“Blue Bayou” was written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. Orbison recorded it first, on November 15, 1961, and released it in 1963. Linda Ronstadt’s 1977 cover made it famous all over again and became her signature song. That’s why many people assume she wrote it. She didn’t, and neither did any of the other artists who covered it.
The song is a good example of how a singer and a songwriter can get mixed up. Orbison was both. He was one of the great singer-songwriters of the early 1960s, and Melson wrote with him on many of his best-known records. Ronstadt was an interpreter who turned other people’s songs into hits.
Who Wrote Blue Bayou?
Roy Orbison and Joe Melson share the songwriting credit for “Blue Bayou.” Both men are credited for the music and the lyrics. The song started on the road. Melson first had the idea for the dreamy tune on a road trip from Arkansas to Texas, and he and Orbison wrote it together.
The two had a strong run together. Orbison and Melson are credited together on Orbison hits including “Only the Lonely,” “Crying” and “Running Scared.” “Oh, Pretty Woman” is a different case: Orbison wrote it with Bill Dees.
| Song | Written by | Year recorded | First recorded by | Best-known version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Blue Bayou” | Roy Orbison and Joe Melson | 1961 | Roy Orbison (released 1963, Monument Records) | Linda Ronstadt (1977, Asylum Records, album Simple Dreams) |
Who Sang Blue Bayou First?
Roy Orbison sang “Blue Bayou” first. His recording came out on Monument Records, and Fred Foster produced it. Orbison recorded it in late 1961, but the song sat for nearly two years. It was finally released on August 1, 1963 and also appeared on his album In Dreams that year.
The way the single was released explains why Orbison’s version is less familiar to many Americans:
- In the US it was the B-side. A B-side is the secondary track on the flip side of a single. “Blue Bayou” was issued as a B-side in the US and peaked at number 29, while the A-side, “Mean Woman Blues”, reached number 5.
- In the UK it was a double A-side. There, Monument released it alongside “Mean Woman Blues,” and both sides peaked at number 3.
- It got no radio push. Without an official US radio push, the song stopped at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Orbison’s original is short, under two and a half minutes. His falsetto and the gently rocking rhythm make it feel like a lullaby. He came back to the song later in his career: he re-recorded it for In Dreams: The Greatest Hits, released in 1987. On that album he re-recorded 19 of his greatest hits as a gift to his fans.
How Linda Ronstadt Made Blue Bayou a Hit Again
Linda Ronstadt recorded “Blue Bayou” for her 1977 album Simple Dreams on Asylum Records. It became the biggest hit the song ever had. Her single reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1977, well above Orbison’s original peak. It was the first of Ronstadt’s three Gold singles.
A few facts about her version:
- The producer and the singers. Peter Asher produced Ronstadt’s version, and the Eagles’ Don Henley sang background vocals.
- How the song reached her. Ronstadt said two friends, J.D. and Glenn, suggested the song to her at the same moment. She described the scene as being “sorta like Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum.”
- A slower, longer take. Her recording runs 3:57, far longer than Orbison’s 2:29 original.
- A Spanish version. Ronstadt also recorded a Spanish-language version translated by her father, Gilbert Ronstadt, titled “Lago Azul (Blue Bayou).” It came out as a single in 1978.
- On TV with the Muppets. She sang it on The Muppet Show backed by a frog chorus. In that episode, host Kermit the Frog has a crush on Ronstadt, so Miss Piggy locks him in a trunk.
The cover helped Orbison too. Orbison himself credited Ronstadt’s version with reigniting interest in his music.
Roy Orbison vs. Linda Ronstadt: Blue Bayou Compared
| Detail | Roy Orbison | Linda Ronstadt |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded or released | Recorded 1961; released August 1963 | Released 1977 |
| Label | Monument | Asylum |
| Album | In Dreams | Simple Dreams |
| Producer | Fred Foster | Peter Asher |
| Billboard Hot 100 peak | No. 29 (as a B-side) | No. 3 |
| Running time (minutes) | 2:29 | 3:57 |
| Wrote the song? | Yes, with Joe Melson | No |
What Is Blue Bayou About?
“Blue Bayou” is a homesick love song. The narrator is far from home, working and saving money, and dreams of going back to a peaceful bayou where the person they love is waiting. A bayou is a slow-moving, marshy stretch of water, the kind found along the Gulf Coast, especially in Louisiana.
The verses paint the place in soft, sleepy pictures: evening on the water, fishing boats, the comfort of a familiar setting. The chorus is pure longing. The singer promises to return and be happy there again. Ronstadt’s version is often heard as a somber ballad yearning after simpler times. That fits the album she put it on, Simple Dreams.
Common Mix-Ups About Who Wrote Blue Bayou
- Linda Ronstadt did not write it. Her version is the best known, but the credit belongs only to Orbison and Melson.
- Elvis Presley did not write or originate it. The Elvis link comes from the other side of the single. “Mean Woman Blues” was written by Claude Demetrius and first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957.
- 1961 vs. 1963. Both years are right for different things. The song was recorded in 1961 and released in 1963.
- The 2021 film shares the title. Blue Bayou (2021) is a drama written and directed by Justin Chon. The Orbison–Melson song is sung partway through the film, but the film didn’t create the song.
FAQ
– Is Blue Bayou a real place?
No. Blue Bayou is an idealized, dreamlike place in the song, not a specific town or body of water on a map. The lyrics never place it in a particular state. The song’s origin does have a real-world setting, though: Joe Melson first had the idea on a road trip from Arkansas to Texas.
– What song did Willie Nelson write for Roy Orbison?
Willie Nelson wrote “Pretty Paper,” a Christmas song that Roy Orbison released as a single in 1963. It’s a different song from “Blue Bayou,” which Orbison wrote with Joe Melson.
– Did Linda Ronstadt write any of her own music?
Yes, now and then. She was mainly known as an interpreter of other people’s songs, but she co-wrote some. One example is “Lo Siento Mi Vida,” a Spanish-language song that Ronstadt herself co-wrote. It was the B-side of her 1978 “Lago Azul (Blue Bayou)” single.
– What key is Blue Bayou in?
The key of “Blue Bayou” depends on which recording you’re playing along with, because singers often change the key to suit their voice. Orbison’s and Ronstadt’s versions aren’t guaranteed to be in the same key. To be sure, check a published songbook or tune your instrument against the recording you’re learning.
– Who was Joe Melson?
Joe Melson was a Texas songwriter and Roy Orbison’s main writing partner in the early 1960s. The two share credits on “Blue Bayou,” “Only the Lonely,” “Crying” and “Running Scared.” “Blue Bayou” started with Melson’s idea.