When was unchained melody released

Unchained Melody by Todd Duncan Original by ron Skip to content Site Navigation The Atlantic. Popular Latest. The Atlantic Crossword. Sign In Subscribe. Ghost , released in mid-July of , is now 25 years old; to the extent that the rom-com-meets-morality-play has endured in pop culture—in theaters, on TV, and now on the Internet—it owes much of its long lifespan to that literally pivotal scene.

The song—first released 60 years ago, in —has a history that, like its eponymous tune, ebbs and flows at unpredictable intervals. The song that has served as a backdrop for dances and weddings was born as a soundtrack of a more conventional variety. Unchained , based on the book Prisoners are People , was a low-budget film released to limited acclaim in That scene—a prisoner missing his love, basically, and wondering whether she will wait for him until he is freed—gave the movie its theme song.

When he got the call from the composer asking for help with the lyrics, he replied that he was too busy for the job: He was in the process of painting his house. And But how did the song come about? What inspired its lyrics? Here's all you could need to know about the iconic ballad The ballad was written in , with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret.

In , North was asked to compose the score for the prison film movie Unchained. North composed and recorded the score, and then was asked to write a song based on the movie's theme. North asked Hy Zaret to write the lyrics, but Zaret initially declined, saying he was too busy painting his house! Thankfully, he was convinced to take the job. Instead, Zaret focused 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 finishing his sentence and returning to his wife and family. Todd Duncan sang the vocals in the film. Lying on a bed, he sings it accompanied by another prisoner on guitar, while others listen sadly. It was nominated for an Oscar in , but it went to the hit song 'Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing' from the movie of the same name.

Bandleader Les Baxter released a version soon after the film, reaching number 1 on the US charts and number 10 in the UK. The best-known version of the song was the recording by The Righteous Brothers. His singing partner Bill Medley later said that they had agreed to do one solo piece each per album.

Both wanted to do 'Unchained Melody' for their fourth album, but Hatfield won the coin toss. It was originally released as the 'B' side of the single 'Hung On You'. However, that song failed to interest radio DJs, who instead chose to play the 'B' side.

There is uncertainty over who produced the song, as Phil Spector took the credit on many tracks and 'B' sides that were actually produced by Bill Medley. However, Medley, who had produced the duo before they signed with Spector and Philles, consistently stated that he produced this recording.

Early copies of the song didn't credit a producer, and only credited Spector after it became a hit. Hatfield made a change to the song during the recording sessions. He initially recorded a couple of takes as it was written, but returned later, changing the melody for the "I need your love" line in the final verse, singing it much higher.