{"id":7888,"date":"1988-02-09T11:00:00","date_gmt":"1988-02-09T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/?p=7888"},"modified":"2026-02-07T16:50:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T00:50:16","slug":"matr-roy-orbison-bruce-springsteen-and-friends-leah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/02\/09\/matr-roy-orbison-bruce-springsteen-and-friends-leah\/","title":{"rendered":"Leah"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Roy Orbison&#8217;s &#8220;Leah&#8221; wasn&#8217;t intended to be a single; it was actually the B-side for his 1962 release, &#8220;Working for the Man.&#8221; But with that gorgeous, soaring melody and Orbison&#8217;s preternaturally high vocals, how could it not be?<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Leah&#8221; defied the odds and outperformed its A-side, peaking at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. (&#8220;Working for the Man&#8221; made it only to #33.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"758\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YSPgLvYswQ0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>There may be no better showcase for Orbison&#8217;s amazing voice. But what&#8217;s perhaps even more amazing than Orbison&#8217;s original recording is his performance of it from\u00a0<em>Black and White Night.<\/em> Recorded only a year before his death, Orbison was 51 at the time&#8211;twice the age he was when he recorded the original single. It&#8217;s nothing short of astounding how his voice held up through the years. I still get chills every time I hear him hit that first note.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s a Bruce connection, of course, although this performance stands as a must-watch regardless: Roy is backed on this night by an all-star band that includes (among others) Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits,\u00a0 k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen, looking on with rapt attention while he accompanies one of his musical heroes on guitar.<\/p>\n<p>Enjoy this gorgeous one-time-only assemblage of talent performing &#8220;Leah&#8221; at the Cocoanut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, on September 30, 1987.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"758\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZusfsE4F5SE?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p><strong>Leah<br \/>\nFirst performed:<\/strong> September 30, 1987 (Los Angeles, CA)<br \/>\n<strong>Last performed:<\/strong> September 30, 1987 (Los Angeles, CA)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 April 8, 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One time only: Bruce joins an all-star backing band to accompany Roy Orbison&#8217;s soaring vocals on &#8220;Leah.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,3609,5],"tags":[384,1336,2265],"class_list":["post-7888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover-me","category-little-help","category-meeting-across-the-river","tag-black-and-white-night","tag-leah","tag-roy-oribison"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/leah.jpg?fit=800%2C800&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9w3Lk-23e","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10186,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/03\/02\/matr-roy-orbison-bruce-springsteen-and-friends-go-go-go-down-the-line\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":0},"title":"Go Go Go (Down the Line)","author":"Ken","date":"March 2, 1988","format":false,"excerpt":"One time only: a starstruck Bruce Springsteen joins Roy Orbison and an all-star band on Orbison's very first self-written song.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/admin-ajax-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C1186&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/admin-ajax-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C1186&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/admin-ajax-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C1186&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/admin-ajax-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C1186&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/admin-ajax-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C1186&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12105,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/2019\/09\/06\/roll-of-the-dice-cynthia\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":1},"title":"Roll of the Dice: Cynthia","author":"Ken","date":"September 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Bruce re-wrote Roy Orbison's classic \"Oh, Pretty Woman,\" giving the title character a name and a more realistic ending. Insights and rare performances inside.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Roll of the Dice&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Roll of the Dice","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/roll-of-the-dice\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/womanwalking2.gif?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10785,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/01\/31\/matr-roy-orbison-and-bruce-springsteen-dream-baby-how-long-must-i-dream\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":2},"title":"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)","author":"Ken","date":"January 31, 1988","format":false,"excerpt":"One time only: Bruce joins Roy Orbison on vocals for his 1962 hit, \"Dream Baby\" at Roy's 1987 Black and White Night concert. Plus: listen to Bruce adapt the song at home in 1981.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/roy-orbison-dream-baby-1962-14.jpg?fit=600%2C602&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/roy-orbison-dream-baby-1962-14.jpg?fit=600%2C602&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/roy-orbison-dream-baby-1962-14.jpg?fit=600%2C602&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36164,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/10\/09\/matr-roy-orbison-bruce-springsteen-and-friends-ooby-dooby\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":3},"title":"Ooby Dooby","author":"Ken","date":"October 9, 1988","format":false,"excerpt":"At Roy Orbison's legendary Black and White Night event, Bruce took a guitar solo on Roy's earliest hit.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/admin-ajax-47.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/admin-ajax-47.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/admin-ajax-47.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/admin-ajax-47.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/admin-ajax-47.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20596,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/07\/12\/matr-roy-orbison-bruce-springsteen-and-friends-running-scared\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":4},"title":"Running Scared","author":"Ken","date":"July 12, 1988","format":false,"excerpt":"One time only: Bruce joins Roy Orbison and an all-star backing band in a show-stopping performance of \"Running Scared.\"","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Roy-Orbison-Running-Scared-1522163688-640x634-1.jpg?fit=640%2C634&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Roy-Orbison-Running-Scared-1522163688-640x634-1.jpg?fit=640%2C634&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Roy-Orbison-Running-Scared-1522163688-640x634-1.jpg?fit=640%2C634&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11847,"url":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/1988\/08\/19\/matr-roy-orbison-and-bruce-springsteen-oh-pretty-woman\/","url_meta":{"origin":7888,"position":5},"title":"Oh, Pretty Woman","author":"Ken","date":"August 19, 1988","format":false,"excerpt":"Why does Bruce have so much trouble getting through \"Oh, Pretty Woman?\" Who knows, but it's fun to watch him try. Check out a bevy of great performances with Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, and John Fogerty.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Cover Me&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Cover Me","link":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/category\/cover-me\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/480699073_1161838361960903_8279953581274662997_n.jpg?fit=800%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/480699073_1161838361960903_8279953581274662997_n.jpg?fit=800%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/480699073_1161838361960903_8279953581274662997_n.jpg?fit=800%2C793&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/estreetshuffle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/480699073_1161838361960903_8279953581274662997_n.jpg?fit=800%2C793&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7888"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66256,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7888\/revisions\/66256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/estreetshuffle.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}