Essays Contents
Unchained Melody
September 11, 2023
"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 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
in 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.
In 1954, Alex North was contracted to compose the score for the prison film Unchained (released in 1955). North had a melody he had written in the 1930s and composed and recorded the score when he was asked to write a song based upon the movie's theme. North asked Hy Zaret to write the lyrics. 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.
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 in 1956 for 1955's Oscars, but the Best Song award went to the hit song "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing".
It is popularized by Al Hibbler
and Roy Hamilton in 1955
Unchained Melody by Al Hibbler 1955
The most loved recording of Unchained Melody
was performed by the Righteous Brothers in 1965...
sung solo by Bobby Hatfield.
Andy Williams asks,
"How did you get the name Righteous Brothers?"
Unchained Melody (Live, 1965)
Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers performs his classic hit, "Unchained Melody." This is a live performance on NBC-TV's The Andy Williams Show in 1965 when the song was hot on the top 40 charts.
The Righteous Brothers were a duo comprised of Bill Medley (the tall, dark-haired guy with the bass-baritone voice) and Bobby Hatfield (seen as a solo performer in this video). When the two performed together on such hits as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration," magic happened. Their two very different voices created amazing harmonies that helped to define the sound that came to be known as "Blue-Eyed Soul."
and Roy Hamilton in 1955
Unchained Melody by Al Hibbler 1955
The most loved recording of Unchained Melody
was performed by the Righteous Brothers in 1965...
sung solo by Bobby Hatfield.
Andy Williams asks,
"How did you get the name Righteous Brothers?"
Unchained Melody (Live, 1965)
Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers performs his classic hit, "Unchained Melody." This is a live performance on NBC-TV's The Andy Williams Show in 1965 when the song was hot on the top 40 charts. The Righteous Brothers were a duo comprised of Bill Medley (the tall, dark-haired guy with the bass-baritone voice) and Bobby Hatfield (seen as a solo performer in this video). When the two performed together on such hits as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration," magic happened. Their two very different voices created amazing harmonies that helped to define the sound that came to be known as "Blue-Eyed Soul."
