Pretty Paper by Roy Orbison

Album: Greatest Hits (1972)

Charted: 6 15

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This was written by Willie Nelson, who at the time was a successful songwriter but relatively unknown performer. It's a Christmas song where the singer goes about preparing for the holiday, but notices an unfortunate homeless person who can't afford the luxuries of the season. Unsure how to handle this, the singer decides he is just too busy and carries on with his preparations. The "Pretty Paper" serves as a metaphor for how we often cover up our problems or choose not to notice them. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France
Nelson later recorded this song. It has also been covered by Glen Campbell, Kenny Chesney, Freddy Fender and Chris Isaak.

Comments: 3

Mark Bryant from Inverness, FlThis song was actually based on a true story from when Willie lived in Texas before moving to Nashville in the early 1960s as follows: Frank Brierton was a street vendor from the small town of Santo, Texas (current population of 315). During the 1960s and 1970s, he would peddle his wares in front of the historic Leonard’s Department Store in Fort Worth. During the summer he would sell pencils and other small items trying to eke out a living. As hard as this was, matters were complicated because Frankie (as everyone called him) had spinal meningitis as a child, causing him to be disabled below the neck. Everyone who lived in this area of Fort Worth knew Frankie. He crept on all fours along Houston or Throckmorton streets outside Leonard’s, wearing clunky gloves and kneepads made from old tire tread and a custom leather vest with a pencil rack and coin box sewn onto the back. Although his legs below the knees were atrophied and useless, Brierton refused to have them amputated and use a wheelchair to get around from place to place. Choosing instead to crawl because it's how he learned to get around as a child. Willie said, "During the holidays, I would watch person after person walk right past him without blinking an eye. He normally sold regular paper during the rest of the year, but at Christmastime, he would sell wrapping paper for gifts. He also had some ribbons. To get everyone’s attention, he would shout out on a regular basis, ‘Pretty paper! Pretty paper! Buy your pretty paper here!’

Sources: Wide Open Country, Wikipedia, The Christmas Encyclopedia, Willie Nelson: An Epic Life (Book).
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 8th 1963, "Pretty Paper" by Roy Orbison entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #60; and four weeks later on January 5th, 1964 it peaked at #15 {for 1 week} and spent 7 weeks on the Top 100...
The Big O had five other Top 100 records in 1963; "Workin' for the Man" {#33}, "In Dream" {#7}, "Falling" {#22}, "Mean Woman Blues" {#5}, and "Blue Bayou" {#29}...
Sadly; Roy Kelton Orbison passed away on December 6th, 1988 at the young age of 52...
May he R.I.P.
Barbara from Boonville, InThe greatest singer to grace the earth, wish we had Roy doing more Christmas songs, what an awesome voice

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