Unchained Melody

The Righteous Brothers

About Unchained Melody

"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the little-known prison film Unchained (1955), hence the song title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack. It has since become a standard and one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, most notably by the Righteous Brothers. According to the song's publishing administrator, over 1,500 recordings of "Unchained Melody" have been made by more than 670 artists, in multiple languages. In 1955, three versions of the song (by Les Baxter, Al Hibbler, and Roy Hamilton) charted in the Billboard Top 10 in the United States, and four versions (by Al Hibbler, Les Baxter, Jimmy Young, and Liberace) appeared in the Top 20 in the United Kingdom simultaneously, an unbeaten record for any song. The song continued to chart in the 21st century, and it was the only song to reach number one with four different recordings in the UK until it was joined by Band Aid 30's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 2014. Of the hundreds of recordings made, the Righteous Brothers' version in July 1965, with a solo by Bobby Hatfield, became the jukebox standard after its release. Hatfield changed the melody in the final verse and many subsequent covers of the song are based on his version. The Righteous Brothers recording achieved a second round of great popularity when featured in the film Ghost in 1990. In 2004, it was Number 27 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. 


Year:
2001
3:38
56 

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Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
Time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely rivers sigh
"Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home, wait for me

Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered, for your touch
A long, lonely time
Time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me

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The Righteous Brothers

The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform until Hatfield's death in 2003. Their emotive vocal stylings were sometimes dubbed "blue-eyed soul". more »

5 fans

Written by: Alex North, Hyman Zaret

Lyrics © UNCHAINED MELODY PUB LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin
"Unchained Melody" originally featured in the 1955 prison film "Unchained", hence the song's name.
Composer and Lyricists
The music for this song was composed by Alex North, while Hy Zaret penned the lyrics.
Al Hibbler's Version
Al Hibbler was one of the first artists to record "Unchained Melody", and his version reached number 3 on Billboard Top 100 in the US in 1955.
Jimmy Young's Version
Jimmy Young was the first British artist to cover "Unchained Melody". His version topped the UK Singles Chart in 1955, making it the song's first number one hit in the UK.
Les Baxter's Version
Les Baxter released an instrumental version of the song which competed with Al Hibbler's version in 1955. Baxter's version topped the billboard charts and sold over 2 million copies.
The Righteous Brothers Version
The most famous version of "Unchained Melody" was recorded by The Righteous Brothers in 1965. This rendition of the song has been used in numerous films and television shows. - Produced by Phil Spector, their version again hit the number one spot on the UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100 and has been named one of the greatest love songs of all time.
Ghost Movie Influence
The popularity of the song surged again in 1990 when it was heavily featured in the romantic thriller "Ghost," starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.
Numerous Cover Versions
"Unchained Melody" is one of the most covered songs, with more than 1,500 recorded versions by various artists.
Robson & Jerome Version
Another successful cover was by actors Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, who released their version in 1995. It went on to become one of the best-selling singles in the UK with over 1.8 million copies sold.
Timeless Appeal
Despite being over six decades old, the tune and lyrics of "Unchained Melody" have touched countless hearts, making it a timeless piece of music.

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    Unchained Melody

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1965

    Billboard #4


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