Not Alone Any More
With the commercial success of the Wilburys, and the recognition afforded Orbison following his death in December 1988, it marked his full return from the career downturn he had experienced since the mid-1960s.
"[9] The band allocated ten days for writing and initial recording of the remaining songs for the album, due to the restrictions imposed by Dylan preparing to relaunch his live act[10] and by Orbison's touring schedule.
In the four-bar instrumental passage that opens the song, however, which is then repeated as a link between the first two verses, the D chord is followed by a change to C. The time signature throughout is 4/4, played to a moderate beat.
"[28] In music critic Jim Beviglia's interpretation: The lyrics are straightforward and simple, the tale of a guy whose negligence cost him true love and whose ignorance won't let him believe she might ever find someone new until it's too late.
[29]The Traveling Wilburys recorded the basic track for "Not Alone Any More" between 7 and 16 May 1988[30] at a makeshift studio in David A. Stewart's house in Los Angeles.
"[34] Lynne biographer John Van der Kiste describes "Not Alone Any More" as a "soaring ballad" and "a perfect showcase for Roy's unmistakable vocal".
"[23][nb 2] According to Lynne, he returned to the studio one night, accompanied by Harrison's engineer, Richard Dodd,[23] and overdubbed new guitar chords played on a Fender Telecaster.
[39][nb 4] In author Alan Clayson's description, the production represented a "do-it-yourself" version of Orbison hits such as "Running Scared" and "It's Over",[21] from the singer's years as a Monument Records artist in the early 1960s.
[21] Beviglia also comments on the effectiveness of an arrangement that features "a churning rhythm section, [Lynne] and Harrison's aching backing vocals, and a downward spiraling synthesizer riff that mirrors the crash and burn of the protagonist", saying that it "leaves enough space for Orbison to work his melancholy magic".
[46] Keen to maintain the group identity, the songs were credited to all five band members,[17] although the allocation of each composition's publishing rights reflected its principal composer.
[54][55] Author Peter Lehman describes Orbison's inclusion in a band with Dylan and Harrison as arguably the "turning point" in his return to mainstream popularity.
[56] In a contemporary review for Rolling Stone, David Wild described "Not Alone Any More" as "Totally boss" and added: "[The song] is a gorgeous pop ballad on which Roy Orbison – assisted by some wonderful backing vocals from Harrison and Lynne – hurts as good as he ever has.
[64] In Rolling Stone's "100 Best Albums of the Eighties" feature, the magazine's editors said: "The five half-brothers of the Wilbury family were hokey but hip, and their individual strengths complemented one another perfectly.
There was Orbison (Lefty Wilbury), whose haunting, dynamic vocals are enshrined on the operatic 'Not Alone Any More,' and who reclaimed his former glory only to pass away shortly after the album became a huge hit.
1 was reissued as part of the 2007 box set The Traveling Wilburys Collection, the vinyl release of which included alternate vocal takes of "Not Alone Any More".
[65] Reviewing the box set for Uncut that year, Bud Scoppa described the song as Orbison's "last rock aria" and a performance in which he "absolutely blows the roof off".
Beviglia concluded by saying that when Orbison died at the age of 52, "he went out at the peak of his powers with 'Not Alone Anymore'" and his legacy remains "greatly [enhanced] by this tear-stained triumph".
1's fun-filled "ear candy" that "profit from Orbison's inimitable soaring vocals, Harrison's trademark guitar, and Lynne's production".
