It's The Top-Played Song Of Last Century – The Righteous Brothers Are Behind It

Jun 06, 2020 by apost team

The Righteous Brothers' You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' was allegedly the most-played song of the 20th century.

At first, that sounds like a big exaggeration. But remember, the music industry keeps track of these things. That's how they can tell what song is No. 1 on what chart, after all. Who gets the most plays and who sells the most copies. In fact, it did hit No. 1 in the US, Canada and in the UK.

Produced and co-written by impresario Phil Spector, this song utilized his famous "Wall of Sound" technique; it bears a lot of tension in the music and subject matter. And then, eventually, the song reaches a satisfying crescendo till the tension breaks.

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The Righteous Brothers hail from Southern California. Though they're both white, they were entranced by the soul and rhythm and blues music being developed in the Black community. With lots of talent and hard work, they became the most prominent blue-eyed soul act of the 20th century.

They were perfectionists and worked with a detail-oriented producer in Spector. Plenty of care was taken to ensure that every note was perfect. Hatfield and Medley weren't completely convinced about the arrangement on this single at first. But by trusting Spector, they ensured that they became a part of music history.

Interestingly enough, Phil Spector had to employ some trickery when the song was first finished. He fibbed and said it was just a hair over 3 minutes long. In actuality, it was closer to four minutes. But he didn't want the record company to hold it back.

He knew it was an unusual composition and a new, challenging sound. But he also knew how great it was. It turns out, his gamble paid big dividends for everyone.

Though it was the biggest song of 1964 and 1965, the Righteous Brothers' iconic song didn't just get a lot of airplay on pop radio in its era. This is a song that's had a long afterlife. It's often been seen on television and in films.

Most notably, it was the centerpiece of the bar scene in Top Gun. When the producers of that film needed a song about deep, true love, they turned to You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'. This song didn't just make the Righteous Brothers famous but it also did a lot for Tom Cruise's film career.

What risks have you taken on the job? Anything as big as Spector's with this song? Let's talk it out in the comments and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones.