David Lynch's Use of Bobby Vinton and Roy Orbison in Blue Velvet

A Spanish-language article from the cultural magazine El Hype analyzes the use of two classic songs in David Lynch's 1986 film Blue Velvet: "Blue Velvet" by Bobby Vinton and "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison. The article argues that Lynch subverts the sugary 1950s ballads to reveal the ugliness beneath the American dream. "Blue Velvet," originally a 1951 Tony Bennett song covered by Vinton in 1963, accompanies hyper-idealized suburban images that contrast with the dark reality of insects and decay under the lawn. "In Dreams," also from 1963, is used in a famous lip-sync scene by Dean Stockwell's character, which the article calls possibly the best lip-sync in cinema history. The song reveals the human side of Dennis Hopper's villain. The article notes Lynch later paid homage to Orbison with a similar a cappella lip-sync of "Llorando" by Rebekah del Rio in Mulholland Drive. The film's score by Angelo Badalamenti, Julee Cruise's "Mysteries of Love," and Ketty Lester's "Love Letters" are also praised.