Unchained Melody
Drifters Lyrics


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Oh my love, my darlin'
I hunger for your touch
A long, long 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 river flow to the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely river sigh, wait for me, wait for me
I'll be comin' home, wait for me

Oh my love, my darlin'
I hunger for your touch
A long, long 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

Overall Meaning

The song "Unchained Melody" was originally composed in 1955 by Alex North and Hy Zaret for a prison drama film titled "Unchained". However, it was the version by the vocal group, The Drifters, that became a huge hit in 1965. The song has since been covered multiple times by various artists, but The Drifters' version remains the most popular.


The lyrics of the song speak of a love that has been separated for a long time and a desire for the two to be reunited. The hunger for the lover's touch is emphasized as time seems to be moving painfully slow. The singer questions whether they are still "mine" and implores for the lover's love to be "Godspeeded" to them. The imagery of the "lonely river" depicts the singer's journey back home to their lover while the river flows towards the sea. Overall, the song is a poignant expression of the longing and hope for a love that was once strong to be restored.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh my love, my darlin'
Addressing the singer's beloved, expressing affection, admiration and romantic attraction.


I hunger for your touch
The singer's yearning and longing for physical intimacy and connection with their partner.


A long, long time
The length of time the singer has been apart from their beloved, emphasizing their loneliness and separation.


Time goes by so slowly
The dragging and slow pace of time without their beloved, emphasizing their feelings of isolation and longing.


And time can do so much
The power of time to affect change and transformation, especially in relationships, implying that their love may have changed.


Are you still mine?
Questioning the state of their relationship and whether their beloved still loves and belongs to them.


I need your love
Reiterating the singer's emotional dependence on their partner and their desire for a mutually fulfilling relationship.


Godspeed your love to me
A heartfelt plea for their partner's love to come back to them as soon as possible.


Lonely river flow to the sea, to the sea
Comparing the state of the artist's emotional turmoil to that of the river flowing towards the ocean - aimless and longing for a destination.


To the open arms of the sea
Describing the vastness of the sea, as a symbol of hope and relief for the artist's emotional distress.


Lonely river sigh, wait for me, wait for me
The river sighing, expressing the singer's own exasperation with their separation, and a promise to return to their beloved as soon as possible.


I'll be comin' home, wait for me
Promising that their separation will not be forever and that their partner should be waiting for their return.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, UNCHAINED MELODY PUB LLC
Written by: Alex North, Hyman Zaret

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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