What Are The Righteous Brothers’ Five Biggest US Hits?

Before Hall & Oates, before even Simon & Garfunkel, the Righteous Brothers proved that a duo could enjoy massive pop success. The duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield possessed a unique vocal blend and a knack for finding excellent material.

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While the 60s proved to be their heyday, they managed to extend their excellence on the pop charts into the next decade as well. Here’s a look back at their highest-charting pop hits.

5. “Ebb Tide” – No. 5 in 1965

We all know that rock and pop music boomed in the 60s. But right before that era, renditions of songs from the unofficial Great American Songbook dominated the proceedings. As a result, artists like the Righteous Brothers weren’t that far removed from it, and even sometimes dipped into that material. On “Ebb Tide”, the duo and producer Phil Spector don’t even try to update the arrangement of this 50s standard for the modern era. They simply relied on Bobby Hatfield’s ability to take the song into the rafters, which turned out to be good enough for pop audiences in 1965.

4. “Unchained Melody” – No. 4 in 1965

Believe it or not, one of the most romantic songs of the pop era was written for a prison movie. That’s how the word “Unchained” ended up in the title, even though it doesn’t show up in the lyrics. Bill Medley produced The Righteous Brothers’ version after convincing Phil Spector that it would be okay since it was only a B-side. Medley clearly learned a thing or two about building and releasing tension in a pop record from listening to Spector’s work. But everything else within the song pales next to Bobby Hatfield’s stunning vocal performance. When he hit his highest falsetto note on the word “need,” he landed an indelible place in pop music history.

3. “Rock And Roll Heaven” – No. 3 in 1974

Their run of hits had long since petered out by 1974. There was even a stretch where they stopped performing together. Once the Righteous Brothers reformed, “Rock And Roll Heaven” was one of the first things they did. Johnny Stevenson and Alan O’Day wrote the song. If O’Day’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he scored a breakaway hit as an artist a few years later with “Undercover Angel”. The Righteous Brothers often updated this song throughout the years to accommodate whatever recent music stars had passed away. Morbid in its way, but it gives listeners a chance to fondly remember their favorites.

2. “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” – No. 1 in 1966

Many people viewed The Righteous Brothers in their early years as nothing more than a product of Phil Spector’s production excellence. When the duo left Spector, they needed to show that they could deliver the same kind of magic to silence those doubters. “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” proved to be the perfect vehicle to achieve that. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who also wrote the duo’s biggest hit, largely repeated the formula to the extent that they worried that they were repeating themselves. The public didn’t care, as Medley and Hatfield delivered a prime example of their high-drama pop.

1. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – No. 1 in 1964

One of those perfect pop records that you can’t imagine not existing. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote it, with some embellishments added by Phil Spector. More than any other record, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” exemplifies just how much majesty Spector’s Wall Of Sound approach could provide to a recording. The lyrics, from the killer opening line (“You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips”) to the glorious chorus, are perfection. Add in the vocal byplay between Medley and Hatfield, especially in the call and response of the middle eight, and you can understand why this song is so revered.

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