“Unchained Melody” is one of the most beloved and popular songs in the history of music. The song was initially produced in 1955 with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North used the music as a theme for a not-so-famous 1955 film, Unchained. That’s where the title came from. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film’s soundtrack. It is one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, most notably by the Righteous Brothers.
According to the song’s publishing administrator, over 1500 recordings of “Unchained Melody” have been made by more than 670 artists, in multiple languages, none more famous than Bobby Hatfield’s version.
The 1965 rendition of the song by the Righteous Brothers, performed as a solo by Bobby Hatfield, made the song reach new heights of popularity. Even though it was released 10 years after the original, The Righteous Brothers’ version is widely considered the definitive version of the classic.
“Unchained Melody” still receives a lot of airplay even after all these years. It is timeless, isn’t it? It has also been featured in several movies. It even managed to make it back on the Billboard Top 100 after it was used in the 1990 film, Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze. Check out Bobby Hatfield’s 1965 solo live performance below and share your thoughts in the comments section!
