Roy Orbison

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“CALIFORNIA BLUE” by Roy Orbison

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“CALIFORNIA BLUE” by Roy Orbison

Written by: Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty

Produced by: Jeff Lynne

Roy Orbison: acoustic guitar, background vocals,

Jeff Lynne: guitars, keyboards, bass, background vocals

Tom Petty: acoustic guitar, background vocals

Mike Campbell: acoustic guitar, mandolin

Ian Wallace: drums & percussion

Strings conducted by Louis Clark

Engineers: Richard Dodd, Phil McDonald, Don Smith

 

Jeff Lynne & Tom Petty as Cowriters

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Tom Petty has been in the news recently for his co-writing credit on Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.”  Jeff Lynne also received a songwriting credit for this song, with less publicity.  The Petty-Lynne song in question, “I Won’t Back Down,” is far from the only song Roy Orbison’s fellow Traveling Wilburys have penned together. In fact, the two teamed up with Roy Orbison to pen “CALIFORNIA BLUE” for Roy’s Mystery Girl Album.

Here’s the Studio Demo version of “CALIFORNIA BLUE” featured on the 25th Anniversary reissue, Mystery Girl Deluxe–