Singers: The Righteous Brothers

No song in music history has been played on the radio more often than the Righteous Brothers' 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin''. Uploaded by uulyrics.com.

The story goes that one night as Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield sang as part of a group called the Paramours, an African-American in the audience shouted, “That’s righteous, brothers!” You believe that? I don’t know. But if it’s not true, it makes a good story, so it’s “virtually” true.

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The guys owed a lot of their success to the great producer/murderer Phil Spector. His famous “wall of sound” production technique helped propel their first mega-hits to the top of the charts. Medley was a quick learner, and after the Brothers split from Spector’s Phillies label, he copied the “wall of sound” for their recordings on the Verve/MGM label.

The Righteous Brothers’ biggest hits:

• “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” (#1, 1964 – Great American Things, June 16, 2010)
• “Just Once in My Life” (#9, 1965)
• “Unchained Melody” (#4, 1965)
• “Ebb Tide” (#5, 1965)
• “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” (#1, 1966)
• “Rock and Roll Heaven” (#3, 1974)

According to BMI, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” is the most-played song in radio history. The Righteous Brothers joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

Song: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”

Bobby Hatfield asked producer Phil Spector what he should do while Bill Medley sang the verses of this song. Spector said, 'You can go straight to the (freaking) bank.' Uploaded by bbc.co.uk.

In 1964, The Righteous Brothers had released two singles, neither of which made it higher on the charts than number 49. Fortunately for their flagging career, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and Phil Spector wrote this emotional song, and gave them the first opportunity to record it. It was “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and it went to number one in both the US and the UK.

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The song features the now-famous “wall of sound” that became Spector’s trademark. Deep-voiced Bill Medley performed the lead, and partner Bobby Hatfield was miffed that he had nothing to do until the chorus. (He would later turn the tables with “Unchained Melody.”) Hatfield asked Spector what he was supposed to do while Medley sang, and Spector reportedly said, “You can go straight to the (freaking) bank.”

And he did. According to BMI, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” was the most-played song of the 20th century in the United States. It came in at number 34 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song went to number one for two weeks in February, 1965, right in the middle of the British invasion. Curious about what song knocked it from its perch? Would you believe “This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys…