Lyr Req: Unchained Melody

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Helen
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 07:16 PM

Welcome, Smitty. Mudcat is a community of music loving people who love helping others to find answers to musical questions, and love having a chat. The prime focus is blues and folk but we talk about a lot of different styles of music.

It's easy to join and free, if you want to stick around and meet the folks, or just have a look at some of the topics of discussion and make your mind up later about whether to join.

Helen, in Australia

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: GUEST,Smitty
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 06:52 PM

I've been trying to find the lyrics to the second verse of this song for ages. I thank all of you for your stories and knowledge. I am an old (80) broken down musician who does very little any more. But I've always liked the song and have it in my list.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Lanfranc
Date: 31 Mar 02 - 04:41 PM

Did I dream it, or did Joni Mitchell include it on one of her albums?

Was not the Righteous Brothers version produced by Phil Spector?

(I post without prior research)

It's a great song, but I fail to see what a pipsqueak manufactured pop idol can bring to the table, but I suppose it will sell in millions again. I trust that Zaret and North (or their estates) will appreciate the additional income.

Alan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: The Shambles
Date: 31 Mar 02 - 03:48 PM

The Man From Laramie.

http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirj/jimmyy.htm For those lucky ones who have no idea who we are talking about.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Ditchdweller
Date: 31 Mar 02 - 01:34 PM

Shambles. How many people remember that JY was the 1st artist to have 2 consecutive No.1s in the UK charts? Unchained Melody was one, but I can not remember the other one.

Subject: ADDPOP: Unchained Melody
From:
Date: 30 Mar 02 - 10:11 PM

It sure is.

Let's put it together.

UNCHAINED MELODYFrom the Warner Bros. release "Unchained"
Lyrics by Hy Zaret, Music by Alex North

Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time.
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.
 
Lonely rivers sigh, "Wait for me, wait for me!" I'll be coming home, wait for me!
 
Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time
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 mountains gaze at the stars, at the stars, Waiting for the dawn of the day.
All alone, I gaze at the stars, at the stars, Dreaming of my love for away.
 
Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch a long, lonely time.
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!
 

UNCHAINED MELODY HISTORY

One of the most romantic and durable modern songs to emerge from the world of film, "Unchained Melody" had its roots in an obscure movie called "Unchained". The picture was the brainchild of one man, Hal Barlett who wrote, produced, and directed this movie about the life in the California Institute of Men, an "honor farm" state prison at Chino. Hardly the stuff of romance.
 
The film was based on the career of Kenyon J Scudder, former supervisor at Chino, as detailed in Scudder's book, "Prisoners Are People". Most of the scenes were actually filmed on location at the prison. Former football player Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch played the lead character, while other inmates, each with a story to tell, were played by Chester Morris and Jerry Parris, among others. Television buffs will recognize Paris as a top TV director who got his start playing Dick Van Dyke's buddy on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" of the early '60's. Others in the cast included Peggy Knudsen and Barbara Hale, who appeared as women visiting the prisoners. Hale went on to star as Della Street in the long running "Perry Mason" television series.
 
The song "Unchained Melody" has fared considerably better than the film, which quickly sank into obscurity. The movie was released in January 1955 with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. As was required in order for the song to be eligible for Academy Award nomination, the words and music were sung on the soundtrack by Al Hibbler, a blind black singer. The song finished fifth in the 1955 voting for the Award. Hibbler's version of the song and an instrumental recording by Les Baxter were released simultaneously on April 9, 1955. Baxter's orchestral version on the Capitol label actually went higher on the charts, reaching the Number One position and holding it for two weeks in the course of a 21-week chart run. This was the only version of the song to ever make it to the Number One position on the charts. Hibbler's version peaked at Number Three with a 19-week run. Two other artists reached the charts that year. Roy Hamilton reached Number Six and was on the charts for 16 weeks. June Valli was Number 29 for one week. On the London charts, Jimmy Young topped at 1 and Liberace made it to number 20.
 
The song was revived briefly in 1963, when Vito and the Salutations recorded a version of it that climbed the charts to number 66. This was the first "fast" version of the song. The most popular revival would come two years later, in 1965, with a brand-new recording by the Righteous Brothers, whose special sound helped "Unchained Melody" find a new audience and reach the number 4 position. Not bad, considering that it was the "B-side" of a 45 RPM record. It remained on the charts for 12 weeks. Three years later, the Sweet Inspirations recorded the perennial favorite. On 9-5-1968, it reached number 73, for a total of five weeks on the charts. And once again, in 1981, Heart took a turn with "Unchained Melody", but by now it was a case of diminishing returns--their version made it only to number 83.
 
"Unchained Melody" the love song that began as a prison movie theme, was most recently used in the 1990 hit movie "Ghost", staring Parick Swayze and Demi Moore. The Righteous Brothers' version is prominently used in the sexy pottery throwing love scene between the film's two leads. Once again, the Righteous Brothers (Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley) made it to the charts for 12 weeks. This was a new recording. It reached number 19 on 10-13-1990. A re-issue of the original was used for the movie and it reached number 13.
 
In 1995 Robson and Jerome from England opened at number 1 on 5-20-1995 and remained there for 7 weeks
 

Charley Harvey's Unchained Melody Pages

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Mar 02 - 09:04 PM

This song is quite remarkable. It has just been recorded by the second placed teenage 'Pop Idol' and been very sucessful. This was a UK TV show to find a pop idol.

It was a hit record in the UK before the Rightous Brothers, when recorded by the 'pop idol' of his day Jimmy Young, now an 80 year old DJ.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Escamillo
Date: 21 Nov 99 - 12:45 AM

Dear people, thank you all for your help, I've not only got the lyrics, but also an interesting story.
Allan, I agree, many times a piece of art lies on the dust and someone wise and sensible enough rescues it and gives it to us. Doesn't it happen in folk music,frequently ?
Yours, Andrés Magré

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Allan C.
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 07:42 PM

"Title theme" would be stretching it a bit. I stayed up until 3 in the morning once just to see that flick. The opening and closing music were, as I recall, instrumental and had nothing to do with the song. So, disappointed that it wasn't played in the first part of the movie, I yawned my way through this all-too-predictable prison film until, at last, the moment came. Some guy in a cell, playing an out-of-tune guitar and using what one might generously describe as a raspy voice, croaked this song to the world.

I was totally amazed!

What amazed me was that anyone who heard this rendition of the song could have the "vision" to recognize its potential and to rescue it from the perpetual darkness where this movie was destined to be and most surely belongs. I have always wondered who it was. I'd certainly like to express my admiration and my thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: doug
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 10:49 AM

lonely rivers FLOW to the sea to the sea to teh waiting arms of the sea lonely breezes sigh wait for me wait for me i'll be coming home wait for me

ah, yes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: John Hindsill
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 10:34 AM

RiB is correct that Unchained Melody was the title theme from a long-since forgotten flick. But as they say, here is the rest of the story.

Unchained was a low budget flick which starred Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsh, a former Los Angeles Rams football player, and himself the subject of a bio-pic. The second lead was played by Johnny Johnston, former band singer and lead in some musicals of the 1940s.

The producers wanted Johnston to sing the title song, but he refused as he was hoping to redirect his image towards dramatics. Bad career choice! The movie tanked; the song has become a monster hit in three or four incarnations and Johnston?...he did a stint as the host of a bowling show. He died a few years ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From:
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 09:19 AM

And now the second verse (or is it the second bridge?), which I have never heard on a recording. It is on the sheet music, which I have.

Lonely mountains gaze at the stars, at the stars

Waiting for the dawn of the day

All alone I gaze at the stars, at the stars

Dreaming of my love far away

Calling the "Oh, my love..." part the chorus, it goes chorus, verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus. At an appropriately dreamy tempo, it makes a rather long song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: kendall
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 08:55 AM

lonely rivers FLOW to the sea..

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From:
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 08:27 AM

Oh my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch A long lonely time. Time goes by so slowly and time can do so much Are you still mine? I need your love I need your love Godspeed your love to me.

Lonely rivers ???? to the sea, to the sea to the open arms of the sea. Lonely river cry, wait for wait for me. I'll be coming home, wait for me.

That's as much as I can wing from memory, if you don't get closer, this may help.

Barbara, Chicago area

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 08:05 AM

I used to wonder why this song was called "Unchained Melody". Then I learned it was the theme song for the movie "Unchained" which was soon forgotten. The theme lives on. It ain't folk, but I sing it to Marge quite frequently.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Unchained Melody
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 01:07 AM

Hi, Andres - Lyrics World is a great place for pop lyrics. Click here for the song you want.
-Joe Offer, back from Italy and Israel and staying home a while-

Subject: Unchained Melody
From: Escamillo
Date: 20 Nov 99 - 12:56 AM

I'd like to try Unchained melody for my small repertoire, but I only have a piano midi file. Does anyone have the lyrics ?
Thank you in advance
Andrés Magré