Unchained Melody - Todd Duncan "Unchained" and Bobby Hatfield "The Righteous Brothers"

In 1954, Alex North was contracted to compose the score for the prison film “Unchained” (released in 1955). North had a melody he had written in the 1930s and composed and recorded the score when he was asked to write a song based upon the movie's theme. North asked Hy Zaret to write the lyrics. After first refusing, Zaret and North together wrote "Unchained Melody." Zaret refused the producer's request to include the word "unchained" in his lyrics. The song eventually became known as the "Unchained Melody" even though the song does not actually include the word "unchained". Instead, Zaret chose to focus on someone who pines for a lover he has not seen in a "long, lonely time". The film centered on a man who contemplates either escaping from prison to live life on the run or completing his sentence and returning to his wife and family.

Todd Duncan (1903 – 1998, opera singer, actor, professor
Duncan was an American baritone opera singer and actor. One of the first African-Americans to sing with a major opera company, he is also noted for appearing as Porgy in the premier production of Porgy and Bess (1935). He was chosen for the part by George Gershwin. He obtained his musical training at Butler University in Indianapolis with a B.A. in music followed by an M.A. from Columbia University Teachers College. Duncan taught voice at Howard University in Washington, D.C. from 1930 until 1945. He had a very successful career as a concert singer with over 2,000 performances in 56 countries and two film roles. He retired from Howard and opened his own voice studio teaching privately and giving periodic recitals. In the movie “Unchained” Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack and performs an abbreviated version in the film. Playing one of the prisoners, he sings it, accompanied by another prisoner on guitar, while other prisoners listen sadly. With Duncan singing the vocals, the song was nominated for 1955's Oscars, but the Best Song award went to the hit song "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing".

The Righteous Brothers – Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley
According to Medley, they adopted the name The Righteous Brothers for the duo because black Marines from the El Toro Marine base started calling them "righteous brothers". At the end of a performance, a black U.S. Marine in the audience would shout, "That was righteous, brothers!", and would greet them with "Hey righteous brothers, how you doin'?" on meeting them. They were known for their “blue-eyed soul”.
"Unchained Melody" was never intended to be a Righteous Brothers single and was originally the B-side of "Hung on You", both reaching the Billboard Top 10. Medley said that he produced "Unchained Melody"; the song was originally intended only as a track on the album “Just Once in My Life”, and Phil Spector had asked Medley to produce the albums so Spector could spend time and money on producing singles. Later copies of the original 45 release credited Spector as producer when it became a hit. Medley and Hatfield both had wanted to sing “Unchained Melody”. After several discussions it seemed that this standoff could only be resolved the only way possible; the flip of a coin. Hatfield won the toss and Medley played piano on the recording. It went to #4 in 1965. Later, Medley said “If I had known it was going to be that good, I would have gotten a better piano player.”

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