In 1955, North used the music as a theme for the prison film Unchained, hence the name. Les Baxter , released an instrumental version which reached #2. Hy Zaret"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 , hence the song title. It has since become a standard and one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, most notably by the Righteous Brothers in July 1965. 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.
"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has since become a standard and one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, most notably by the Righteous Brothers. Their recording immediately reached number 1 in the UK, selling 314,000 copies in its first week, at that time the fastest-selling debut single in UK chart history. It became the best selling single of 1995, and one of the country's all-time biggest-selling singles (No. 9 in November 2012), with 1.87 million copies sold. The self-titled album they released later in the year also became the best-selling album of 1995. Although the duo decided to quit the following year, they would eventually sell 7 million copies of albums and 5 million copies of the 3 singles released.
Their performance triggered a strong response from the audience who attempted to find a recording of the song that was then unavailable. Simon Cowell was alerted to the interest shown by the public, and pursued the two reluctant actors for the next four months to record the song, to the extent that Robson Green threatened legal action to stop Cowell harassing them. The actors were eventually persuaded to sign a recording contract with Cowell and record a Righteous Brothers-type version of the song as a duo. It was later revealed by Stock that the vocals were "assisted" and parts of the song were sung by other session singers.
It was released as a double A-sided single with "White Cliffs of Dover", a popular song during World War II, included in recognition of the 50th anniversary of VE day, the date of the single release. The video released for "Unchained Melody" also incorporated clips from the 1945 film Brief Encounter. "Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music byAlex Northand lyrics byHy Zaret. Two different versions of the song were released to coincide with the movie's release; an orchestral version and one with the lyrics performed by Al Hibbler. Hibbler's version of the song hit the number one position on the R&B charts in 1955, as did a version by Roy Hamilton.
Another version from June Valli reached the #29 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles list in May 1955. The song was also recorded by Harry Belafonte later that same year. "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 . "Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music composed by Alex North and lyrics written by Hy Zaret. North used the music as a theme for the little-known prison film "Unchained" – hence the name.
It has since become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, most notably by the Righteous Brothers. The song was nominated in 1956 for 1955's Oscar for best original song from the film Unchained. The re-recorded version by The Righteous Brothers was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1991 in the best pop performance by a duo or group category, and their original version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000. The use of the Righteous Brothers' cover of "Unchained Melody" in the film Ghost resurrected the song's popularity as it was recognized as the "most played" song of 1992 by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers . ASCAP also announced it to be one of the 25 most-performed songs and musical works of the 20th century in 1999, and the most-performed love song of the 1950s in 2003.
Felton JarvisElvis Presley singles chronology"My Way""Unchained Melody"" Teddy Bear"On June 21, 1977, Elvis Presley performed the song at a show in Rapid City, South Dakota. The performance, described as "the last great moment of his career", was recorded for his last television special two months before his death in August 1977. A single, based on this recording, was released in March 1978 by RCA Records with "Softly, As I Leave You" as the b-side. The song reached No. 6 in the country charts of both the US and Canada, and was certified Gold by Music Canada on July 10, 1986.
In 1954, Alex North was contracted to compose the score for the prison film Unchained . North composed and recorded the score and then was asked to write a song based upon the movie's theme. After first refusing, Zaret and North together wrote "Unchained Melody." Zaret refused the producer's request to include the word "unchained" in his lyrics. The song eventually became known as the "Unchained Melody" even though the song does not actually include the word "unchained". Instead, Zaret chose to focus on someone who pines for a lover he has not seen in a "long, lonely time".
The film centered on a man who contemplates either escaping from prison to live life on the run or completing his sentence and returning to his wife and family. The song has an unusual harmonic device as the bridge ends on the tonic chord rather than the more usual dominant chord. The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody Live – Best Quality Of the hundreds of recordings made, The Righteous Brothers version is the most-known version of "Unchained Melody", which recorded by the duo for Philles Records in 1965. The lead vocal was performed solo by Bobby Hatfield, who later recorded other versions of the song credited solely to him. According to his singing partner Bill Medley, they had agreed to do one solo piece each per album.
Both wanted to sing "Unchained Melody" for their fourth album, but Hatfield won the coin toss. The song began its life as a soundtrack to a prison movie. With the help of The Righteous Brothers, Leslie Nielsen, and some strategically molded clay, it became one of history's greatest love songs. About Unchained Melody Unchained Melody is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret.
Oh my love my darling Ive hungered for your touch A long lonely time And time goes by so slowly And time can do so much Are you still mine. In 1995, the song was performed byRobson GreenandJerome Flynnin the UK drama seriesSoldier Soldier. They subsequently released a Righteous Brothers-type version as a single, which quickly reached #1 in the UK, becoming one of the country's all time biggest-selling records, and has sold 1.86 million copies as of November 2012.
"Unchained Melody" reappeared on the Billboard charts in 1990 after The Righteous Brothers' recording was used in the box office blockbuster filmGhost. There was the reissue of the 1965 original Righteous Brothers single which received a lot of airplay, but sales were minimal since it was only available as a 45 RPM single.This version peaked at #13. There was also a 1990 re-recording of the song which was available only as a cassette single. The re-recorded version saw minimal airplay, but excellent sales. For eight weeks, both versions were on the Hot 100 simultaneously. The best known version of "Unchained Melody" was recorded by The Righteous Brothers and produced byPhil Spectorin 1965 as the 'B' side of the single featuring the song, "Hung On You".
Although the version was credited to The Righteous Brothers, it was actually performed as a solo by Righteous BrotherBobby Hatfield, who later recorded other versions credited solely to him. This recording climbed to #4 on theBillboard Hot 100chart in 1965 and reached #14 in the UK in 1965. Les Baxter released an instrumental version which reached #1.
However, it was the July 1965 version byThe Righteous Brothersthat became ajukeboxstandard for the late 20th century, achieving a second round of great popularity when it was featured in the 1990 blockbuster filmGhost. The young 17-year-old Gareth Gates resurrected "Unchained Melody' at the 2002 singing competition 'Pop Idol' lead by Simon Cowel. He performed the song in the final round of the contest, which, however, was won by Will Young. Simon Cowel signed Gareth Gates and "Unchained Melody" was released as the first single by Gareth Gates as a signed artist.
The song saw a massive reception peaking at #1 in the UK, and selling 850,000 copies in the first week of release. This achievement also made Gareth Gates, at 17-years-old, the youngest solo male British artist to have a #1 charting hit. "Unchained Melody" was the only song to have reached No. 1 in the UK in four different recordings on the official chart until it was joined by the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in its fourth re-recording in 2014. It is the only song to have sold over a million by three separate acts in the UK – Robson and Jerome (1.87 million), Gareth Gates (1.35 million), the Righteous Brothers (1.17 million).
The song has been number 1 on lists of love songs featured on the United Kingdom's Channel 4 and Five. The 1965 original Righteous Brothers recording was reissued in 1990 by oldies-reissue label Verve Forecast under licensing from Polygram Records . The original version received a lot of airplay, and topped the U.S. adult contemporary chart for two weeks in 1990. However, sales for this version were minimal in the US since it was only available as a 45 RPM single and the song peaked at No. 13 based largely on airplay. For eight weeks, both versions were on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously and the Righteous Brothers became the first act to have two versions of the same song in the Top 20 at the same time. This re-released song reached number 1 in the UK where it stayed for four weeks, becoming the UK's top selling single of 1990.
The 1990 reissue also reached number 1 in Australia, Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. "Unchained Melody" reappeared on the US Billboard charts in 1990 after The Righteous Brothers' recording was used in the box office blockbuster film Ghost. Two versions charted in the US that year – the original and a new recording. According to Medley, he was interested in having the original recording released due to the renewed interest in the song, but was told that there were licensing issues.
Although Hatfield's voice was no longer as good as when he first recorded the song, they decided to re-record it for Curb Records. The re-recorded version was released as both a cassette single and a CD single. It received minimal airplay but sold well, peaking at number 19. The re-recorded version was certified Platinum by the RIAA on January 10, 1991, and received a Grammy Award nomination.
The best-known version of "Unchained Melody" was recorded by the duo The Righteous Brothers for Philles Records in 1965. Both wanted to sing "Unchained Melody" for their fourth album, but Hatfield won the coin toss. Elvis Presleyperformed "Unchained Melody" on April 24, 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the recording of which was included on theMoody Bluealbum .
On June 21, just six weeks before his death, he performed "Unchained Melody" in Rapid City, S.D. For what would be his last television appearance, "Elvis In Concert"; ultimately, the song was not included on the October 3 broadcast and this version would be released the following year as a single. Both versions featured him on piano, as was invariably the case when Presley sang the song in concert. In 1955, Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret were contracted to write a song as a theme for the obscure prison filmUnchained,and their song eventually became known as the "Unchained Melody".
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. After being featured on the 'Ghost' soundtrack The Righteous Brothers wanted to re-release the song, however, were not able to, due to licensing issues. Both the original and the re-recorded charted on Billboard Hot 100, making the Righteous Brothers the first artist to chart two versions of the same song simultaneously. The song came to life in January 19, 1955, written by Hy Zaret and music by Alex North.
The song was written for the movie titled 'Unchained' released in January 1955. The American baritone opera singer Todd Duncan sang the song for the movie soundtrack, and is the first life of the song. The best-known version of "Unchained Melody" was recorded by the duo The Righteous Brothers for Philles Records in 1965. The song saw a massive resurgence in popularity again in 1990 when it was used as the love theme in the movie Ghost, featuring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. The Righteous Brothers wanted to re-release the song because of the renewed interest caused by the movie.
Due to licensing issues, The Righteous Brothers were forced to record a new version of the song, this time on Curb records. Gates' version of "Unchained Melody" became one of the fastest-selling singles in the UK, selling around 328,000 copies in the first day of release. It reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release with sales of 850,000 copies, and stayed at the top of the chart for four weeks.
It became the second best-selling song in the UK in 2002, as well as that of the decade of 2000s, after the single by the winner Will Young. While the sheet music business was losing its prominence to sound recordings, a sheet music release of the song peaked at number 1 on its tenth week on the Billboard Best Selling Sheet Music chart on the week ending June 18, 1955. It stayed at its peak position for nine weeks until it dropped to number 4 on its twentieth week on the week ending August 27. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack and performs an abbreviated version in the film. Playing one of the prisoners, he sings it, accompanied by another prisoner on guitar, while other prisoners listen sadly.
With Duncan singing the vocals, the song was nominated for 1955's Oscars, but the Best Song award went to the hit song "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing". Bobby Hatfield loved the Roy Hamilton version of this song, and was singing it in clubs before he met Bill Medley. When they started recording as the Righteous Brothers, they usually included one solo each on each of their albums. Bobby chose this song for the "Just Once in My Life" LP. Because it was never intended to be released as a single, Bill Medley produced it , and it was released as the intended "throwaway" B-side to the Spector-produced "Hung on You". However, radio stations flipped it over to play "Unchained Melody", which infuriated Spector. Spector attempted to convince radio stations to play "Hung on You" instead, but it ws too late--"Unchained Melody" had become an accidental smash hit.
Bill Medley has since said that Bobby "just killed it," recording the song in about 30 minutes. Medley sings it in tribute to Bobby at his shows now, complete with a video slide show. The Righteous Brothers then recorded an underrated ballad by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, "Just Once in My Life". Hatfield became disillusioned with Medley taking the lead vocals and Spector placated him by recording solo performances of the oldies "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide". "Unchained Melody" was placed on the B-side of "Hung On You", but US radio stations preferred it, and the single climbed to No 4. "Unchained Melody" was an A-side in the UK and made No 14.
Further tracks with Spector included "The White Cliffs of Dover", but they tired of his paranoia and Medley persuaded Hatfield that they should make the records themselves. Elvis Presley recorded "Unchained Melody" during his 1970's concerts. His live concert rendition at Ann Arbor's Crisler Arena was recorded by RCA Records on March 24, 1977, less than five months before his death.
Initially, only Elvis' piano playing was part of the recording. RCA would later have other instruments edited in and then have the song included on the "Moody Blue" album. On June 21, 1977, the single release was recorded at the Rushmore Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Translation of Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers from English to Russian Version 2. The song has become a favorite among auditioners for TV singing contests. It has often been said bySimon Cowellto be his favorite song, leading it to be a favourite among those hoping to impress him in auditions forPop Idol,American Idol, andThe X Factor. It was performed on the original series ofPop Idolby runner-up Gareth Gates, who later released it as a single.
On Series 8 ofUK X Factor, Johnny Robinson performed the song on November 6, 2011 to stay in the competition. On So You Think You Can Dance Season 9, Travis Wall choreographed a contemporary piece to the music of the song. The piece, performed by Audrey Case and Matthew Kazmierczak, received a standing ovation from the judges and was highly praised for its aesthetic appeal.
