Bobby Hatfield had a warmth and quality to his voice that was amazing. He was making love to the whole audience. Nobody can capture his soul and his heart or his vocals.
I'm writing this 56 years after Bobby sang Unchained Melody live on Andy Williams. His voice was effortless and beautiful. Incredible range. Nobody but nobody has ever sung this song like Bobby Hatfield. He set the bar too high. I miss him so much!!!
Talk about effortless! Bobby didn't break a sweat, even though he was nervous that his parents were in the audience. I agree with everyone that "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" should be on your list Daniel.
When Bobby started to rehearse with the orchestra he realized how great the orchestra and the Acoustics were in that studio so he told them he would be right back he wanted to make some changes and this is the result of his changes that's why it's different from the record
Check out 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling' by them. They both sing on that one, the harmonies are to die for. They are not actual brothers, but they are definitely 'Righteous'
The Righteous Brothers didn't write the song and it has been covered by many artists, including Elvis, but no one will ever surpass this amazing live performance by the late, great Bobby Hatfield. The song is written from the perspective of someone in prison hoping and praying that when they get out of prison, the person they love will still be there for him. You probably noticed the name the Righteous Brothers.....but only saw one person performing. The other Righteous Brother is Bill Medley (he is still alive and sings the male vocals on the massively popular song "I've Had The Time of My Life") and his voice is equally as great as Bobby's! He has a deep voice and combined with Bobby Hatfield you get pure Blue Eyed Soul! Check out "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" to hear both of them. It is the most played song on radio, TV, etc of any other song in the 20th century. Pretty impressive stat.
lol! Ironically, the man who wrote this song is actually in prison now, for murdering an actress in his home. Phil Spector also "invented" the recording technique he dubbed, "Wall of sound" that gives this music the fullness you hear.
@@foots-qt4pk No, it was written in 1955 by Alex North, the man you refer to is Phil Spector, who did include it as a `B side` on a record (Hung On You) that he produced.
This was Bobby Hatfield. One half of The Righteous Brothers. He is the tenor of the two. In this song he actually surpasses two full octaves higher than the beginning of the song; that's a feat considering that going up one full octave is the sign of a great singer. The other half is Bill Medley, the baritone. His deep soulful voice reaches the depths of your soul! Listen to their song "Soul and Inspiration" to hear that beautiful deep voice blended so perfectly with Bobby's golden tenor. Love & Light friend! ❤️🙏😇
Welcome to the world of "blue-eyed soul;" back in the day, when this first started popping up on the radio, lots of people were surprised to find out the Righteous Brothers were white...and, judging by some of the other reaction videos on RU-vid, a lot of people still are surprised. Bobby Hatfield had the voice of an angel, with amazing control over it; Bill Medley had a soulful, bass-baritone, and, together, they had - have - a distinctive sound. "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," and, "(You're my) Soul and Inspiration" are definitely great choices for another of their songs.
This was my parents' song. When my dad was at sea (a career Naval officer, fighter pilot) my mom used to cry to this song. They are both gone now, dancing to it in heaven.
I don't believe any version compares to this one. I was lucky to have seen Bobby Hatfield sing this live in Las Vegas a few times. I just waited for him to hit those high notes at the end of the song. He never failed to please the audience. I love watching reactors listen to this song. I also agree that this live version was better than the studio recording where he doesn't hit those last few high notes at the end, but instead drops back down when he ends the song.
This live version was sung on the weekly variety show, _Andy Williams Show._ IMO (and most others) it is actually better than the studio version. His parents were in the audience, and he just went for it. His runs and the heights he takes his voice go well beyond what the studio version offers. There is a longer cut of this, with some banter between the two "brothers" and Andy Williams before the song begins. Andy asked Bill Medley (the other "brother") why he doesn't sing in it. He replies something like, "I didn't know it was going to be a huge hit!" During the show, they sang at least two other times, once as their normal duet and once with Andy (well known singer at the time) joining in. While there have been innumerable covers, the Righteous Brothers version has become the standard. Elvis sang it toward the end of his life, and while it is good, it pales in comparison. (To be fair, his talents were fading at that point.) In _Ghost,_ this was sung in the pottery scene with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. They used the Righteous Brothers version, because, well, you heard it.
Bobby had a cold, he was nervous as his parents were in the audience, and yet, he gave a stellar performance! That's Bill Medley, the other brother on piano in the background. Love your reaction, shows you appreciate this beautiful song.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 2.5 MILLION views achieved. A testament to the quality of your work. Thank you. The Legion shall patiently wait for your future availability. Stay strong and healthy. Get back to this only when it works for you. All the best.
I was 15 when me and my folks watched this live on the Andy Williams Show... It has been covered so many times but Bobby Hatfield's version has never beed surpassed, not even by Elvis..
I’m so happy to hear you say “perfect song” because I agree. Bobby Hatfield is the perfect person to sing to sing it. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him sing it.
This was Bobby Hatfield. React to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" (I think it's from that same concert) and you'll hear the incredible baritone of Bill Medley, the other "brother". They are freaking incredible!
Think about the vocals you just heard. They were recorded with 1965 technology would know I repeat no digital fakery or enhancements. I agree you should do You Lost That Loving Feeling next.
Beautiful song and perfomance . Amazing voice and vocal range. To think this was a flawless, to my ears, live performance makes me marvel at the true talent of Bobby Hatfield. A couple of other most popular Righteous Brothers songs (with Bill Medley) "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" an "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration"
No one mentions the incredible breath and vocal.control Bobby displays in the second stanza in which he doesn't breathe until the second "I need your love." Just astonishing.
I never tire of watching people react to this song. It is sung from the prospective of a man who is being released from prison and is asking if his true love has waited for him. Love your channel. Please do more Linda Ronstadt
This is from a variety show called The Andy Williams show. I remember sitting in front of our black and white TV (color sets were too expensive at the time) watching this and falling in love with Bobby Hatfield. 56 years ago. I was 14 and already a Righteous Brothers fan. Of course, there was no way to record from the TV then, so I was so happy when I found this. The studio recording is excellent, but nothing comes close to this live version. Such memories. You've Lost That Loving Feeling and (You're My) Soul and Inspiration (both live versions) are great and reacted to a lot. Others I really like are I (Who Have Nothing) and Let It Be Me. All include both Bobby and Bill Medley (who weren't really brothers). Their harmonies are amazing. Bobby passed away in 2003, but Bill is alive and was still performing until the pandemic hit.
Mary Ann C - On the youtube search look up "Righteous brothers(bobby) - unchained melody (Andy Williams chat first)" from youtuber Steven Miller and you will see the Andy Williams show footage showing the chat between Andy Williams and both Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley beforehand. Very enjoyable. Like time travel!
@@classicslover Very enjoyable. I've watched it many times. Have you seen the performance of What'd I Say with Bill, Andy and Bobby that follows this performance? Very funny. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KGClv9GKYmo.html
@@maryannc6313 I had not seen that! Ha! You're right! Loved it! Rude of me to take so long to reply! Sorry! Was watching some classic movies. I've also recently been searching some of Karen Carpenters performances...also including on Andy Williams. And I've found episodes of The Monkees, Bewitched, Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Dick Van Dyke Show...and clips of other things as well! The new Marvel Studios TV show WandaVision has had episodes set up like Dick Van Dyke and Bewitched. Mining that classic TV gold.
What a thrill to see the original performance - of course you would have fallen in love with Bobby Hatfield. Many continue to do so as they watch this masterpiece. So pure and sung with heart and soul. 🤍💖
Such a pure voice. No machines. No fillers. No overdubs. No Auto-tune. Being a blues/Rock guy I often discounted bands as the Righteous Bros,Gordon Lightfoot, Simon and Garfunkel. I'll admit I was dead wrong. They are/were incredibly talented.
One never gets tired of listening to this wonderful performance of this classic hit by the superbly talented Bobby Hatfield! Now you need to hear the two of them from the same TV show singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling".
Yeah. Tom Cruise "sings" the song in the bar scene, trying to pick up Kelly McGillis on a dare. The actual Righteous Brothers version is used over the closing credits.
@@DougRayPhillips True. In this case, I was more interested in the RB version to trigger memories of the song in question rather than Tom & the boys, but details can be useful. Thanks.
Not really my preferred genre, but IMO that has to be one of the greatest live solo vocal performance in the history of pop/rock music. It must have made the ladies swoon in 1965.
I agree that it's still making the ladies swoon. Just check out some of the other reaction videos. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Bobby was just so dang cute.
@@maryannc6313 cute, perfectly dressed, even in pink, lol, and that lip bite at the end really got to a couple reactors. I'm told he was really excited to perform that night because his parents were in the audience. How he hit that high note at the end, I have no clue.
So glad you reacted to this classic. Bobby Hatfield put everything into this live version on the Andy Williams slow. Williams was another singer very popular in the Sixties with a unique and powerful voice.
Thank you for sharing . You said ..it was like a perfect song . You are totally right ..a lovely reaction and I also like the way you respect the song as a whole .
Bobby Hatfield had a gorgeous voice. His partner, Bill Medley, isn’t in this performance. For one of their ‘normal’ duets try their huge hit "You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling" or "Soul & Inspiration". The Righteous Brothers were a Southern California group. I never saw them together live, but Medley had a club in Orange County where he often performed and I saw him there and at a concert at the Anaheim Convention Center in the 80s. Medley has a sumptuous bass that melded wonderfully with Hatfield’s tenor. My aunt actually dated Medley for a few months when she visited us from Texas around ‘60 or ‘61. Unfortunately, she never brought him around. This was just before he teamed up with Hatfield and hit it big.
There are actually RU-vid channels seemingly devoted to other RU-vid channels reacting to songs in synchronic fashion, which are quite unique and enjoyable. This song may top the list of that YT sub-genre.
THIS is a cover! It was originally written and recorded (in 1955) as the theme song to a prison movie title Unchained. At best the movie was a semi-flop although the song was nominated for an Oscar. The best known cast member was Barbara Hale who played the secretary Della Street on Perry Mason.
I grew up listening to this kind of music. My mom was a huge fan of many singers. This song is awesome. Many more Righteous Brothers songs out there. Keep up the good work. How about some Three Dog Night? Or any other 60’s, 70’s music. Just nothing from the disco era. Haha!
Young man do not ever lose your ability to listen and react to great music. Stay connected, it will help you all your life. You are a natural. From an older musician lady old enough to be your grandma.
"Right on brother, Right on brother" ... I believe it was these types of audience reactions that led them to choose their name, they were very soulful, great talents 👍🏼
One of the best songs ever recorded. If you have some time, check out a song called"Sukiyaki" by Kyu Sakamoto 1963. The lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up while walking so that his tears won't fall. Although it was sung in Japanese, it was a worldwide hit and even reached the number one spot in the USA. It has a beautiful melody. English translation is available. Highly recommended.
I love this song also. Hearing it on the radio in the early '60s I could only think "wistful". BTW, "Sukiyaki" is not the title, nor does the song have anything to do with food. It is just a word western DJs knew their audience would associate with Japan. The actual title translates to."I Look Up When I Walk.". See: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C35DrtPlUbc.html
The Righteous Brothers are called the first "Blue-eyed soul Band," and "Three Dog Night," the second White or Blue-Eyed Soul Band. And the Third Blue Eyed soul band was Hall & Oates.
This performance of Bobby was from when the Righteous Brothers were on The Andy Williams Show. Here they are singing with Andy from same show: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KGClv9GKYmo.html
On the radio stations my mom and dad listened to this would be played quite a bit. Now I know the name and the group. While not my type of music, it is an amazing piece of work.
Truly a classic. Also sung by the immortal Sam Cooke but Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers made it his absolute own. This version was rereleased for the movie “Ghost” and his partner, Bill Medley sang a song in The movie Dirty Dancing called “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”. Twenty years after their major popularity, they reinvented themselves. Bobby has died but Bill continues to this day. This song was written for a movie called Unchained.
One of the lessons in the lyrics for this song, at least I think, is you can say a lot with very few words. And those few words can touch someone's soul. Between the lyrics and his voice there is not much left to carry you on this journey. The backing music was almost like to fill the gaps has he took a breath, a diminuendo, pause and the music was there has a constant. It didn't distract from the song and Bobby Hatfield, it just perfectly filled in the back. If I could change anything with this song oh, it would be in Stereo Maybe or HD but beyond that it is for perfect. Look up Bill Medley duet I think her name is something like Diane Warren or something horn for the song Time of My Life. It's from the movie Dirty Dancing. And you see Bill Medley still knock it out of the park. It is a great duet two voices blend perfectly.
Bobby Hatfield live performance. The Andy Williams Show- Episode #4.5 Episode aired: Monday, Oct 25, 1965: Robert Lee Hatfield (August 10, 1940 - November 5, 2003) Bobby Hatfield, who had a higher countertenor voice to Bill Medley’s, William Thomas Medley (born September 19, 1940) baritone, sang lead on this track. It was his idea to record it, since Medley and Hatfield were each allowed to choose a song to sing as a solo vocalist on their albums. As Medley tells it, Hatfield knew the song well, and was a big fan of the Roy Hamilton and Al Hibbler versions of the song. *In Nov. 2003 Hatfield died of a heart attack at age 63. The Righteous Brothers version was a huge hit, but it was recorded with far more modest expectations. Phil Spector considered it album filler and released it as a B-side. The single had "Unchained Melody," with no producer credit on the label, as the flip to Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "Hung on You," but many DJs preferred "Unchained Melody" and played that one instead. This infuriated Spector, who subsequently left no doubt (actually calling DJs telling them to play “Hung On You” not “Unchained Melody “)as to which side of a Philles single was the A-side. * The famous climax of this song where Bobby Hatfield sings the high "I need your love" line wasn't how the song was written. In an interview with Bill Medley, he explained that Hatfield did two takes of the song, then left. He would often reconsider his performance and come back later to change it, and that's what he did on this track, returning to ask Medley if he could make an edit. This was no easy task, since with a maximum of four tracks to work with, you had to record over part of the original take, but Medley accommodated and Hatfield delivered that soaring vocal line. Said Medley: "I punched that in and before he left he said, 'No, I can do it better. ’And I said, 'No, you can't.' [Laughs] And I think it's a big part of that song." * This was released on Philles Records, Phil Spector's label. Spector, known for his "Wall Of Sound" technique, did not produce this - Bill Medley did. In a 2007 statement to the Forgotten Hits newsletter, Medley said: "You have to remember that I was producing our stuff before Phil Spector... I mean I produced 'Little Latin Lupe Lu,' 'My Babe' and all that stuff. Then when we went with Phil, Phil asked me if I would produce the albums because it was too time consuming for him to produce the entire albums. So he was going to do the singles and I would do the album. And so that's how that happened and that's how I produced 'Unchained Melody,' which Phil Spector apparently now takes credit for. He can have the credit. And I'm not a producer. I know how to produce. But it's obviously not a Spector production. 'Unchained Melody' was never intended to be the single... it was produced to be on the album. It was put on the B side of a Phil Spector single 'Hung On You' and the minute it was released 'Unchained Melody' just went through the roof." Hatfield’s rendition of “Unchained Melody” although not the original, is the ‘gold standard’.
I grew up listening to these guys. I read somewhere that they were fraternity brothers at college. Please listen to Unchained Melody so that you can hear them sing together.
I saw this live (on TV) back in 1965...I can tell you exactly what I was doing and where I was (my whole family was stunned by the performance). At that time, most had heard of the Righteous Brothers, and of this song, but no one had heard the live version (slightly different and not as good as the recorded version). Even Elvis, couldn't do this better than Bobby. just listen to the range of that voice (two octaves with no effort). One of the all time great songs (IMO). Just in case you did not know, after the movie "Ghost" (which featured this song), this song was revived for a short time...many thought this was sang by an African-American, and, many of my African-American friends, were shocked that it was sang by a white guy. Depending on my mood, I would rank this song in my top five most favorites of all time. Thanks for playing.
The song is in "Ghost" at the point that Demi Moore's character Molly is throwing a clay pot on her wheel and Patrick Swayze's Sam joins her. The song plays on the couples restored Rock-Ola bubble top jukebox.
Wow for sure at such an iconic beautiful song and voice is like you say Daniel amazing and he can reach some really high notes. The Righteous Brothers were very famous and did some lovely songs. Thank you for a great reaction
The sixties were the most awesome time for music! There were many, many, many singers and bands of all genres on the radio on the same station in the same hour even! It was heaven
The story is that they flipped a coin on who would record this song and Bobby won. Bill felt he could do it as well and it would be interesting hearing it from a baritone. Both so talented.
Live band and performance. He and Bill Medley (not real brothers) both wanted to record the single, so they tossed a coin and Bobby Hatfield won. It was meant to be because no one could match this perfection. After 60 years it’s still thrills old and young alike. RIP Bobby.
Two lesser known songs by the Righteous Brothers that I strongly recommend: I Just Want to Make Love to You and Little Latin Lupe Lu. Both are from their early days with a very small record label, Moonglow. The latter song was their first to chart and was written by Bill Medley about a girl he dated in high school.
