Who sang I DROVE ALL NIGHT the best? Orbison, Lauper, or Celine?

Celine

Cyndi

I heard Cyndi’s version first so I’m partial to that one but the songwriters wrote it with Orbison in mind and he recorded it first so his is probably the definitive version.

Cyndi

The Cindy version is fantastic.

One of her songs that a favorite of mine, along with Change Of Heart.

Definitely Cyndi.

It was a completely different sound for her at the time - dark, deep, sensual. I still love it.

Celine's version was just another one of her screechers.

Orbison's voice is exquisite but I can't stand the production. Too bombastic, it doesn't build and the drums overpower him at times. I love Celine and Cyndi both, but agree with many here that Cyndi's is best. There's an emotional nuance that Celine's version doesn't offer. The song was written for Orbison by the team of Steinberg and Kelly, who wrote many hits of that era, including "Like a Virgin."

Orbison had only recorded a demo and the track wasn’t completed until years after his death so there was no way to go in and record additional vocals. Jeff Lynne of ELO produced the track so that’s probably why it can sound bombastic

Cyndi, 100% - think it's my favorite song of hers

Surprisingly I actually like all three versions. The Roy Orbison released music video with Jason Priestly and Jennifer Connelly is from 1992, 5 years after the song was recorded. It's probably among the top ten best music videos every made.

Zac Posen's people should contact the Orbison estate, post-haste, about using that song and video for the latest Gap refresh.

You can hear that Cyndi has some electronic help on those high notes.

I love Cyndi, but c'mon.

Orbison's voice is legendary. Unique. It has an importance and gravitas that Cyndi's pleasant light-weight pop voice just does not have.

You obviously haven't seen Cyndi perform live. While her high notes aren't always 100% perfect, but she does get up there.

Lauper.

Cyndi's version is great and she sounds a little desperate on it, which suits the lyrics.

Roy's version is probably the best but a man singing those lyrics sounds a bit rapey. Creeping into someone's room, waking them up and fucking them? #METOO!!!

Celine's version sounds like anything Celine does.

I've heard Billy Steinberg on a lot of podcasts and he's an amazing lyricist and it's always shocking for him to state he is a heterosexual man, especially when he is still bitter about the rejected verse of True Colors he wrote for his mother.

I drove all night to fuck Jason Priestly.

🎵I could taste your sweet kisses, your legs open wide, this fever for you was just burning me up inside🎵

Celine should recognize that while she had a great voice, not every song is suitable for it. She confuses bombast for being able to convey passion and desire and fails.

1/ Cyndi Lauper - propulsive and urgent; one of her best singles though it was only a moderate hit since she’d become passé by the late eighties; terrific video that fits the lyric and even hazards a stab at making Lauper sexy

2/ Roy Orbison - close second; gorgeous voice though the song is not fully suited to the singer, who doesn’t sound like he’d be able to stay awake all night even driving toward an erotic fixation; superb video capturing Jason Priestly and Jennifer Connelly at their peak youthful beauty .

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3/ Celine Dion - dreadful; generic with simply awful production; bland video; it sounds Ike the crass car commercial she recorded it as

Link is to Lauper performing the song live. She and the band sound terrific

I'd like to hear Miley Cyrus cover it.

That’s Brandon Priestley right?

At his peak!

19 good performance. Poor Celine. So much bad production in her career.

r22 r21, hey, I typed the correct name and correct reaction at R16. Sheesh.

Cyndi. Perfectly done

Orbison’s vocals, that operatic way he sings “burning me up inside”, is pretty amazing. There is an emotional quality to it that sounds (to me) really unusual. I can see why he was admired as a singer.