"Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)" is a 1960 pop and rock and roll ballad by Roy Orbison, written with Joe Melson. It was recorded in Nashville and produced by Fred Foster for Monument Records, and appears on the album Lonely and Blue. The song is noted for its dramatic build, Orbison’s powerful falsetto, and a top-down mixing approach that foregrounded backing vocals. Released as a 45 rpm single in May 1960, it reached No 2 on the US Billboard chart and No 1 in the United Kingdom, becoming Orbison’s first major hit. The writers had initially tried to pitch the song to Elvis and the Everly Brothers before recording it themselves. The session featured Nashville players like Floyd Cramer on piano, and the B-side was "Here Comes That Song Again." In 1999 the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
