It’s not even a real song, is it? Not in the traditional sense. It’s just a bit of instrumental, a few chords, and a whole lot of emotional damage.
I’m talking about “Crying” by Roy Orbison. Yes, that Roy Orbison. The man with the voice of an angel who’s just had his heart run over by a lorry.
When Del Boy and Rodney have their big, heartbreaking fight? That’s the song they play. It’s like the show’s way of saying, “Brace yourself, mate. The laughs are over.”
Why This Song? Why Now?
Think about it. The show is mostly slapstick, get-rich-quick schemes, and Uncle Albert’s war stories. Then, out of nowhere, you get this wave of pure, unfiltered sadness.
It’s the ultimate emotional cheat code. One strum of that guitar, and you’re back on that sofa in the 80s, wondering why your dad is pretending to have something in his eye.
Roy Orbison understood pain. He sang like he was drowning in a puddle of his own tears. And Only Fools knew exactly when to use that.
