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.
I Just Want To Make Love To You
The Righteous Brothers Lyrics
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I don't want you to work all day
I don't want you to be true
I just want to make love to you
I don't want you to wash my clothes
I don't want you to keep my home
I don't want your money too
Well I can see by the way that you switch and walk
And I can tell by the way that you baby talk
And I know by the way that you treat your man
I wanna love you baby, it's a cryin' shame
I don't want you to bake my bread
I don't want you to make my bed
I don't want you cause I'm sad and blue
I just want to make love to you
The Righteous Brothers's song I Just Wanna Make Love To You is an interesting interpretation of a man who desires only one thing from his love interest. The song is a call to the woman to surrender to his whims and needs in the bedroom without any promises of commitment or responsibility. The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics where the man explicitly says that he does not want the woman to work or be a slave. Essentially, he wants her to have complete freedom but to be available for his sexual desires.
In the subsequent verse, the singer takes this idea a step further and states that he does not want any nurturing responsibilities from her. He does not want her to cook for him or wash his clothes. The recurring line, "I just want to make love to you" reinforces the idea that the man sees the woman as a mere object of his sexual gratification.
However, the most interesting part of the song is how the singer justifies his desires. He claims to know the woman and her qualities and implies that she deserves better treatment or love. The argument seems to be that if she is this amazing, he should have the right to pleasure her irrespective of any real feelings he may or may not have. It's a flawed and selfish viewpoint, but it is certainly representative of a time when such attitudes were pervasive in popular culture.
Overall, the song is a product of its time, with dated gender roles and a questionable message. However, the emotive and compelling delivery of the lyrics by the Righteous Brothers has made it a classic that continues to be enjoyed today.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want you to be no slave
I don't want you to be obligated to me or feel like you owe me anything.
I don't want you to work all day
I don't want you to exhaust yourself by working hard all day.
I don't want you to be true
I don't want you to be faithful or loyal to me if you don't genuinely feel that way.
I just want to make love to you
I simply desire to engage in physical intimacy with you.
I don't want you to wash my clothes
I don't want you to feel responsible for doing laundry or housework for me.
I don't want you to keep my home
I don't want you to feel obliged to clean or maintain my living space.
I don't want your money too
I'm not interested in your financial resources, nor do I want you to access mine.
I just want to make love to you
My aim is to enjoy physical intimacy with you.
Well I can see by the way that you switch and walk
It's apparent to me just by observing the way you walk and move that you're someone I'm attracted to.
And I can tell by the way that you baby talk
I can sense from the way you speak in a soft and endearing tone that you're someone I desire.
And I know by the way that you treat your man
I sense from your interactions with your partner that you're a passionate and caring person, traits I appreciate.
I wanna love you baby, it's a cryin' shame
I want to express my affection for you, but it's unfortunate that our physical desire for each other is not fully reciprocated.
I don't want you to bake my bread
I don't want you to feel obligated to provide food and nourishment for me.
I don't want you to make my bed
I don't want you to feel obliged to make my bed or do other tasks for me, unless you genuinely want to.
I don't want you cause I'm sad and blue
I don't desire a romantic relationship with you just because I'm feeling sad or lonely.
I just want to make love to you
My aim is simply to engage in physical intimacy with you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Willie Dixon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind