The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfie… Read Full Bio ↴The Righteous Brothers were the musical duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. They recorded from 1963 through 1975, and continued to perform live until Hatfield's death in 2003. Their emotive vocal stylings were sometimes dubbed "blue-eyed soul."

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.

Let It Be Me
The Righteous Brothers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I bless the day I found you
I want to stay around you
And so I beg you
Let it be me!

Don't take this heaven from one
If you must cling to someone
Now and forever

Let it be me!

Each time we meet love
I find complete love
Without your sweet love
What would life be?

So never leave me lonely
Tell me you'll love me only
And that you'll always
Let it be me!

Let it be me!

So never leave me lonely
Tell me you'll love me only
And that you'll always
Let it be me

So never leave me lonely
Tell me you'll love me only
And that you'll always
Let it be me!

And that you'll always
Let it be me!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Righteous Brothers' song "Let It Be Me" express a deep desire to be with the person they love. The opening lines, "I bless the day I found you, I want to stay around you," highlight the importance of this person in their lives. The chorus, "Let it be me," serves as a desperate plea to be the one this person chooses to be with. The second verse, "Don't take this heaven from one, if you must cling to someone," acknowledges the possibility that the person they love may choose someone else, but begs them to choose them instead.

The song continues to express the depth of their love, describing each encounter as providing complete love. The lyrics, "Without your sweet love, what would life be?" emphasizes the importance of this person in their life. The final verse repeats the desperate plea for this person to always love them and to choose them as their one and only.

Overall, the song highlights the intense emotions that come with loving someone and the desperation to have that love returned. The lyrics are simple yet powerful, evoking a sense of longing and vulnerability.

Line by Line Meaning

I bless the day I found you
I am grateful for the day I met you

I want to stay around you
I desire to be close to you

And so I beg you
I plead with you

Let it be me!
Choose me as your partner

Don't take this heaven from one
Do not deprive someone of this blissful feeling

If you must cling to someone
If you must hold onto someone

Now and forever
For all time

Let it be me!
Choose me as your partner

Each time we meet love
Whenever we see each other

I find complete love
I feel fulfilled by your love

Without your sweet love
In the absence of your affection