Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
http://singyoursongthemovie.com
Unchained Melody
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me
Lonely mountain 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
Oh, my love
My darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And 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
Harry Belafonte's rendition of Unchained Melody is a heartfelt plea for the return of a lost love. The opening lines, "Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch, a long lonely time," paint a picture of the singer's profound longing for the person he's addressing. The repetition of the phrase "a long lonely time" emphasizes the depth of his pain and the length of time he has been without his beloved.
The line "and time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much" suggests that although much time has elapsed, the singer's love for this person is as intense as ever. The phrase "time can do so much" also implies that the passage of time has caused the singer pain and that he is deeply affected by the absence of his love.
The singer begs for his lover's return. The phrases "are you still mine?" and "I need your love, Godspeed your love to me" indicate the singer's desperation and longing to be reunited with his beloved. The mention of Godspeed, a phrase typically used to wish someone a safe journey or speedy return, suggests the singer's hope that his lover will come back to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, my love
Addressing the singer's lover with affection
My darling
Continuing to address the singer's lover with affection
I've hungered for your touch
Expressing longing and desire for intimacy
A long lonely time
Conveying the length and difficulty of the period without the lover's presence
And time goes by so slowly
Reflecting on the subjective experience of time seeming to move slowly without the lover
And time can do so much
Acknowledging the power of time to change circumstances and feelings
Are you still mine?
Questioning the status of the relationship and the lover's feelings
I need your love
Asserting the importance of love and the lover's presence
I need your love
Repeating the importance of love and the lover's presence
Godspeed your love to me
Asking for the prompt and safe arrival of the lover's love and presence
Lonely mountain gaze,
Describing the singer looking out at an isolated mountain
At the stars, at the stars
Noticing the stars in the sky, perhaps finding comfort in them
Waiting for the dawn
Anticipating the coming of a new day, and the lover's return
Of the day
Clarifying that the wait is for the coming of a new day
All alone I gaze
Emphasizing the singer's solitude
At the stars, at the stars
Continuing to pay attention to the stars in the sky, perhaps finding meaning or inspiration in them
Dreaming of my love
Thinking about the artist's lover, fantasizing about their presence
Far away
Reiterating the distance between the singer and their lover
Contributed by Elijah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bls. harrison
A classic song but it's like hearing it for the first time. It was always meant to be sung like this. Legendary performer. Legendary performance.
Edda Simon
A simply beautiful song and voice❤️🌹❤️
lrh1966
Thanks Edda for listening and have a great day from Lloyd.
old fogey
My Mom had this exact same album - shown above. One of her favorites, and this is one of the best pieces on the album. As others say, H.B. sings it best. My Mom passed away last year. Haven't listened to this in ages and it made me cry - but in a good way if there is one. (Album sounds/crackles are part of what makes it a special memory)
Debra Toler
I have my mom's album also, play it all the time and cry. Thanks for the the entry.
Colleen Quigley
old fogey my Grandmother had exact same album, she was from Puerto Rico
6828Lu
I grew up listening to this album, too, courtesy of my mom. Hearing these songs again brings back so many memories and so much appreciation for what a fabulous talent Harry Belafonte is.
alissa mower clough
Incredible. It's a song about a convict, and as such should always be a capella. The feeling of sexual longing and repressed desire is amazing. As a teen girl, I used to sing it at daybreak, by the sea, knowing that no one could read my thoughts...or could they?
algae
Beautiful. Real human emotion. Real humanity. I can't get over how genuine it is. I hate to beat a dead horse, but listening to this magnifies the emptiness of the commercial garbage in mainstream today. It's been 2 1/2 years since I've listened to the radio; but thankfully there are gems like this to enjoy! :)
lrh1966
Thanks Andrea for listening to this Harry Belafonte song. His music is timeless and will always live on.