OMG...the late Bobby Hatfield! I was 15 years old when I watched him sing this beautiful song on the Andy Williams show in 1965. He owns this song. No auto tunes just pure raw talent. RIP Bobby! Your legendary voice is listened to the younger generation. I'm a baby boomer growing up with your beautiful music! 💖💖💖
Best version hands down of this classic song. Absolutely loved the Righteous Brothers. Their style of music was referred to as blue-eyed soul. Sadly we lost Bobby Hatfield almost 20 years ago now. He had such a beautiful one of a kind voice. You may want to listen to some other songs by both the "Righteous Brothers" such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", "(Your My Soul) & Inspiration", "Just Once In My Life", "Ebb Tide", "Rock & Roll Heaven" etc.
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 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’.
Remember this was LIVE. Long before autotune or any of electronic vocal aids so common today. In 1965 you either had the talent or you got your a$$ off the stage.
Great reaction & I subscribed. Without a doubt the Righteous Brothers just can't be topped with their totally soulful different voices that magically blend perfectly together. Hope you keep on reacting to them. Quite a few videos of them from being regulars for 2 yrs on the Shindig TV show & many recorded songs to listen to singing together & also their solos. The Ed Sullivan TV show has them performing "You'll Never Walk Alone". A solo "Ebb Tide" by Bobby Hatfield & Bill Medley singing lead on the bluesy song "I Wanna Make Love To You" are a couple songs to continue your musical journey with the amazing Righteous Brothers.
Elvis did a good job with this song but Bobby owns it still to this day!!! Can't be beat, hands down. Elvis never made this song a top 10 Billboard hit like Bobby Hatfield did. Just sayin'.
Respect❤
OMG...the late Bobby Hatfield! I was 15 years old when I watched him sing this beautiful song on the Andy Williams show in 1965. He owns this song. No auto tunes just pure raw talent. RIP Bobby! Your legendary voice is listened to the younger generation. I'm a baby boomer growing up with your beautiful music! 💖💖💖
Best version hands down of this classic song. Absolutely loved the Righteous Brothers. Their style of music was referred to as blue-eyed soul. Sadly we lost Bobby Hatfield almost 20 years ago now. He had such a beautiful one of a kind voice. You may want to listen to some other songs by both the "Righteous Brothers" such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", "(Your My Soul) & Inspiration", "Just Once In My Life", "Ebb Tide", "Rock & Roll Heaven" etc.
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 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’.
What a Beautiful reaction you two..💖✌👌💝
Remember this was LIVE. Long before autotune or any of electronic vocal aids so common today. In 1965 you either had the talent or you got your a$$ off the stage.
His mother was in the audience hence the little smile to her
Actually, she was sitting behind him so he couldn't smile AT her...she was to his right, the woman wearing the blue dress.
-- BR
Great reaction & I subscribed. Without a doubt the Righteous Brothers just can't be topped with their totally soulful different voices that magically blend perfectly together. Hope you keep on reacting to them. Quite a few videos of them from being regulars for 2 yrs on the Shindig TV show & many recorded songs to listen to singing together & also their solos. The Ed Sullivan TV show has them performing "You'll Never Walk Alone". A solo "Ebb Tide" by Bobby Hatfield & Bill Medley singing lead on the bluesy song "I Wanna Make Love To You" are a couple songs to continue your musical journey with the amazing Righteous Brothers.
I was 16 when this song came (
Wow! Amazingly beautiful🙌🥰
His voice ranged about 5 octaves, no falsetto.
The elvis presley version was more better in my opinion
you are in a minority, although I love Elvis, this is the best.
Elvis did a good job with this song but Bobby owns it still to this day!!! Can't be beat, hands down. Elvis never made this song a top 10 Billboard hit like Bobby Hatfield did. Just sayin'.