Everybody knows the song “Unchained Melody.” It is a popular song recorded in the ’50s and has been continuously covered by many artists. It has been recorded in different languages and even different genres. The popularity of the song made LeAnn Rimes cover it too during her early days.
The Origin of “Unchained Melody”
Hy Zaret wrote the lyrics to “Unchained Melody.” Meanwhile,
Alex North was responsible for the tune of the song. The single was composed for the movie Unchained, a popular film about life in prison in 1955. The first recording of the song was by Todd Duncan, where his version was used as the theme song for the movies. However, the most notable version of this was the recording of the Righteous Brothers in 1965.
Righteous Brothers’ Version
The Righteous Brothers recorded the song by changing its tune. Their version became widely accepted by many artists. And, it’s what most artists commonly cover nowadays.
LeAnn Rimes’ Version
Among the many artists who followed the cover of the Righteous Brothers was LeAnn Rimes. In 1996, Rimes recorded the song as a B-side to her single “Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart.” The following year, Rimes released a compilation album, Unchained Melody: The Early Years. On her compilation album, she included her recording of “Unchained Melody.” The song reached number three on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Furthermore, it placed at number three on the Canadian chart.
LeAnn Rimes’ recording of the song was as amazing as the original but she didn’t just copy exactly as the original version. She added her own style and made the song more heartfelt. It may be one of the best versions of “Unchained Melody.”
Her First Compilation Album
Rimes’ first compilation album reached number one on both the Billboard Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 chart. In addition, Unchained Melody: The Early Years entered charts from Australia and Canada.
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LeAnn Rimes, unchained melody, Unchained Melody: The Early Years