Righteous Brothers Knows How it Feels When “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin”

Written by Phil Spector, Cythia Weil, and Barry Mann, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” was first recorded by the Righteous Brothers in 1964. Most critics tagged the song as the ultimate expression and illustration of Spector’s “Wall of Sound” recording technique. For other music specialists, they coined the song as one of the best records ever made, it is an ultimate pop record, so to speak.

On its original version, The Righteous Brothers gained their critical commercial version on its release. The track became a number one hit single in both the United States and the United Kingdom in February of 1965. Also, it became the fifth best selling single in the United States back in 1965. Outside the US, the song entered the United Kingdom chart on an unprecedented three separate occasions.

The Righteous Brothers

The duo were not really brothers as their stage name says. However, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, who were both born in 1940, were definitely righteous. They define the term “blue eyed soul” in the mid-60’s. They established their identity as journeymen exploring from pop to R&B acts. But their release of their most memorable track,  “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” proved that they can do folk music too. The two, however fell apart in search for better career as solo performers. As a result, they both have had other hit singles, but none would compare to their success as partners.

Bill Medley had a couple of small hits in the late ’60s as a solo act. However, neither “brother” was worth half as much on their own as they were together. Maybe this is a proof to the old line, two is better than one. The two therefore reunited in 1974 and immediately had  number three hit on the cart with “Rock and Roll Heaven.”  The song is a tribute to dead rock stars that some found tacky. A couple of smaller hits followed before Medley retired from performing for five years in 1976. The Righteous Brothers continued to tour the oldies circuit off and on in the 1980s and 1990s. It was while on one of these tours that Bobby Hatfield died suddenly on November 5, 2003.