That's Todd Duncan singing. He earned a master's degree from Columbia University and was a professor of voice at Howard University. He lived to the age of 95. His wife, Gladys Jackson Duncan, lived to the age of 108.
Todd Duncan was my teacher for 13 years. Such a fine, brilliant man. Exquisite voice, at any age. One thing he said many times, "The beauty of your voice will never make you a singer." (His other students will instantly recognize that sentence.) It took me a long time to know what that truly means - but this is it. Yes, his voice is inherently beautiful - he was an opera singer after all, who originated the role of Porgy - but that is not what makes you stop and listen to him. It is the honesty of his singing (he's not imagining himself at Bayreuth!) and his ability to communicate through the words the loneliness and longing for freedom and family all the prisoners feel in the film (they are in a medium security lockup). Will anyone be waiting for them when they get out? I saw this movie on TV when I was a little girl and always remembered Mr. Duncan's character, though the movie itself is forgotten except for this song. It was some years after that I realized the actor was Mr. Duncan. He stuck in the mind. Bobby Hatfield is also excellent, but his was a different kind of voice and singing (yes, it's beautiful), with a different interpretation, having to do with love.
I don't know if you have heard of Home Free, but you should definitely check out there newly released rendition, released on Valentine's Day. Those boys can sing and they put their souls and the soul of the songs into it. Oh, they are the world's only known country acapella band, although they don't stick to the country genre, and they have a completely unique sound.
He was absolutely correct. I realized this when I became a Tom Waits fan - he's a singer who has a dozen flavors of uncanny vocal styles, few of them would be considered beautiful or even pleasant, but they're loaded with so much character and feeling.
@@carinalindberg7377 I took a ganda at this home free representation. It is quite shite and overproduced. Please stop pushing your mainstream crap on people that actually give a toss.
@@ginasticaemcasa1 Are you replying to something I said? Please let me know. If it is Bobby Hatfield singing "Unchained Melody" then it would be the live version not a Movie version.
@@janicenicholls5924 the song you heard on the video is not the original. It's a Studio version sang by the actor and used in this movie that this vídeo came from. It's a movie scene... The movie is called Unchained :)
Imagine if you told them that all these years later that song would be re-released by hundreds of different artists, make number 1 dozens of times and be remembered as one of the greatest love songs of all time.
*Everyone has their favorite version of this song and we get so much meaning from every one of them. Comparisons do not make sense when it comes to our preferences in music. I never liked this song when I heard it first by a popular duo at the time. Then one day I found it recorded by Al Hibbler. Wow! The feeling and diction was stupendous. I knew nothing about Al Hibbler but I loved this son sung by him. I was a school counselor and our special ed. coordinator was an elderly African-American woman who was in my office one day when I mentioned Al Hibbler. I rarely saw a person change so much in their expression. Her face took on a glow as she smiled. "My favorite", she said. She told me he was Black and blind too. I always think of her when I hear the song now. She was a lovely woman. Such is the power of music and human emotion.*
Me too!! I came here to say the same thing. I’m almost 45 and I’ve always loved this song. This is the first time I’ve heard where the Righteous Brothers got their inspiration :)
This was my parents song as my father was a merchant marine in the early to late 1950's. My dad passed in 1997. My mother just passed on Oct 20th, 2023.
When the Righteous Brothers regained popularity from the movie Ghost, my mom said it was originally a prisoner singing it in his cell for a movie. That's the reason I know, otherwise I wouldn't have, either.
This is genuinely one of the best songs of post 1845. No song can come close to this emotion. The original emo song. RIP to all those who lived and died after this songs inception
Wow! It’s awesome to see the original of this song I just did a reaction to righteous brothers live performance and someone recommended this as the origin wow! This is awesome I must say
th-cam.com/video/LrquswYcwV0/w-d-xo.html TRUE ORIGIN STORY OF THE SONG IN THE LINK, LOL THEY THOUGHT THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS WERE BLACK BEFORE WATCHING THIS, THE SONG WAS COMPOSED AND WRITTEN BY ALEX NORTH AND HY ZARET LONG BEFORE THE BROTHERS, AND SANG BY MANY OTHER PEOPLE YEARS BEFORE....THE COMPOSITION SOUNDED LIKE THE KARATE KID 2 SONG
You should check out Home Free's version. 🥰 Different and so very awesome and my new favourite version. I thought nothing could beat the Righteous Brother's rendition, but I was wrong.
@@diegohdez4971 Good for you for appreciating one of the great songs in the history of song. This is certainly a good version but the most popular and loved version of all time, is by Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers. th-cam.com/video/IYj2hex99gY/w-d-xo.html
@@walt6781 Im very happy to hear from someone able to actually recall the experiences from the time whos open to people about it! thank you for your response to it! ill insure to correct my future responses :D
My mother was supposed to have Prof. Duncan as her teacher, but she told me that he was not ready to train a lighter voice while he trained darker sounding voices like Morris Robinson who is now one of the greatest and outstanding bassos in the opera world.
Understanding what the movie was about and how heart felt it was sung by the actor, it makes sense why this song was written for the movie. Taking nothing away from Bobby his rendition is superb, but context is everthing.
@@PeterLeaf Definitely agree with you there. And I always assumed "Unchained Melody" meant just a song so expansive in its themes and emotion it cannot be bound. Anyway was intrigued to find out it was from a movie about a prison break. Made the lyrics make even more sense.
Woah, my love, my darling I've hungered for your touch A long, lonely time And time goes by so slowly And time can do so much Are you still mine? I need your love I need your love God speed your love to me Lonely rivers flow To the sea, to the sea To the open arms of the sea, yeah Lonely rivers sigh "Wait for me, wait for me" I'll be coming home, wait for me Woah, my love, my darling I've hungered, hungered for your touch A long, lonely time And time goes by so slowly And time can do so much Are you still mine? I need your love I need your love God speed your love to me Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Alex North / Hyman Zaret
On this day in 1955 {June 2nd} Al Hibbler's covered version of "Unchained Melody" peaked at #1 on Billboard's Most Played R&B Records on Juke Boxes chart, while at #2 was Roy Hamilton's covered version of "Unchained Melody"... At the time Roy Hamilton's version was also at #2 on Billboard's Best Selling R&B Records in Stores chart and Billboard's Most Played R&B Records by Jockeys chart... The month before on May 5th, 1955 Mr. Hamilton's version peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on the Best Selling R&B Records in Stores chart... Les Baxter's original instrumental version peaked at #1 {for 2 non-consecutive weeks} on April 28th, 1955 on Billboard's Most Played on Juke Boxes chart, while the first vocal version was sung by Todd Duncan in the 1955 movie, 'Unchained'... R.I.P. to Al Hibbler {1915 - 2001}, Roy Hamilton {1929 - 1969}, Les Baxter {1922 - 1996}, and Todd Duncan {1903 - 1998}...
I saw the film, "The Unchained", in the cinema when I was six years old, it had just been released. My older brother took me to the movies and "The Unchained" was the B film that began the show. The movie had a great effect on me as a small child and the music never left me. I was thrilled when the Righteous Brothers brought it back to life. No one has ever believed me that they were not the first recording artists of the song. Todd Duncan did not get the credit that he deserved, although the Righteous Brothers did the song proud. God bless them all.
The original and definitely the best version. No one else have been able to capture the blues of a prisoner like Todd Duncan with this song. It is raw, but that is also the lyrics. Righteous Brothers created a soft falsetto choir standard, which is nice, but do not capture the blues of the singer. Todd Duncan can really sing. Pitty that the recording is not better to make him full justice.
That might be the first pop music masterpiece in music history. Sadly, after the eighties and mid-nineties there has not been no pop song even worth mentioning
I disagree. There’s My Heart Will Go On which was released towards the end of the 90s. There was no escaping that song for the final years of the 90s and 20th century.
North probably bought his house with this tune. I remember reading an interview with Bill Conti - the article made a point of mentioning the gorgeous, palatial Beverly Hills mansion Conti lived in remarking how lucrative writing music for movies must be and Bill contradicted the guy, saying a song needs to hit big to earn the real money. He indicated the beautiful house with a wave of his hand saying, “This is the house that Rocky built.”
""Unchained Melody" is a tune that has been covered numerous times, but the original credits go to composer Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret. The ballad was released in 1955 and served as the theme song for the prison flick Unchained, a film about a convict who struggles to choose between fleeing prison and completing his sentence. Baritone singer Todd Duncan performed the song in the film, solemnly staring out into space while the other prisoners gather around him." -- AllMusic
Who wrote It, Tood or Alex North ?! Both ( and Elvis too ) performed this Song in the same Year ! We know now, in this years Record Deals were passed around from one hand to each other ! But I think, this WAS Todd ! Absolutely ! If you compare the styles ( like Hound Dog Original and the Elvis Version ) you can hear It ! ;-)
I love this version, but the Righteous Brothers added some bit's like "lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea, to the open arms of the sea yeah YEAHH YEAHH lonely rivers sigh wait for me, wait for me, I'll be coming home wait for me"! That was was made up by the Righteous Brothers. But the Todd Duncan version is good.
Yeah the lonely rivers part gets me breathless everytime. Because it is the start of the buildup. And I have to literally hold my breath and close my eyes until the OOOOHHHH MY LOVEEE part comes in. That is the only way I can truly enjoy the song.
Not really, all these singers covered it before the right brothers Les Baxter His Chorus and Orchestra February 1955 Al Hibbler March 1955 Roy Hamilton March 1955 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians April 1955 June Valli April 1955 Jimmy Young with Bob Sharples and His Music April 1955 Jean Carson May 1955 Cab Calloway May 1955 Dick James June 1955 Eddy Arnold June 1955 Vera Lynn and The Clubmen with The Roland Shaw Orchestra 1955
The Crew-Cuts 1955 Leroy Lovett & The Players 1955 Harry Belafonte 1956 Vera Lynn with The Roland Shaw Orchestra 1956 Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps March 5, 1957 Ivo Robić 1957 Jimmie Rodgers [US2] June 1958 Ricky Nelson July 1958 Gisele MacKenzie with Axel Stordahl and his Orchestra 1958 The Teddy Bears February 1959 Bobby Day September 1959 The Browns September 1959 The Fleetwoods December 1959 Johnny O'Keefe and The Dee Jays December 1959 Andy Williams December 1959 Frank Ifield 1959 Ronnie Deauville 1959 Pat Boone April 1960 Tony Middleton May 1960 The Blackwells featuring "Glenda" June 1960 Sam Cooke August 1960 Celly Campello com Francisco Moraes e Sua OrquestraNovember 1960
Unchained Melody Ray Conniff and His Orchestra and Chorus 1960 Unchained Melody Merri Gail 1960 Unchained Melody Steve Alaimo January 1961 Unchained Melody Cliff Richard and The Shadows April 14, 1961 Miri Claire July 1961 Marty Robbins August 14, 1961 Allan Bruce November 1961 Etta Jones, Music arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson November 1961 Gerry Granahan 1961 Doug Fowlkes and "The Airdales" 1961 Anita Bryant 1961 Arthur Prysock April 1962 Vincent Edwards June 1962 Conway Twitty July 21, 1962 The Lettermen October 1962 Dick & Deedee 1962 Mary Kaye Trio 1962 John Gary October 1963 Johnny De Little 1963 The Topsiders 1963 Vito & The Salutations 1963 Jimmy Young with The Mike Sammes Singers March 1964 Matt Monro May 1964 Brenda Holloway May 1964 The Esquires [CA] August 1964 Chet Atkins and Hank Snow August 1964 Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers 1964 John Perry 1964 Bobby Vinton 1964 Jerry Vale 1964 Dionne Warwick February 1965 Pete Drake April 1965 The Righteous Brothers May 4, 1965
Too sad. Too damn sad. I hate how this song could be so extremely sad. The Righteous Brothers version just gave this song the icing on the cake of sadness. I wish I had never heard it in my life and I don't know why it got such a popularity despite its sadness for its own sake.
That's Todd Duncan singing. He earned a master's degree from Columbia University and was a professor of voice at Howard University. He lived to the age of 95. His wife, Gladys Jackson Duncan, lived to the age of 108.
Damn really, thanks for the info. Glad he lived to a long life
On Wikipedia says he died at the age of 85
What a great story. Thanks for sharing.
What a voice!
Pioneer and great voice Paving the way
For African Americans in Classical Music World
Thank God 😍💐🙏
Todd Duncan was my teacher for 13 years. Such a fine, brilliant man. Exquisite voice, at any age. One thing he said many times, "The beauty of your voice will never make you a singer." (His other students will instantly recognize that sentence.) It took me a long time to know what that truly means - but this is it. Yes, his voice is inherently beautiful - he was an opera singer after all, who originated the role of Porgy - but that is not what makes you stop and listen to him. It is the honesty of his singing (he's not imagining himself at Bayreuth!) and his ability to communicate through the words the loneliness and longing for freedom and family all the prisoners feel in the film (they are in a medium security lockup). Will anyone be waiting for them when they get out? I saw this movie on TV when I was a little girl and always remembered Mr. Duncan's character, though the movie itself is forgotten except for this song. It was some years after that I realized the actor was Mr. Duncan. He stuck in the mind. Bobby Hatfield is also excellent, but his was a different kind of voice and singing (yes, it's beautiful), with a different interpretation, having to do with love.
I don't know if you have heard of Home Free, but you should definitely check out there newly released rendition, released on Valentine's Day. Those boys can sing and they put their souls and the soul of the songs into it. Oh, they are the world's only known country acapella band, although they don't stick to the country genre, and they have a completely unique sound.
He was absolutely correct. I realized this when I became a Tom Waits fan - he's a singer who has a dozen flavors of uncanny vocal styles, few of them would be considered beautiful or even pleasant, but they're loaded with so much character and feeling.
Definitely sounds like a Broadway showtune. It has that quality
,
Dziekuje za tak interesujące informacje .
Moja ukochana piosenka 💖
@@carinalindberg7377 I took a ganda at this home free representation. It is quite shite and overproduced. Please stop pushing your mainstream crap on people that actually give a toss.
I sung this song to my grandmother’s funeral, it reminds me so much of her. I miss you granny❤
Wow, this is a completely different feel from every other version I've ever heard. There's so much more pain and hopelessnes in this. Beautiful.
Wow, so neat to hear the original version of this beautiful song!
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
The original is by Al Hibbler.
This is the movie version.
@@ginasticaemcasa1 Are you replying to something I said? Please let me know. If it is Bobby Hatfield singing "Unchained Melody" then it would be the live version not a Movie version.
@@janicenicholls5924 the song you heard on the video is not the original. It's a Studio version sang by the actor and used in this movie that this vídeo came from. It's a movie scene... The movie is called Unchained :)
@@janicenicholls5924 the original th-cam.com/video/GC7obNtXLYU/w-d-xo.html :)
Both are beautiful :)
Really good guy, too. My voice teacher circa 1989-1993 at his DC studio. May God rest his soul
Ok, I took the hint and checked out "Sing Along 'Over The Rainbow' Fox Hill Retirement Community" on your channel. Nice job!
Imagine if you told them that all these years later that song would be re-released by hundreds of different artists, make number 1 dozens of times and be remembered as one of the greatest love songs of all time.
Need to watch the film Unchained - bet makes listening to this even more special - and much better than the remakes
@@147jdk147I never heard of it
*Everyone has their favorite version of this song and we get so much meaning from every one of them. Comparisons do not make sense when it comes to our preferences in music. I never liked this song when I heard it first by a popular duo at the time. Then one day I found it recorded by Al Hibbler. Wow! The feeling and diction was stupendous. I knew nothing about Al Hibbler but I loved this son sung by him. I was a school counselor and our special ed. coordinator was an elderly African-American woman who was in my office one day when I mentioned Al Hibbler. I rarely saw a person change so much in their expression. Her face took on a glow as she smiled. "My favorite", she said. She told me he was Black and blind too. I always think of her when I hear the song now. She was a lovely woman. Such is the power of music and human emotion.*
Just to think I loved this song for so many years and only today do I learn where the song originated from.
Me too!! I came here to say the same thing. I’m almost 45 and I’ve always loved this song. This is the first time I’ve heard where the Righteous Brothers got their inspiration :)
same
This version has an unfinished feel to it which makes it heart felt and beautiful . ❤️!
His voice with raw emotion and the emotional faces of everyone brings so much to this version
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
This was my parents song as my father was a merchant marine in the early to late 1950's. My dad passed in 1997. My mother just passed on Oct 20th, 2023.
How difficult that must have been for your mother to have to carry on without her husband of so long.
I remember showing this film in 1955 at the local cinema where I worked for a couple of years.
Where
Didn't know this was the ORIGINAL original.
For the movie Unchained
When the Righteous Brothers regained popularity from the movie Ghost, my mom said it was originally a prisoner singing it in his cell for a movie. That's the reason I know, otherwise I wouldn't have, either.
@@beckycampana140 the person looks really sad and the lyrics of the song also gives it away that he’s missing her so much 😭
i don't think it's the original.
@@VolkColopatrion Thats a clip from the original movie it was written for so.
But you are free to have another opinion even if its wrong. ;)
Todd Duncan singing from the heart and soul
This is genuinely one of the best songs of post 1845. No song can come close to this emotion. The original emo song. RIP to all those who lived and died after this songs inception
Wow! It’s awesome to see the original of this song
I just did a reaction to righteous brothers live performance and someone recommended this as the origin wow! This is awesome I must say
th-cam.com/video/LrquswYcwV0/w-d-xo.html yo. Here is some other versions as well.
th-cam.com/video/LrquswYcwV0/w-d-xo.html
TRUE ORIGIN STORY OF THE SONG IN THE LINK, LOL THEY THOUGHT THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS WERE BLACK BEFORE WATCHING THIS, THE SONG WAS COMPOSED AND WRITTEN BY ALEX NORTH AND HY ZARET LONG BEFORE THE BROTHERS, AND SANG BY MANY OTHER PEOPLE YEARS BEFORE....THE COMPOSITION SOUNDED LIKE THE KARATE KID 2 SONG
Anyone else thinks its depressing when lies like that has he sings. Very emotional
And so one of the most important songs of all time was born
WAOOOOOOOO pero si esta versión original es bellísima!!!!!! sinceramente y no es por exagerar, me toco el corazón!!!!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Good singing, by Todd Duncan. But, let's face it: Bobby Hatfield NAILED it.
Yeah, let’s be realistic
Even though this song has been made popular by others such as the Righteous Brothers; it is good to hear the original. This guy had quite a voice!
THIS is the REAL DEAL.
bro what is that pfp 👽
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS TOOK IT TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL 😂😂😂
Indeed. That cover is the most spectacular version ever!!! 💗
You should check out Home Free's version. 🥰 Different and so very awesome and my new favourite version. I thought nothing could beat the Righteous Brother's rendition, but I was wrong.
Well, that brought this old man to tears!
Thanks a lot! 😡😂😂😊
This is amazing so much more emotion to this
This song was an experiment of humanity's artistic accomplishment, with a pilot project, and a delivered final product.
This is legendary.
A famous song, and this film, "Unchained", is the origin of it.
So is this the first and original version?
Sorry i'm 16 and i don't know much about this song, but i love it
No, it began as a music song with no lyrics before this, but you were very close to being correct
@@diegohdez4971
Good for you for appreciating one of the great songs in the history of song. This is certainly a good version but the most popular and loved version of all time, is by Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers.
th-cam.com/video/IYj2hex99gY/w-d-xo.html
@@cartoonchan4872 Your wrong, I'm 80 and know the whole story, it's my only favorite song.
@@walt6781 Im very happy to hear from someone able to actually recall the experiences from the time whos open to people about it! thank you for your response to it! ill insure to correct my future responses :D
wow this video is also so tender, these men just taking comfort in this song if only for this moment
Brilliant mate! Thank you for posting this clip. Love it!
A diamond in the rough.
My mother was supposed to have Prof. Duncan as her teacher, but she told me that he was not ready to train a lighter voice while he trained darker sounding voices like Morris Robinson who is now one of the greatest and outstanding bassos in the opera world.
This really puts in perspective just how awesome Bobby Hatfield's version was.
Both are great to me
Like this version very much
@@zizographie me 2
Understanding what the movie was about and how heart felt it was sung by the actor, it makes sense why this song was written for the movie. Taking nothing away from Bobby his rendition is superb, but context is everthing.
@@PeterLeaf Definitely agree with you there. And I always assumed "Unchained Melody" meant just a song so expansive in its themes and emotion it cannot be bound. Anyway was intrigued to find out it was from a movie about a prison break. Made the lyrics make even more sense.
Great Clip. What a Great Song!
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
Woah, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea, yeah
Lonely rivers sigh
"Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home, wait for me
Woah, my love, my darling
I've hungered, hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Alex North / Hyman Zaret
Oh, my love...
Man what’s worse than getting TWO unskippable ads right before this song?
🙄🙄🙄
Two unskippable ads when you're drunk
@@homuraakemi4559 that was actually me when I made the comment lol.
This is a great song; Duncan was a great singer. I love the Bobby Hatfield version, but the original has a unique feel to it.
what a beautiful scene
Man even back then some people had amazing gifts
THE best version.
On this day in 1955 {June 2nd} Al Hibbler's covered version of "Unchained Melody" peaked at #1 on Billboard's Most Played R&B Records on Juke Boxes chart, while at #2 was Roy Hamilton's covered version of "Unchained Melody"...
At the time Roy Hamilton's version was also at #2 on Billboard's Best Selling R&B Records in Stores chart and Billboard's Most Played R&B Records by Jockeys chart...
The month before on May 5th, 1955 Mr. Hamilton's version peaked at #1 {for 3 weeks} on the Best Selling R&B Records in Stores chart...
Les Baxter's original instrumental version peaked at #1 {for 2 non-consecutive weeks} on April 28th, 1955 on Billboard's Most Played on Juke Boxes chart, while the first vocal version was sung by Todd Duncan in the 1955 movie, 'Unchained'...
R.I.P. to Al Hibbler {1915 - 2001}, Roy Hamilton {1929 - 1969}, Les Baxter {1922 - 1996}, and Todd Duncan {1903 - 1998}...
Thanks for the info, man. Much appreciated.
The original version is this one, not the Les Baxter version. The movie was released in January 1955.
The Righteous Brothers did some major justice to that song"
The scene is just as beautiful as the song
I saw the film, "The Unchained", in the cinema when I was six years old, it had just been released. My older brother took me to the movies and "The Unchained" was the B film that began the show. The movie had a great effect on me as a small child and the music never left me. I was thrilled when the Righteous Brothers brought it back to life. No one has ever believed me that they were not the first recording artists of the song. Todd Duncan did not get the credit that he deserved, although the Righteous Brothers did the song proud. God bless them all.
So beautiful and sad. ..love it...
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
The original and definitely the best version. No one else have been able to capture the blues of a prisoner like Todd Duncan with this song. It is raw, but that is also the lyrics. Righteous Brothers created a soft falsetto choir standard, which is nice, but do not capture the blues of the singer. Todd Duncan can really sing. Pitty that the recording is not better to make him full justice.
I love this song and love the movie.
WOW! The Passion and the Pain. I can tell which one is stronger. He is strong and love prevails!! The rest of them.. Lord help them
Wow! So beautiful ❤👍
It's extraordinary and beautiful
Amazing So happy i found it !
I’m going to play a reggae version of this at my gig tomorrow
That might be the first pop music masterpiece in music history. Sadly, after the eighties and mid-nineties there has not been no pop song even worth mentioning
I disagree. There’s My Heart Will Go On which was released towards the end of the 90s. There was no escaping that song for the final years of the 90s and 20th century.
This is one of Alex North's best compositions. I recommend Love Theme From Spartacus also. Remember him with respect.
North probably bought his house with this tune. I remember reading an interview with Bill Conti - the article made a point of mentioning the gorgeous, palatial Beverly Hills mansion Conti lived in remarking how lucrative writing music for movies must be and Bill contradicted the guy, saying a song needs to hit big to earn the real money. He indicated the beautiful house with a wave of his hand saying, “This is the house that Rocky built.”
The love theme from Spartacus will always be his best work
incredible
Adds a whole new element when you know a prisoner is singing it
""Unchained Melody" is a tune that has been covered numerous times, but the original credits go to composer Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret.
The ballad was released in 1955 and served as the theme song for the prison flick Unchained, a film about a convict who struggles to choose between fleeing prison and completing his sentence.
Baritone singer Todd Duncan performed the song in the film, solemnly staring out into space while the other prisoners gather around him."
-- AllMusic
The movie is about a prisoner praying for his release date to be back with the one he loves...that's the sadness in a song about love....
Why I'm not surprised I made sure I look for the Africans version damn my ppl good
My grandmother, Jean Pearman, long time vocal coach
demonstrates the importance of arrangement of a musical hit, miles of difference between this and Bobby Hatfield’s magical performance.
Knowing the origins of this song, the prison setting, this is my favorite version of the song. Sweet, deep, and simple.
❤simply beautiful
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
wow, this is a beautifull song, i love this
unchained melody of todd and righteous are the best!
December 30. 2020 was the day I knew that t'was the original version.
Only other version as good would be Sam Cooke"s 1960 cover then 3rd Righteous Bro of 1965 after that so on and so on!!!!!
Amazing
Nice first time to see n hear this
man this guy was the first one who sang it
Wow this hits hard
I love it
Wow jamás pensé q sonar así me gusta más así👏👏👏
Who wrote It, Tood or Alex North ?! Both ( and Elvis too ) performed this Song in the same Year ! We know now, in this years Record Deals were passed around from one hand to each other ! But I think, this WAS Todd ! Absolutely ! If you compare the styles ( like Hound Dog Original and the Elvis Version ) you can hear It ! ;-)
Sounds like a blizzard outside in background
Awesome!!
Watching this recorded in 1955 but then again I think of SteveMRE1989 who ate MREs made in 1898-1902😅😅😅
THE REAL DEAL!
💛💛
wow
I like the Asian guy’s reaction to the song.
Wikipedia says that Hy Zaret was the original singer of Alex North’s song Unchained Melody???
He was the composer
@@vintagevideoclips if you research it, it says that Alex North is the composer, don’t shoot the messenger!
Najbardziej autentyczne I szczere wykonanie
I love this version, but the Righteous Brothers added some bit's like "lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea, to the open arms of the sea yeah YEAHH YEAHH lonely rivers sigh wait for me, wait for me, I'll be coming home wait for me"! That was was made up by the Righteous Brothers. But the Todd Duncan version is good.
Look at my singing of this song - "Unchained melody": th-cam.com/video/9xc2K7eREE0/w-d-xo.html
Yeah the lonely rivers part gets me breathless everytime. Because it is the start of the buildup. And I have to literally hold my breath and close my eyes until the OOOOHHHH MY LOVEEE part comes in. That is the only way I can truly enjoy the song.
No, the Righteous Brothers did not make that part up. The very earliest cover versions had that part, including the first hit recording by Al Hibbler.
1:05 why do the Guitar Coords the Guitarist is Playing at the End sound Very Nirvana Esque? Could this have inspired Nirvana in someway?
Hahaha 😆... And I always thought the Righteous Bros. were the Original singers to this song...
Il est chanteur d opéra à la base. Ça se voit!
who writed this moviesongtext?
Man that dude had some vibrato
So the original song is this short? RightBrothers made up rest of the song?
Not really, all these singers covered it before the right brothers
Les Baxter His Chorus and Orchestra February 1955
Al Hibbler March 1955
Roy Hamilton March 1955
Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians April 1955
June Valli April 1955
Jimmy Young with Bob Sharples and His Music April 1955
Jean Carson May 1955
Cab Calloway May 1955
Dick James June 1955
Eddy Arnold June 1955
Vera Lynn and The Clubmen with The Roland Shaw Orchestra 1955
The Crew-Cuts 1955
Leroy Lovett & The Players 1955
Harry Belafonte 1956
Vera Lynn with The Roland Shaw Orchestra 1956
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps March 5, 1957
Ivo Robić 1957
Jimmie Rodgers [US2] June 1958
Ricky Nelson July 1958
Gisele MacKenzie with Axel Stordahl and his Orchestra 1958
The Teddy Bears February 1959
Bobby Day September 1959
The Browns September 1959
The Fleetwoods December 1959
Johnny O'Keefe and The Dee Jays December 1959
Andy Williams December 1959
Frank Ifield 1959
Ronnie Deauville 1959
Pat Boone April 1960
Tony Middleton May 1960
The Blackwells featuring "Glenda" June 1960
Sam Cooke August 1960
Celly Campello com Francisco Moraes e Sua OrquestraNovember 1960
Unchained Melody Ray Conniff and His Orchestra and Chorus 1960
Unchained Melody Merri Gail 1960
Unchained Melody Steve Alaimo January 1961
Unchained Melody Cliff Richard and The Shadows April 14, 1961
Miri Claire July 1961
Marty Robbins August 14, 1961
Allan Bruce November 1961
Etta Jones, Music arranged and conducted by Oliver Nelson November 1961
Gerry Granahan 1961
Doug Fowlkes and "The Airdales" 1961
Anita Bryant 1961
Arthur Prysock April 1962
Vincent Edwards June 1962
Conway Twitty July 21, 1962
The Lettermen October 1962
Dick & Deedee 1962
Mary Kaye Trio 1962
John Gary October 1963
Johnny De Little 1963
The Topsiders 1963
Vito & The Salutations 1963
Jimmy Young with The Mike Sammes Singers March 1964
Matt Monro May 1964
Brenda Holloway May 1964
The Esquires [CA] August 1964
Chet Atkins and Hank Snow August 1964
Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers 1964
John Perry 1964
Bobby Vinton 1964
Jerry Vale 1964
Dionne Warwick February 1965
Pete Drake April 1965
The Righteous Brothers May 4, 1965
@@joshiemike6690 Wow, that is a lot
@@joshiemike6690 great list Joshie thanks!
@@joshiemike6690 omg! you're the best thanks for sharing!!!!
Only people I can recognize in this video is Chai Vang and Mathew Mcconaughey
This is a movie, im pretty sure.
Too sad. Too damn sad.
I hate how this song could be so extremely sad.
The Righteous Brothers version just gave this song the icing on the cake of sadness.
I wish I had never heard it in my life and I don't know why it got such a popularity despite its sadness for its own sake.
♡♡
Sorry ,,,but for me the best version singing of Unchained Melody was Righteous brother...
El conpositor y escritor fue Alex North
What movie is this?!
Clip from the movie “Unchained”
@@vintagevideoclips thanks
Composed by Alex North.
🥹🥹
:)
Realistic