"Orange Skies" is a song written by Bryan MacLean

Bryan MacLean

Bryan MacLean was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, most known for his work with the influential rock band Love. His famous compositions for Love include "Alone Again Or" and "Old Man".-Early life:...

 and originally recorded in 1966 by the band Love

Love (band)

Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...

 for their second album Da Capo

Da Capo (Love album)

Da Capo is the second album by American rock group Love, released in January 1967 by Elektra Records. The bulk of Da Capo was recorded between September 27 and October 2, 1966. "7 and 7 Is" was recorded on June 20, and had been released as a single in July of 1966 backed with "No. Fourteen", an...

(1967). It was first released in December 1966 as the B-side to the band's single "She Comes in Colors". The original recording features band leader Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee

Arthur Lee may refer to:*Arthur Lee , U.S. envoy to France*Arthur Lee, 1st Viscount Lee of Fareham , British soldier and diplomat*Arthur Lee , American psychedelic-rock musician...

 on lead vocals instead of MacLean.

According to Bryan MacLean, "Orange Skies" was the first song he ever wrote. At the time 17 years old and working as a roadie for The Byrds

The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...

, he based the song on a section from The Byrds' version of "The Bells of Rhymney

The Bells of Rhymney

"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song first recorded by folk singer Pete Seeger, using words written by Welsh poet Idris Davies. The lyrics to the song were drawn from part of Davies' poetic work Gwalia Deserta, which was first published in 1938...

", attributing that arrangement to Roger McGuinn

Roger McGuinn

James Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...

.

Two demo versions by MacLean (on acoustic guitar and vocals) were released in 1997 on the album Ifyoubelievein

Ifyoubelievein

Ifyoubelievein is the first solo album by Bryan MacLean, who was previously known as the second songwriter in the original lineup of the Los Angeles folk rock band Love. The album was assembled of old demo tapes his mother Elizabeth McKee had found at home, catalogued and managed to acquire a...

. A piano version by his half-sister Maria McKee

Maria McKee

Maria Luisa McKee is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her work with Lone Justice and her 1990 UK solo chart-topping hit, "Show Me Heaven".-Music:...

 was released on her album Live - Acoustic Tour 2006

Live - Acoustic Tour 2006

Live – Acoustic Tour 2006 is the seventh album by American singer/songwriter Maria McKee, released in 2006 .-Track listing:#"This World Is Not My Home"#"Peddlin' Dreams"#"Shelter"#"High Dive/Barstool Blues"...

. Other artists that have covered this song include The Galaxies, Os Baobás (both from Brazil

Brazilian rock

Brazilian rock refers to rock music produced in Brazil and usually sung in Portuguese.-Overview:Rock entered the Brazilian music scene in 1956, with the screening of the film The Blackboard Jungle, featuring Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock", which would later be covered in Portuguese by Nora...

), and Flower Power (Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

).