The Defector
Roy Orbison · Other Songs - Roy Orbison
It's the Bonnie and Clyde days
Where the girls wear curls and lace
And the boys can't stand the pace of war
It's not the war but the cause the country's fighting for
The seed of discontent is sown
They're burning card back home, back home
The old folks just can't ignore
The posters with ink anymore
I'm not sure what to think
Now I wonder why I'm on this foreign shore
To find peace of mind
For now I walk alone
Amd it's no better to leave than stay
And give more than I had to give
My life was not my own the wife I've never known
I may never know I may never go back home
To the land of the free, back home
To the land of the free back home
Would there be a place for me back home back home?
Well I always wonder why
Will they take me when I die back home
Where the girls wear curls and lace
And the boys can't stand the pace of war
It's not the war but the cause the country's fighting for
The seed of discontent is sown
They're burning card back home, back home
The old folks just can't ignore
The posters with ink anymore
I'm not sure what to think
Now I wonder why I'm on this foreign shore
To find peace of mind
For now I walk alone
Amd it's no better to leave than stay
And give more than I had to give
My life was not my own the wife I've never known
I may never know I may never go back home
To the land of the free, back home
To the land of the free back home
Would there be a place for me back home back home?
Well I always wonder why
Will they take me when I die back home
The Defector - Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison's 'The Defector' stands as a haunting testament to his mastery of the baroque pop and rockabilly genres. Recorded during the early 1960s, the track showcases Orbison's signature vocal style, characterized by its soaring, emotive delivery and dramatic use of reverb. The song reflects the era's fascination with themes of betrayal and emotional vulnerability, delivered through a lush arrangement that blends electric guitar with orchestral textures. As a key component of his discography, 'The Defector' exemplifies Orbison's ability to craft atmospheric soundscapes that linger long after the final note fades, cementing his legacy as a pioneer of the Southern rock sound.