His biggest hit was "Unchained Melody" in 1955. Other hits were "He", "11th Hour Melody", "Never Turn Back", and "After the Lights Go Low" (all in 1956). "After the Lights Go Low", sung with a put-on British accent, was his last charted hit.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Hibbler became a civil rights activist, marching with protestors and getting arrested in 1959 in New Jersey and in 1963 in Alabama. The notoriety of this activism discouraged major record labels from carrying his work, but Frank Sinatra supported him and signed him to a contract with his label, [lable]Reprise Records.
However, Hibbler made very few recordings after that, occasionally doing live appearances through the 1990s. He died in April 2001 in Chicago.
Unchained Melody
Al Hibbler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The lyrics of the song "Unchained Melody" by Al Hibbler express longing, love, and a sense of being separated from the loved one. The opening lines, "Oh, my love, my darling / I've hungered for your touch / A long, lonely time," convey the singer's yearning for his beloved's presence. The use of the word "hungered" adds depth to the emotion of desire that he feels. The repetition of "time goes by so slowly" highlights the endless waiting and the feeling of separation that time brings. The singer asks, "Are you still mine?" which indicates a fear of losing the love while being separated. The chorus repeats twice, "I need your love / I need your love/ God speed your love to me." This desire for love and the plea to the divine to bring his love back to him adds a touch of spirituality that underscores the intensity of his love.
The second stanza references lonely rivers flowing towards the sea, indicating the singer's current state of being alone without his love. The phrase "open arms of the sea" connotes a sense of unity and connection that he yearns for. The use of "lonely rivers sigh" shows that he is not alone in his loneliness and that many others feel similarly. The singer's promise to come home implies that there has been some sort of separation, maybe due to distance or a break-up, and that he promises to come back to his love. The chorus repeats again with the same words and feelings of intense love and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, my love, my darling
The singer expresses their love and fondness for their significant other.
I've hungered for your touch
The singer deeply desires to be physically close to their partner.
A long, lonely time
The singer has been separated from their loved one for a prolonged period and has felt alone during this time.
Time goes by so slowly
The artist feels as though time has been dragging on while they have been away from their partner.
And time can do so much
The artist acknowledges that time can change things and is apprehensive that their relationship may not be the same upon their return.
Are you still mine?
The singer is uncertain if their partner still loves them and is committed to the relationship.
I need your love
The singer communicates their intense need for affection and attention from their significant other.
God speed your love to me
The artist implores divine intervention to expedite their partner's return and the revival of their relationship.
Lonely rivers flow
The artist describes their surroundings--lonely rivers--and uses this metaphor to further emphasize their sense of isolation and longing.
To the sea, to the sea
The rivers are yearning toward the vast and seemingly endless sea, which can be interpreted as the artist's hope that their love will eventually be reunited and made whole.
To the open arms of the sea
Further emphasizing the metaphor, the singer visualizes the seas as being welcoming and enveloping, just as they desire their partner to be.
Lonely rivers sigh
Once again, the artist evokes a sense of forlornness as they describe the rivers' sound.
Wait for me, wait for me
The singer pleads with their loved one to remain committed to waiting for them to return.
I'll be coming home, wait for me
The singer assures their partner that they will return and encourages them to keep the faith and hold on to hope.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, UNCHAINED MELODY PUB LLC
Written by: Alex North, Hyman Zaret
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodhigh7
When i was in my teens, this was the most popular rendition of unchained Melody ! You hardly ever heard anyone else do it ! When a buddy and I switched girl friends, this became their song... I will be 82 next week and I still think the music of the 50s and the 60s are the best.
@sallykrouth5714
I'm 80 and this was my husband's & my favorite song.
We loved how Al emphasized the word "God" in his version. Fifty years together before I laid the love of my to rest 29MAR2014 in the Utah Vertran Cemetery and Memorial Park.
@muuknus.
Its the original.
@billthrasher9973
It transcends and takes it to that special place. First girlfriend first dance where does the time go
@jamesschwindt6129
Same here Rod. I'm 83 and have never heard a better version than Al's.
@Robob0027
@@billthrasher9973nothing beats this version
@GaryPClark
My navy buddy from NYC and I were returning to Charleston, SC after a weekend at his home in the city. We took a train back, in the club car George recognised Al at a table with the only two seats open. We asked if we could sit with him and he said he didn't mind. George knew who it was, I had no clue. He asked Al if he would grace us with a song. He said if you sing and dance up on the bar I will sing all night. George jumped right up there, who knew he could tap dance and he did a number. Al followed with this song and many others and the whole club car rocked that Sunday night in the spring of 1965. He didn't need any band to sound great. Never forget that evening.
@c45acper41
+Gary Clark - What a great memory. The only time I saw Mr. Hibbler was on the Ed Sullivan Show. I remember it like it was yesterday. Many years later I worked with a man who knew Mr. Hibbler and I was told that Mr. Hibbler had a problem with alcohol and that was why he wasn't more popular because he didn't record that much. The song itself was the theme for the film "Unchained" which starred Elroy 'Crazy Legs' Hirsch and Chester Morris. The song was sung in the film by Todd Duncan. Check IMDB for more info on the film and actors.
@hwgray
+Gary Callahan He had a problem with racism. In the late 1950s and 1960s, Hibbler became a civil rights activist, marching with protestors and getting arrested in 1959 in New Jersey and in 1963 in Alabama. The notoriety of this activism discouraged major record labels from carrying his work.
@edithsalomon2633
Gary, how can we check out the movie when your comments are messed up due to foul language?