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Unchained Melody

Rating:
4.5 / 5

Words & Music: Alex North Hy Zaret

Oh, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch, a long lonely time
And time goes by, so slowly and time can do so much
Are you, still mine?
I need your love, I need your love
God speed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
To the waiting arms of the sea
Lonely rivers cry, wait for me, wait for me
To the open arms, wait for me

My love, my darling, I've hungered for your kiss
Are you still mine?
I need your love, I need your love
God, speed your love, to me

Recordingdate: 1977/04/24, first released on: Moody Blue (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Unchained Melody:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(electric piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Others*

(baton)
(guitar)
(bass)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(bells)
(percussion)
(percussion)
(bass trombone)
(trombone)
(trombone)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Unchained Melody.

Natha wrote on April 25, 2008
Here we may experience the difference between singing in general and singing from the heart with the text-related emotion. Elvis was the expert in the latter. Who will ever forget Elvis behind the piano and singing litt. his heart out. This shows all the more that it is not important whether one wrote a song. It is all about transmitting the essence of it to the heart of the listener. Till then and after that no one has surpassed him in this.
Marty_TCE wrote on February 26, 2009
This is a powerful version of a lovely song that you just want to go on and on... It is also the highlight of 'Elvis in Concert', he clearly loved this song. TCB
Monster wrote on March 17, 2009
I love the Moody Blue version but the single release just sends shivers up my spine. It sounds like such an enormous effort for him to sing but Elvis, as always, is not found wanting. He puts so much into this performance! You really get the feeling that through all the tough times he was experiencing back in 77 during this song he is utterly absorbed in something that gave him real joy and for that brief two and a half minutes he was genuinely happy. And that's why, despite how pained he sounds I'll always love this song.
dgirl wrote on March 17, 2009
To me, this was the only real highlight of the Elvis In Concert TV specail and they left it out! Why on earth did they do that? Years later when this appeared on DVD it shows once again how they missed a golden change for a major hit. This should have been the single to promote the TV special, (not the overdone My Way), the same exact version, with no added anything. Bare bones Elvis singing his heart out.
ta2k wrote on March 17, 2009
The little turn to the right and the smile that Elvis gives here just kills me. TCB
Swen wrote on March 17, 2009
He said it himself after having sung it, "Not bad!" Or as Bono said: "He transformed himself into an opera singer". Best version ever of a beautiful song.
Pedro Nuno wrote on March 17, 2009
An outstanding performance from our man. Sadly the only exception in his 1976 and 1977 concerts, that were generally, to bad to be true!
old shep wrote on March 17, 2009
Never liked the song, but Elvis does a good job of it, .but I do like the Moody Blue album.
Ton Bruins wrote on March 17, 2009
That's my song..can't watch Elvis' version on the DVD "The Great Performances" enough !Outstanding, almost every version is fantastic. Elvis singing from the heart !
MJB63 wrote on March 17, 2009
After hearing Elvis sing it,he owned it.He was never afraid to go out in front of 10,000 fans and fail.A missed note or two didn't matter.It was all heart &soul.
Steve V wrote on March 17, 2009
I agree this should have been the single to promote the TV special in 1977. The estate doesn't want to release Elvis In Concert to video but they thought enough of this song to include it in a documentary, yet it wasn't seen in the original broadcast. None of it makes sense, but it is the true highlight of that show and the later shows he did.
JerryNodak wrote on April 20, 2009
I prefer the version on "Moody Blue."
shoesuedeblues wrote on January 14, 2010
Moody Blue is in my top ten, never keen on the song though until I heard Elvis sing it.
Deano1 wrote on February 28, 2010
In 1955, this song was a hit for four different artists. In 1965, the Righteous Brothers gave us a blue eyed soul version of the song that was very good. In 1977, Elvis gives us the ultimate performance of the song. It almost has a gospel feel to it and Elvis sings the hell out of it. A great version from Ann Arbor, MI that was recorded on 4/24/77 leads off the "Moody Blue" LP and it is a little faster than the "Elvis In Concert" version. The EIC version is top notch with Elvis a little more deliberate in his delivery. There were concerts where Elvis held the last note and occasions like in Ann Arbor where it is Sherrill Nielsen, but that takes nothing away from the beauty and emotion of the performance. I don't understand why the "Moody Blue" album is put down so often. With this song, "Way Down", "Pledging My Love", "Moody Blue", "He'll Have To Go", "It's Easy For You" and a fun version of "Little Darlin" it is outstanding. I do know it was pretty well received until "Rolling Rag" errr.. "Rolling Stone" magazine once said that "never have so many people bought such a shoddily put together album". True there wasn't quite enough material and a three year old previously released track, "Let Me Be There" was used to round out the album, but that doesn't take away from the other nine tracks. I do wonder why "Softly As I Leave You" and "America" weren't used on the LP?
Gorse wrote on December 25, 2012
I often think Elvis fans moan about too many inconsequential things in his career, but I really hope that there must have been other reasons for not including this song in the CBS Special, other than someone not having a clue as to the majesty of this performance. I now have it like others on an extended DVD as part of the show, and along with Hurt, My Way and 3 or 4 other songs, watch it time and again.
sugartummy wrote on May 26, 2013
All versions are overdubbed, but that didn't take away the greatness of the performance.
ElvisSacramento wrote on May 24, 2014
This is such a beautiful, iconic and unique ballad and I like all of Elvis' renditions of this gem. My favorite version of this ballad is definitely by The Righteous Brothers
shawnrw wrote on September 20, 2014
Shows that Elvis could have been a successful opera singer had he chosen to. This song has been recorded by many before and since Elvis, but his version in many ways is the most dramatic and was a small hit after Elvis passed away.
bajo wrote on March 28, 2016
I agree that Elvis' version of this song really made me listen to it. It's his rendition that I think of when hearing this song. My fav is the single mix also found on EAP box set, disc 3 now. Regarding the Moody Blue album I recall many people outside the Elvis circle also liked it, no matter if most of them were aware of it first after Elvis died. For the time it was a fresh breeze imo!
marty wrote on November 25, 2020
His great performance, captured on film but not used on the "In Concert" special, is a fitting end to his remarkable career. The emotion and passion, combined with that magical voice, is one thing. When you see the video, you realise that he was not only emotionally but also physically fragile when singing it. It could have been a very successful single and a great promotion to the TV special. Why did they keep it out? Maybe it was too painful to those close to him. I like the album version but the one recorded for the TV special is even better, more so when you watch the video. 5 stars
jaques marcello wrote on November 26, 2020
for me it´s a great song
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