely associated with Roy Orbison, and was also involved in the early careers of Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. Foster suggested to Kris Kristofferson the title and theme of "Me and Bobby McGee", which became a hit for Kristofferson, Roger Miller, and Janis Joplin, and for which Foster received a co-writing credit.
Shotgun Willie is the 16th studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released on June 11, 1973. The recording marks a change of style for Nelson, who later stated that the album "cleared his throat". When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA Records in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic as their first country music artist.
Pretty Paper is the first Christmas album and 24th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was also his last release of the 1970s. Nelson reunited with producer/arranger Booker T. Jones, with whom he had collaborated on the acclaimed Stardust album released the year before.
The Words Don't Fit the Picture is the 14th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.
Yesterday's Wine is the 13th studio album and a concept album by country singer Willie Nelson. Nelson had been recording for RCA Victor since the early 1960s, and had released no significant hit records. By 1970, his recordings had reached mid-chart positions. Nelson lost the money he made from his song-writing royalties by financing concert tours that were generally unsuccessful and unprofitable. In addition to problems with his music career, Nelson had a troubled personal life. He had divorced his wife, Shirley Collie, and his Tennessee ranch had been destroyed by a fire.
Both Sides Now is the tenth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1970.
The Party's Over and Other Great Willie Nelson Songs is the sixth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.
Country Willie: His Own Songs is the third studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. This was Nelson's third album, his first for RCA Victor.
...And Then I Wrote is the debut studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, recorded during August and September 1962 and released through Liberty Records.
Country Music Concert is a 1966 live album by country singer Willie Nelson.
The Western Express was a country-music radio show transmitted by KCNC in Fort Worth, Texas. The show started in 1947, hosted by disk jockey Charlie Williams. In 1956, the station later hired Willie Nelson, then a struggling singer-songwriter who previously worked on different radio stations. Nelson hosted the three-hour-long show singing his original songs, taking calls and playing records.
"Mr. Record Man" is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. After writing the song, Nelson moved to Houston, Texas, where due to his financial issues, tried to sell it to Larry Butler. Butler, who rejected to buy the song, employed Nelson instead. After his original songs turned into hits for other artists, Nelson was signed as a recording artist by Liberty Records.
"The Part Where I Cry" is a song written by country music singer Willie Nelson. After moving to Nashville in 1960, leveraged by the success of his songwriting, and helped by Harlan Howard, Nelson was signed by Joe Allison of Liberty Records.
"Touch Me" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. Leveraged by the success of his songs, Nelson moved to Nashville in 1960. Through songwriter Harlan Howard, Nelson was signed to write for Pamper Music, and to a recording contract with Liberty Records.
"Wake Me When It's Over" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. After being signed as a recording artist to Liberty Records in 1961, the song was recorded during his second session with the label in September 1961 at Radio Recorders. Selected as the A-side of one of the promotional singles, the song failed to chart.
"I Never Cared For You" is a song written by country music singer Willie Nelson. Nelson recorded the song during his stint with Monument Records, and eventually became his only single released by the label.
Pretty Paper is a Christmas novel co-written by Willie Nelson and David Ritz. The book presents a fictional account about the life of the street vendor who inspired the song of the same name.
Pretty Paper may refer to:
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