In 1954, Alex North was contracted to compose the score for the prison film Unchained (released in 1955). North had a melody he had written in the 1930s and composed and recorded the score when was asked to write a song based upon the movie’s theme.[10] North asked Hy Zaret to write the lyrics. After first refusing, Zaret and North together wrote “Unchained Melody.”[11][12] Zaret refused the producer’s request to include the word “unchained” in his lyrics.[13] The song eventually became known as the “Unchained Melody” even though the song does not actually include the word “unchained”. Instead, Zaret chose to focus on someone who pines for a lover he has not seen in a “long, lonely time“.[14] The film centered on a man who contemplates either escaping from prison to live life on the run or completing his sentence and returning to his wife and family.[14] The song has an unusual harmonic device as the bridge ends on the tonic chord rather than the more usual dominant chord.
Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack and performs an abbreviated version in the film. Playing one of the prisoners, he sings it, accompanied by another prisoner on guitar, while other prisoners listen sadly.[2] With Duncan singing the vocals,[2] the song was nominated for 1955’s Oscars, but the Best Song award went to the hit song “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing“.[14]
William Stirrat, an electrical engineer, claimed to have written the lyrics as a teenager in 1936 under the pen name “Hy Zaret” only to have North use the uncredited words in the 1955 original.[15][16] Although the case went to court, the dispute was resolved completely in favor of Zaret (the songwriter born Hyman Zaritsky, not William Stirrat) who continued to receive all royalties.[13]
Early versions
Following the movie, there were several charting covers that were released in 1955. Bandleader Les Baxter released a choral version (Capitol Records catalog number 3055) which reached number 1 on the US charts and number 10 in the UK.[17] The words “unchain me” are sung repeatedly at the beginning and the lyrics are sung by a choir. Billboard ranked this version as the No. 5 song of 1955.[18] Al Hibbler followed close behind with a vocal version (Decca Records catalog number 29441),[19] that reached number 3 on the Billboard charts and number 2 in the UK chart listings. Jimmy Young‘s release (on Decca Records UK catalog number F10502) stayed at number 1 on the British charts for 3 weeks and remained on the UK charts for 19 weeks.[20] Young re-recorded the song in early 1964 and it hit number 43 in the UK. Two weeks after Young’s version entered the top 10 of the British charts in June 1955, Liberace scored a number 20 hit (Philips PB 430). Roy Hamilton‘s version (Epic Records catalog number 9102) reached number 1 on the R&B Best Sellers list and number 6 on the pop chart.[21] June Valli recorded the song on March 15, 1955 (RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-6078) with the flip side “Tomorrow”,[22] and took it to number 29 on the Top Pop Records list.[23] Harry Belafonte recorded the song,[24] and sang his version at the 1956 Academy Awards after it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song of 1955.[25]
While the sheet music business was losing its prominence to sound recordings,[26] a sheet music release of the song peaked at number 1 on its tenth week on the Billboard Best Selling Sheet Music chart on the week ending June 18, 1955.[27] It stayed at its peak position for nine weeks[28] until it dropped to number 4 on its twentieth week on the week ending August 27.[29]
Woah, 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
Godspeed your love to me
[Verse 2]
Woah, my love, my darling
I’ve hungered, 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, I need your love
Godspeed your love to me
Oh mon amour, ma chérie
J’ai ardemment désiré te toucher
Pendant une longue période de solitude,
Et le temps passe si lentement
Et le temps peut faire tellement,
Es-tu toujours à moi?
J’ai besoin de ton amour,
J’ai besoin de ton amour
Que Dieu me lance ton amour.
Les rivières isolées s’écoulent vers la mer, vers la mer,
Vers les bras ouverts de la mer, yeah!
Les rivières isolées soupirent “attends moi, attends moi”
Je rentrerai à la maison,
Attends-moi.
Oh mon amour, ma chérie
J’ai ardemment désiré te toucher
Pendant une longue période de solitude,
Et le temps passe si lentement
Et le temps peut faire tellement,
Es-tu toujours à moi?
J’ai besoin de ton amour,
J’ai besoin de ton amour
Que Dieu me lance ton amour.
Oh mi amor, querida
He anhelado tus caricias
Por un largo y solitario tiempo
Y el tiempo pasa tan lentamente
Y el tiempo puede hacer tantas cosas
¿Aun eres mía?
Necesito tu amor
Necesito tu amor
Que Dios envíe rápidamente tu amor hasta mí
Ríos solitarios fluyen hacia el mar, hacia el mar
Hacia los brazos abiertos del mar, yeah
Ríos solitarios suspiran “Espera por mí, espera por mí”
Volveré a casa
Espera por mí
Oh mi amor, querida
He anhelado…
Anhelado tus caricias
Por un largo y solitario tiempo
Y el tiempo pasa tan lentamente
Y el tiempo puede hacer tantas cosas
¿Aun eres mía?
Necesito tu amor
Necesito tu amor
Que Dios envíe rápidamente tu amor hasta mí
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