Originally performed by Todd Duncan in the 1955 prison movie "Unchained" (an appropriately subdued rendition available on TH-cam) and subsequently covered by many artists, Bobby's 1965 live performance on the Andy Williams Show remains unequaled.
Unchained Melody: 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 ( in this performance his range is an incredible: D3 to G5 sharp) 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 each sang a song 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. Sadly, on Nov. 5, 2003 Hatfield died of a heart attack in a Michigan hotel room just prior to a Righteous Brothers performance, apparently in his sleep at age 63. The Righteous Brothers version was , oddly enough a huge hit because it was recorded merely as a filler song for their fourth album, not for release as a single. Philles Records owner/producer 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 B-side to writers 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 his 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 to 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!’ [Medley 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' but 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’. Also: Bobby Hatfield live performance of “Unchained Melody “ on the TV show “Shindig” th-cam.com/video/xIIvXYo5INo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OmBVdie7xz-GPuIh
Bobby died Kalamazoo MI in fall 2003 at age 63, just an hour from my house in his hotel room. He and Bill were on Tour. The greatest duo of the 1960's. To this day from his grave, he melts the young girls' hearts with this performance.
The follow up song to "You Lost That Loving Feeling" is "Soul and Inspiration" sung on the Hullabaloo TV show. A solo record "Ebbtide" by Bobby who sings this amazing Unchained Melody is a great one to listen to (no video) but his incredible voice paints a picture of emotions. I subscribed.
Please check out both "brothers" (they really aren't brothers) singing the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit from the musical Carousel You'll Never Walk Alone. Bill Medley adds a fantastic baritone voice to the mix!
He was a superb singer, had fantastic control, vibrato and a range to beat the band. He has many other solos that are equally beautiful.
Originally performed by Todd Duncan in the 1955 prison movie "Unchained" (an appropriately subdued rendition available on TH-cam) and subsequently covered by many artists, Bobby's 1965 live performance on the Andy Williams Show remains unequaled.
Great Vocals you need to listen to them both singing together 👍👍
Thanks! I’ll check that out
Unchained Melody:
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 ( in this performance his range is an incredible: D3 to G5 sharp) 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 each sang a song 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.
Sadly, on Nov. 5, 2003 Hatfield died of a heart attack in a Michigan hotel room just prior to a Righteous Brothers performance, apparently in his sleep at age 63.
The Righteous Brothers version was , oddly enough a huge hit because it was recorded merely as a filler song for their fourth album, not for release as a single. Philles Records owner/producer 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 B-side to writers 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 his 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 to 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!’ [Medley 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' but 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’.
Also:
Bobby Hatfield live performance of “Unchained Melody “ on the TV show “Shindig”
th-cam.com/video/xIIvXYo5INo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OmBVdie7xz-GPuIh
Just an hour from my house when Bobby died. it was such a shock, I was a music teacher
Bobby died Kalamazoo MI in fall 2003 at age 63, just an hour from my house in his hotel room. He and Bill were on Tour. The greatest duo of the 1960's. To this day from his grave, he melts the young girls' hearts with this performance.
Top shelf blue eyed soul.
Bless you, young lady! Keep on loving! 🫰🏾
Thanks
The follow up song to "You Lost That Loving Feeling" is "Soul and Inspiration" sung on the Hullabaloo TV show. A solo record "Ebbtide" by Bobby who sings this amazing Unchained Melody is a great one to listen to (no video) but his incredible voice paints a picture of emotions. I subscribed.
Enjoyed your reaction to the Righteous Brothers. Nice to see you hear great songs before your time u were born.
@@Darrellbukowski Thanks 😊
Please check out both "brothers" (they really aren't brothers) singing the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit from the musical Carousel You'll Never Walk Alone. Bill Medley adds a fantastic baritone voice to the mix!
@@entropy2002 I’ll check that out. Thanks 😊