# In 1988, the Traveling Wilburys made 10 perfect songs, only to throw one out by their favourite singer

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1988-the-traveling-wilburys-made-10-perfect-songs-only-to-throw-one-out-by-their-favourite-singer/
- Published: 2026-11-05T19:24:57+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T20:50:46+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1988-the-traveling-wilburys-10-perfect-songs/
- Topics: Culture, Entertainment, Music, Travel

## Key points

- The Wilburys dropped an unreleased Roy Orbison song.
- ‘Winged Victory’ drew on a William Blake poem.
- Few recordings from the sessions have surfaced.

## Summary

The Traveling Wilburys reportedly discarded an unreleased Roy Orbison song during sessions for their 1988 debut album, despite the group’s admiration for his voice. The story highlights the band’s informal, enjoyment-led approach to making music, alongside a willingness to leave material out when it did not meet their standards.

The song, ‘Winged Victory’, was based on William Blake’s poem ‘The Sick Rose’. Orbison biographer Ellis Amburn is quoted as saying Orbison had only one song on the album because this solo was dropped; the released record instead featured his lead vocal on ‘Not Alone Any More’ and other contributions. The article says few session recordings have surfaced, and cites Tom Petty’s view that the band’s best songs were already released.

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