The Most-Played Song of the 20th Century: The Righteous Brothers Reveal Its Magic

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” holds the title of the most-played song of the century on American radio, with over eight million spins. The opening line, “You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips,” hints at a growing darkness and a sense of encroaching doom. Over the song’s not-quite-four-minute duration, a whisper transforms into a storm.

Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield

In the song, Bill Medley’s deep baritone voice fills the air, creating an astonishing piece of music. The song is a widescreen ballad that captures teenage emotions with the operatic grandeur that such feelings demand. Medley and his fellow Righteous Brother, Bobby Hatfield, were Southern Californian kids singing blue-eyed soul in different bands before joining forces. They recorded a few minor hits on a smaller label before Phil Spector saw them opening for the Ronettes at San Francisco’s Cow Palace and signed them to his Phillies label.

Crafting a Timeless Classic

Songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil tried to write the Righteous Brothers a ballad like the Four Tops’ “Baby I Need Your Loving.” Then, Phil Spector poured everything he had into the recording, turning it into one of his definitive statements. Spector, along with the Righteous Brothers and the legendary session musicians in the Wrecking Crew, spent days perfecting the song in the studio.

Spector made the musicians wear headphones—a new concept at the time—so they could hear the echo he was adding. (A young Cher was among the backing singers.) He layered their performances over and over, creating a sound that was huge and overwhelming. Spector spent tens of thousands of dollars on the recording and later spoke about the stress of wondering whether people would understand the song.

Reactions to the Recording

Initially, some listeners didn’t get it. Some even wondered if they were playing the song at the wrong speed. The Righteous Brothers themselves weren’t entirely comfortable with the song, as it was a significant departure from the barrelhouse R&B they had been recording.

Bobby Hatfield was upset that his voice didn’t appear until the chorus. He asked Spector what he was supposed to do while Medley was singing. Spector replied, “You can go directly to the bank.” He used every trick in the book to ensure the song got airtime, even lying about the running time on the record’s label. Spector reasoned that radio programmers might hesitate to play a song that was 3:45 long, so he listed it as 3:05 instead.

Becoming a Hit

Despite the initial confusion, people eventually got it. George Martin produced a rival version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” for British singer Cilla Black. As that version climbed the UK charts, the Rolling Stones’ manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, placed a full-page ad in Melody Maker, calling the Righteous Brothers’ version the “last word in Tomorrow’s sound Today.” By the year 2000, it was recognized as the most-played song on American radio.

Listening to it now, it’s hard to imagine anyone not getting it. The song sweeps you up like a wave, with swooshing reverb serving the feeling of being adrift and unable to hold off heartbreak. Producers would later find cleaner ways to achieve orchestral sweep, but the bridge—“We had a love! A love! A love you don’t find every day! So don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t let it slip away!”—remains close to pop-music perfection.

One fan declared: “The harmonies, the presentation, and the quality of this video. One of the best on YouTube. To this day, no group has equaled the Righteous Brothers. They were and remain the best.”

The Legacy of the Righteous Brothers

Following the massive success of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” the Righteous Brothers released another iconic single, “Unchained Melody,” in 1965. Of the hundreds of covers made since then, their version, with Bobby Hatfield’s solo, became the jukebox standard for the late 20th century. Hatfield changed the melody, and many subsequent covers are based on his rendition.

Your Thoughts?

Now, watch this fantastic performance of one of the most played songs in music history. I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below. Would you like to see more of the Righteous Brothers?