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.
Something
The Righteous Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get a feeling that I never, never had before
And I got to tell you right now
I believe, I really do believe that
Something's got a hold on me
(Oh, it must be love)
Something's got a hold on me right now child
Let me tell you now
I never felt like this before
Something's got a hold on me that won't let go
I believe I'd die if I only could
I sure feel strange, but I sure feel good
I said, oh yeah
It must be love
(You know it must be love)
Let me tell you now
Something's got a hold on me
(Oh, it must be love)
Something's got a hold on me right now child
(Yeah, it must be love)
Let me tell you now
I got a feeling, I feel so strange
Everything about me seems to have changed
Step by step, I got a brand new walk
I even sound sweeter when I talk
I said, oh yeah
It must be love
(You know it must be love)
Let me tell you now
My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light
I shake all over, but I feel alright
I never felt like this before
Something's got a hold on me that won't let go
I never thought it could happen to me
My heart was heavy when in misery
I never thought it could be this way
Love's sure gonna put a hurting on me
I said oh yeah
It must be love
(You know it must be love)
Yeah he walks kike love
(Yeah he walks like love)
And he talks like love
(And he talks like love)
Makes me feel alright
(Makes me feel alright)
In the middle of the night
(In the middle of the night)
Na na na na!
The song, "Something's Got A Hold On Me", sung by the Righteous Brothers, is a song about the power of love. The song invokes a feeling of being in love and the effect it has on the individuals who experience it. The singer talks about how love has changed him, both mentally and physically, yet he feels good and cannot help but fall deeper in love. "Something's Got A Hold On Me" is a song that captures the essence of love and the feeling of pure joy it brings.
The lyrics of this song provide a vivid description of the effects of love on an individual. The songwriter vividly conveys the feeling of being in love and the physical changes that come as a result. The singer mentions the change in the way he walks, talks, and even sounds. These feelings are accompanied by a sense of happiness, as he repeats the phrase "It must be love" throughout the song. The musical arrangement of the song also adds to the emotional potency of the song, with its upbeat tempo and catchy melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I get a good feeling
The singer experiences a positive emotion
I get a feeling that I never, never had before
The emotion is new and different
And I got to tell you right now
The singer feels the need to express these feelings
I believe, I really do believe that
The singer has strong conviction in what they are about to say
Something's got a hold on me
The singer feels controlled by a force they cannot explain
(Oh, it must be love)
The singer believes the mysterious force is love
Something's got a hold on me right now child
The singer is currently feeling this strong emotion
(Yeah, it must be love)
The singer reiterates their belief that love is the cause
Let me tell you now
The singer wants to share their experience of this emotion
I never felt like this before
The singer has never experienced this feeling previously
Something's got a hold on me that won't let go
The singer is unable to shake this feeling
I believe I'd die if I only could
The singer cannot bear to lose this feeling and would rather die than give it up
I sure feel strange, but I sure feel good
The emotion is both unusual but pleasant
I said, oh yeah
The singer expresses affirmation
It must be love
The singer is convinced that love is the reason for this emotion
(You know it must be love)
The singer reassures the listener of their conviction
I got a feeling, I feel so strange
The singer is still experiencing this unusual emotion
Everything about me seems to have changed
The singer feels transformed by the emotion
Step by step, I got a brand new walk
The emotion has had a physical impact on the singer
I even sound sweeter when I talk
The emotion has affected the way the singer speaks
My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light
The singer has conflicting physical sensations
I shake all over, but I feel alright
The singer is physically affected by the emotion, but feels good overall
I never thought it could happen to me
The singer is surprised to be experiencing this emotion
My heart was heavy when in misery
The singer was previously unhappy and weighed down by negative feelings
I never thought it could be this way
The singer did not expect to feel this way about someone
Love's sure gonna put a hurting on me
The singer acknowledges that love can be painful
(Yeah he walks like love)
The singer describes attributes of the person causing these emotions
(And he talks like love)
The singer continues to describe attributes of the person
Makes me feel alright
The person's presence has a positive impact on the singer
(In the middle of the night)
The person is on the singer's mind even during nighttime
Na na na na!
Outro of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN FIELDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind