This, That, and the Other

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, Jim Adams has instructed us to respond to this challenge by either using the prompt word woman, or going with the above picture, or by means of the song “I’m Every Woman,” or by going with another song by Chaka Khan, or anything else that we think fits.

The first thing that came to my mind was Roy Orbison’s classic hit song, “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Written by Orbison and Bill Dees, “Oh, Pretty Woman” spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1964. The record ultimately sold seven million copies and was ranked the number four song that year.

Orbison was writing with his songwriting partner, Bill Dees, at his house when he told Dees to get started writing by playing anything that came to mind. Orbison’s wife, Claudette, came into the room and said she was going to go into town to buy something. Orbison asked if she needed any money, and Dees cracked, “Pretty woman never needs any money.” Inspired, Orbison started singing, “Pretty woman walking down the street.”

The song tells the story of a man who sees a pretty woman walking by. He yearns for her and wonders if, as beautiful as she is, she might be lonely like he is. At the last minute, she turns back and joins him. It was eventually the basis for the 1990 film, “Pretty Woman,” starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

Here are the lyrics to “Oh, Pretty Woman.”

Pretty woman, walkin’ down the street
Pretty woman the kind I like to meet 
Pretty woman I don’t believe you, you’re not the truth
No one could look as good as you, mercy

Pretty woman won’t you pardon me
Pretty woman I couldn’t help but see
Pretty woman that you look lovely as can be
Are you lonely just like me

Pretty woman stop awhile
Pretty woman talk awhile
Pretty woman give your smile to me
Pretty woman yeah, yeah, yeah
Pretty woman look my way
Pretty woman say you’ll stay with me
‘Cause I need you, I’ll treat you right
Come with me baby, be mine tonight

Pretty woman don’t walk on by
Pretty woman don’t make me cry
Pretty woman don’t walk away, hey, okay
If that’s the way it must be, okay
I guess I’ll go on home, it’s late
There’ll be tomorrow night, but wait
What do I see?
Is she walkin’ back to me?
Yeah, she’s walkin’ back to me
Oh, oh, pretty woman