Roy Orbison’s final studio album, 1989’s posthumously released Mystery Girl, turns 25 this year. To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Sony Music Entertainment’s Legacy Recordings is releasing Mystery Girl — Deluxe, a comprehensive reissue that features a documentary on the making of the record, in addition to nine previously unreleased studio and work-tape demos. Among those newly uncovered treasures is “The Way Is Love,” a never-before-heard song that was put together by Orbison’s sons — Wesley, Roy Jr., and Alex — after the family discovered a one-of-a-kind vocal recording for the track.
“We all talked and decided it would be the best if we could play the backing instruments and sing backups on the track, fulfilling a lifelong family dream to play not only with our father, but with each other as brothers,” Roy Jr. says. “It’s a matter of heart.”
Recorded with John Carter Cash on acoustic guitar and as co-producer, “The Way Is Love” complements Orbison’s restored vocals (which were originally recorded on a cassette player boombox sometime around 1986) with fresh instrumentation, including piano, organ, bass, and strings, as well as guitar-playing by Roy Jr. and Wesley Orbison, and drumming from Alex Orbison. Stream Roy Orbison’s heart-swelling “The Way Is Love” below, and pre-order Mystery Girl — Deluxe through Amazon.