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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 03 March 2009 at 7:31am | IP Logged
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Our commercial copy of "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers (Phillies 129) states a time of (3:15), but actually runs (3:35).
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aaronk
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| Posted: 14 November 2009 at 9:38pm | IP Logged
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Were "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" unique mono mixes for the 45, or were they fold downs?
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BillCahill
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Three's nothing extra in the mono versions that I can hear except they punch more than a fold down. They were mixed to mono first and then mixed to stereo later. Although Phil didn't like stereo he was practical enough to release stereo albums as labels charged a dollar more for them. Plus the only way to get your albums into the Capitol Stereo Record Club was to have stereo LPs, even if they were simulated stereo.
Edited by BillCahill on 15 November 2009 at 7:02am
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aaronk
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Thanks, Bill!
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PopArchivist
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During 1990 when Ghost was a huge movie and was released the song became a hit all over again. There was a release of two versions of this song in the top 20 for 1990.
Listening to both what differentiated the 1990 version from the 1965 is that the original was released in mono and the stereo LP version has separated stereo, which the 1990 has centered stereo, typical of 1990.
One clear difference I noticed is the centered sound of 1989-1990 stereo, which is entirely different in the fresh recording, plus the instrumentation sounds closer and cleaner on the new 1990 version.
While we are at it I am sure that I have the 1965 version at #121 and the 1990 version at #143. Was there some story behind the competing version releases?
So for #121 is it mono or stereo in 1990? When Twist and Shout was a huge hit in 1986 again for the Beatles, the 45 was only in stereo if I recall. Is it safe to say it was only in stereo reissues in 1990?
Edited by PopArchivist on 24 August 2020 at 12:35am
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Paul Haney
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| Posted: 24 August 2020 at 4:33am | IP Logged
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In 1990, the original 1965 recording was only available as a vinyl single on Verve Forecast 871882. The newly recorded
version was available as a cassette single on Curb 76842. This is a case where the original version got nearly ALL of
the radio airplay and the new version got nearly ALL of the sales. In fact, the new version actually went platinum
(which at the time was 1 million units). Brilliant move by Curb to get that new version out there for sale.
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thecdguy
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What's the deal with why the original version was only available as a vinyl 45 in 1990? I never understood why they wouldn't have put it out in Cassette
or CD form and capitalize on it.
The new version was also available on CD Single as well (I have it myself). I'm sure the Cassette Single had most of the sales, though. I can honestly say
I never heard the new version on the radio except for "American Top 40". I'm also curious as to how many people were shocked when they brought the single
home and realized when they played it that it wasn't the same version they'd been hearing on the radio.
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Paul C
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As discussed in The Contours "Do You Love Me" thread,
when The Contours song became a hit for the second
time in 1988, the Motown Yesteryear reissue 45 was
still in print. By the time "Unchained Melody" became
a hit for the second time in 1990, however, Polydor
had discontinued its 'Band Of Gold' reissue 45 series
and was licensing its reissue 45s to Collectables and
Eric. (The Collectables 45s of Polydor material were
actually manufactured by Polydor and I believe at
least some of the Erics were as well.) So I believe
that the Verve Forecast 45 Paul Haney mentions was a
new 1990 issue and not a reissue Polydor already had
in print. Polydor did not issue a cassette single to
encourage sales of its Greatest Hits album.
When Curb realized that a cassette single of the 1965
version would not be issued, the new version was
quickly recorded and released. I also only ever heard
the Curb version on the radio on AT40. Billboard
listed the two versions separately for this song. For
the 1965 version, Billboard listed only the Verve
Forecast 45, even though the Collectables and Eric 45s
were also in print at the time. For "God Bless The
USA" in 2001, Billboard listed three versions (MCA,
Capitol, and Curb) as one listing.
"Unchained Melody" is often mentioned as one of Phil
Spector's greatest productions. It has long been
rumoured, however, that Spector had no involvement in
its recording and that it was actually produced by
Bill Medley. It was recorded to fill out the Just
Once In My Life album and was issued as the B-side
of "Hung On You". Early pressings of the 45 list
Spector as the producer of "Hung On You" and do not
list a producer at all for "Unchained Melody'. Singles
pressed once the B-side became the hit list Spector as
producer on both sides. A few months later, Spector
sold The Righteous Brothers' contract and their
Philles masters to Verve, reportedly for $1,000,000,
and more or less retired.
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LunarLaugh
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| Posted: 24 August 2020 at 8:51pm | IP Logged
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Paul C wrote:
"Unchained Melody" is often mentioned as one of Phil
Spector's greatest productions. It has long been
rumoured, however, that Spector had no involvement in
its recording and that it was actually produced by
Bill Medley. It was recorded to fill out the Just
Once In My Life album and was issued as the B-side
of "Hung On You". Early pressings of the 45 list
Spector as the producer of "Hung On You" and do not
list a producer at all for "Unchained Melody'. Singles
pressed once the B-side became the hit list Spector as
producer on both sides. A few months later, Spector
sold The Righteous Brothers' contract and their
Philles masters to Verve, reportedly for $1,000,000,
and more or less retired.
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Not long after, Phil also produced great singles for
Ike and Tina Turner ("River Deep, Mountain High") and
Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd ("Black Pearl")
and they didn't live up to his sales expectations in
the US which may have signaled to him that his reign
was coming to an end.
Additionally, I think Phil had some massive studio
overtime budgets that he needed some quick cash for
which is one reason why he decided to sell their
contract to Verve (another reason is that Bill Medley
had proved to be more than proficient at producing them
himself).
His retirement didn't last too long, though. John
Lennon and George Harrison put him to good use in the
early 70s.
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TomDiehl1
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| Posted: 25 August 2020 at 7:11am | IP Logged
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The Wrecking Crew producer posted the AFM
sheet for Unchained Melody, turns out Bill
did produce it, and most of the musicians
on it were from the duo's touring band at
that time.
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TallPaulInKy
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| Posted: 27 August 2020 at 8:04am | IP Logged
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Paul Haney wrote:
Brilliant move by Curb to get that
new version out there for sale. |
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I think most of the sales on the 1990 rerecording was
due to misinformation by customers. They probably ask
for the song by the Righteous Brothers and that's what
the record .. er cassette dealer sold them. So as you
stated they probably didn't get the one they heard in
the movie or on the radio. I never liked the 1990
version it pales in comparison to the original.
Tom mentions the AFM recording contract, but it does
not list a producer,(or Bill Medley)only 13 musicians
and that is probably the basic session..with overdubs
later for sweetening. The Mike Patterson Band is
credited on the Just Once In My Life album along with
joint production credit of Phil Spector and Bill
Medley.
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Topic: "Unchained Melody" - Righteous Brothers
