She's a Mystery to Me

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"She's a Mystery to Me"
Single by Roy Orbison
from the album Mystery Girl
ReleasedFebruary 7, 1989
StudioA&M
Length4:16
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Bono, the Edge
Producer(s)Bono
Roy Orbison singles chronology
"You Got It"
(1989) 		"She's a Mystery to Me"
(1989) 		"California Blue"
(1989)

"She's a Mystery to Me" is a song by Roy Orbison, written by Bono and the Edge of U2. It was released on Orbison's final (posthumous) album, Mystery Girl (also inspiring the album title), and as the album's second single in March 1989.[1] The song was received favorably by several music critics and is considered one of the highlights of the album.

Composition[edit]

During a restless night of sleep in June 1987 in London during U2's Joshua Tree Tour, Bono slept with the soundtrack to the film Blue Velvet CD on repeat. The CD had been given to him by the Edge's wife. The soundtrack includes the song "In Dreams" by Orbison. When he woke the following morning, Bono had a tune in his head which he assumed was from the soundtrack. He soon realised it wasn't, so he wrote down the basic structure of the song.[2] Later that day he sang the unfinished song to the band at their pre-concert soundcheck at Wembley Arena. After the concert, Orbison paid the band an unannounced visit backstage, where a perplexed Bono played the song for him. Bono and Orbison worked again on the song in mid-November in Los Angeles.[3] The album Mystery Girl was named after the song's chorus ("She's a mystery to me, she's a mystery girl...").[4]

Music video[edit]

The video for the song was directed by David Fincher and it aired first in April 1989.[5][6] Two versions of the video were made and both were broadcast by MTV and other outlets, though one more often than the other. Each version depicted the buildup to a woman departing on an airplane voyage. In the more popular video, she is planning to leave with a rich lover, while a faceless protagonist seen mostly in closeups of black cowboy boots (suggesting the late singer himself) helplessly watches her leave him behind. In the alternate version, the ending reveals that the woman is actually a pre-adolescent girl about to board the plane, with an older woman (suggesting her mother) arriving at the gate at takeoff; the girl abandons the plane and tearfully reunites with the woman. The same actress portrays both the pursued woman in the former video and the pursuer in the latter. The Mystery Girl in the video is played by Ali Hewson.

Reception[edit]

Critical reception towards the song was overwhelmingly positive. BBC's Chris Jones praised the song, calling it "a true rarity".[7] Rolling Stone called the song one of the best on the album. Reviewer Michael Azerrad wrote that the song vaguely sounded like U2 and compared Orbison's phrasing to that of Bono, but felt the chorus' singing style was distinctly Orbison's.[8] Pitchfork Media felt the song revealed "wrinkles" in Orbison's voice, but wrote that it only added "texture and authority" to the song.[9] Allmusic wrote that the song was a highlight on the album; a haunting ballad, which was a perfect showcase to Orbison's vocal talent.[10] Cash Box said it was "more rambling than the usual pointed material Roy excelled at" but that "it’s a still a strong offering."[11]

The song was featured in the film Aquaman in the scene where Arthur Curry and Mera arrived in Sicily, Italy.

Formats and track listings[edit]

7-inch vinyl: Virgin Canada (VS 1485)[4]
No.TitleLength
1."She's a Mystery to Me"4:14
2."Crying" (featuring k.d. lang)3:44
12-inch vinyl: Virgin UK (VST 1173)[4]
No.TitleLength
1."She's a Mystery to Me"4:14
2."Dream Baby" (live)2:58
3."Crying" (featuring k.d. lang)3:44
CD: Virgin UK (VSCDT1173)[4]
No.TitleLength
1."She's a Mystery to Me"4:14
2."Dream Baby" (live)2:58
3."Crying" (featuring k.d. lang)3:44

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Australia Singles Chart[12] 17
Dutch Single Top 100[12] 19
Irish Singles Chart[13] 5
New Zealand Top 40[14] 30
UK Singles Chart[15] 27
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 23
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[17] 26

References[edit]

  1. ^ Orbison, Roy Jr. (2017). The authorized Roy Orbison. Orbison, Wesley,, Orbison, Alex,, Slate, Jeff (Second ed.). New York: Center Street. p. 246. ISBN 9781478976547. OCLC 1017566749.
  2. ^ Bono On Bono-Conversations With Michka Assayas
  3. ^ McGee, Matt (2008). U2:A Diary. Omnibus Press. pp. 105, 114. ISBN 978-1-84772-108-2.
  4. ^ a b c d "She's a Mystery to Me". U2 Wanderer. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  5. ^ "Filmography - Music videos". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
  6. ^ "Roy Orbison - She's a Mystery to Me". Mvdbase. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  7. ^ Jones, Chris (October 13, 2008). "He will always be the Big O". BBC. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  8. ^ Azerrad, Michael (March 23, 1989). "Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  9. ^ Deusner, Stephen (December 11, 2008). "Roy Orbison - The Soul of Rock and Roll". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  10. ^ Iyengar, Vik. "Mystery Girl - Roy Orbison". Allmusic. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  11. ^ "Top of the Pops" (PDF). Cash Box. April 22, 1989. p. 18. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Roy Orbison - She's a Mystery to Me". Swiss Charts. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  13. ^ "The Irish Charts - She's a Mystery to Me". Irish Charts. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  14. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  15. ^ "She's a Mystery to Me". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 6, 2009.
  16. ^ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Roy Orbison Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.

External links[edit]

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