I'm 81, I'm not an expert, this is my opinion only, BUT.... this has to be the greatest, most heartfelt, beautifully rendered love song ever! Nuff said!
This song is a beautiful poem, the music itself is mesmerizing but when it is performed by Bobby Hatfield, there are no superlatives than can describe the joy and effect it has on the listener. Thank you for reacting to it. We could tell from the moment of the first note, you were captivated. Looking forward to more reactions from you, Cead.❤❤
Bobby Hatfield live performance . The Andy Williams Show- Episode #4.5 Episode aired Oct 25, 1965: Robert Lee Hatfield (August 10, 1940 - November 5, 2003) Bobby Hatfield, who had a higher counter tenor 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’.
Best live performance ever ... you had to have talent to sing back then ... no auto tune , no do-overs, Just pure God given talent .. He's a countertenor, Blue eyed soul ..
One of My favorite songs. Bob Hattfield was amazing. We had to wait almost 60 years before anyone got close to his performance. Vanny Vabiola recently did a cover of this song and that is - by far - the Best cover of the song in My opinion.
Bobbies mom was in the crowd that night. That may of helped his nervousness. My fellow white folks there are not realizing the greatness that they are witnessing. That explaines why it took black marines to give them the name The Righteous Brothers
Amazing performance from Bobby Hatfield that will live on. Also hear "Soul and Inspiration & "You'll Never Walk Alone" live with both of the Righteous Brothers on The Ed Sullivan Variety Show and the record of Bobby singing "Ebb Tide" for starters.
