The Righteous Brothers - 2005 - Gold torrent

For years, the definitive Righteous Brothers collection was Rhino's 1989 2-disc ANTHOLOGY. With that release long out of print, Polydor's 48-track GOLD fills the void nicely. The term "blue-eyed soul" may not have originated specifically to describe the Righteous Brothers, but they were the epitome of the genre. If Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield had never recorded anything other than the classic "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," they still would have earned a special place in rock 'n' roll history. It is the perfect example of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound recording technique.

The songs are presented chronologically (according to their original recording dates), beginning with their 1962-63 Moonglow recordings (tracks 1-15). Their highest charting single during this period was the Bill Medley original "Little Latin Lupe Lu" (#49, 1963). [Note: It would become a top 20 hit three years later for Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels.]The Righteous Brothers hit their stride after teaming up with producer Phil Spector on the Philles label (tracks 16-24), including such classics as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (which was a No. 1 hit in both the U.S. and the U.K.), "Just Once in My Life," "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide."

In early 1966, MGM bought out their contract and released their debut single for the label on the subsidiary Verve (disc two, tracks 1-9). "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" was produced by Medley and went straight to No. 1 and sold more than a million copies. Unfortunately, it would be their last top 10 single until the reunion single "Rock and Roll Heaven" went to No. 3 in 1974.

From 1968 to mid-1974, Medley and Hatfield pursued solo careers. All three of Medley's charting singles are included ["I Can't Make It Alone" (#95), "Brown Eyed Woman" (#43) and "Peace Brother Peace" (#48)], but Hatfield's lone charting single "Nothing Is Too Good for You" (#84) is not. However, there are several non-charting singles from both, including Hatfield's "Hang Ups" and "My Prayer." GOLD finishes with their final two reunion singles, "Give it to the People" (#20) and "Dream On" (#32), both from 1974 - Steve Vrana

1.Little Latin Lupe Lu
2.Hot Tamales
3.Gotta Tell You How I Feel
4.My Babe
5.Koko Joe
6.Let The Good Times Roll
7.Try To Find Another Man
8.I Just Want To Make Love To You
9.Something's Got A Hold On Me
10.This Little Girl Of Me
11.Bring Your Love To Me
12.Fannie Mae
13.You Can Have Her
14.Justine
15.Georgia On My Mind
16.You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
17.The Angels Listened In
18.Just Once In My Life
19.See That Girl
20.Unchained Melody
21.Hung On You
22.Ebb Tide
23.(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
24.The White Cliffs Of Dover

Disc 2:

1.(You're My) Soul And Inspiration
2.Standy By
3.He
4.Go Ahead And Cry
5.Something You Got
6.On This Side Of Goodbye
7.A Man Without A Dream
8.Melancholy Music Man
9.Stranded In The Middle Of No Place
10.That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
11.Hang-Ups
12.Brothers
13.I Can't Make It Alone
14.Brown Eyed Woman
15.Peace Brother Peace
16.This Is A Love Song
17.Only You (And You Alone)
18.My Prayer
19.Answer Me My Love
20.Woman, Man Needs Ya
21.Someone Is Standing Outside
22.Rock And Roll Heaven
23.Give It To The People
24.Dream On