They adopted their name in 1962 while performing together around Los Angeles, USA as part of a five-member group called The Paramours, which featured John Wimber (who was much later one of the founders of the Vineyard Movement) on keyboards.
Hatfield and Medley both possessed exceptional vocal talent, with range, control, and tone that helped them create a strong and distinct duet sound (and perform as soloists). Medley sang the low parts with his deep, soulful baritone, with Hatfield taking the higher register vocals with his soaring tenor. They gained their name when an African-American Marine shouted out "That was righteous, brothers" at the end of a show. John Wimber, one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement, played the keyboard in the band.
Their first major hit single was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in 1965. Produced by Phil Spector, the record is often cited as one of the peak expressions of Spector's Wall of Sound production techniques. It was one of the most successful pop singles of its time, despite exceeding the standard length for radio play. Indeed, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" remains the most played song in radio history, estimated to have been broadcast over 8 million times to date. A little known fact about this song was that Spector utilized Sonny and Cher as back-up singers.
They had several other Spector-produced hit singles during the 1960s, including "Ebb Tide" and "Unchained Melody" in 1965 and "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" in 1966.
Soul and Inspiration was produced by Bill Medley for Verve Records. Phil Spector was not involved with this recording in any way, shape or form. Also, although it is credited to Phil Spector, Bill Medley produced "Unchained Melody". Medley produced the B-Side for the singles and Spector handled the production work on the A-Side. The A-Side for "Unchained Melody" was the single "Hung on You" produced by Phil Spector although it was the B-Side that ended up being the hit.
Hung On You
The Righteous Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl you got me to fall in love with you
Though I'm not free to fall in love with you
Oh, baby
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Tell me
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Believe me, baby,
I didn't plan it this way
I thought I'd see you one night and
Forget you the next day
You're not the girl that I belong to
And even though I know it's wrong to
There's a little place where we can go
Where we won't run into a soul we know
Whoa, baby, baby
Well I wish I could get you out of my heart
Then I could also get you out of my life
Baby
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Tell me
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Sure I could tell you it's over and then
One day I'd call you and beg you to see me again
This is a fine mess I got myself in
And let me tell you baby, you're not helping
You know the changes I'm going through
And still you look at me the way you do
Cause you got me to fall in love with you
Though I'm not free to fall in love with you
Baby, baby
Why did I have to get so hung on you
I want to know
Why did I have to get so hung on you
The song "Hung On You" by The Righteous Brothers highlights the struggles of a person who finds themselves trapped in infatuation with someone they cannot be with. The lyrics describe a person who has fallen in love with someone they cannot have and is unable to let go of their feelings. The song's opening lines reveal the dilemma: "Girl, you got me to fall in love with you, though I'm not free to fall in love with you. Why did I have to get so hung on you?"
The singer expresses his regrets about falling for this woman and wishes he could erase all his feelings for her. He is torn between his commitment to someone else and his strong emotions for the woman he cannot be with. The lyrics reveal the pain and confusion he is experiencing: "Sure, I could tell you it's over and then one day I'd call you and beg you to see me again. This is a fine mess I got myself in, and let me tell you baby, you're not helping."
Overall, "Hung On You" is a song about the complications of love and the anguish that comes with loving someone you cannot be with. The lyrics describe the frustration and heartache that the singer feels as he struggles to deal with his feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl you got me to fall in love with you
I fell in love with you because of your actions, not because I chose to.
Though I'm not free to fall in love with you
I am not in a position to pursue a relationship with you.
Oh, baby
Expressing frustration and disappointment in oneself.
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Wondering why his emotions are so strong towards someone he cannot have.
Believe me, baby, I didn't plan it this way
His feelings for her were unexpected and unintentional.
I thought I'd see you one night and
He didn't expect to see her more than once.
Forget you the next day
He thought he could easily move on from her.
You're not the girl that I belong to
He is already committed to someone else.
And even though I know it's wrong to
He knows that his attraction to her is morally inappropriate.
There's a little place where we can go
There is a secluded spot where they won't be seen by anyone they know.
Where we won't run into a soul we know
They can avoid being seen by anyone they know by going to this hidden spot.
Well I wish I could get you out of my heart
He wishes he could rid himself of his strong feelings towards her.
Then I could also get you out of my life
He wants to distance himself from her completely.
Sure I could tell you it's over and then
He could end their relationship at any time.
One day I'd call you and beg you to see me again
Despite ending things, he knows he would not be able to resist seeing her again in the future.
This is a fine mess I got myself in
He realizes he has made a mistake by getting involved with her.
And let me tell you baby, you're not helping
He blames her for the situation and the way he feels.
You know the changes I'm going through
He is going through a difficult phase in his life, and his feelings for her are not helping.
And still you look at me the way you do
Despite the situation, she still looks at him in a way that makes him feel drawn to her.
I want to know
Expressing a desire for answers and understanding.
Why did I have to get so hung on you
Asking why his feelings for her are so strong and causing him difficulty.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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