(You're My) Soul and Inspiration

(You're My) Soul and Inspiration Soul and inspiration Righteous Brothers.jpg US picture sleeve single the Righteous Brothers Soul and Inspiration B-Side Blues February 26, 1966 Late 1965 Pop, blue-eyed soul 3:21 Verve Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil Bill Medley The White Cliffs of Dover 1966 He 1966 "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" is a song by the American pop duo the Righteous Brothers. It was the group's first hit after leaving their long-time producer Phil Spector. The song was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil; the duo also wrote the group's first hit "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" along with Phil Spector. It is the title track of their album.Richmond Peter http://www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com/ Righteous Brothers Discography 11 September 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070913114523/http://www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com/ 13 September 2007 live The single peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 3 single for 1966.http://billboardtop100of.com/1966-2/ 1966 billboard Top 100 Background The song was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, part of the Brill Building pop machine in New York City.Kurutz Steve artist p136844 yes Biography of Cynthia Weil 17 September 2007 They first began writing it following the success of the Righteous Brothers' first single with Phil Spector, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", which they also wrote. However, the song was not completed, as they thought it sounded too much like "Lovin' Feelin",http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/emsoul--inspirationem-a-c_b_1658056.html Soul & Inspiration: A Conversation With Songwriters Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Plus Milan's Calibro 35 July 9, 2012 Mike Ragogna Huffington Post and Spector chose instead to record Carole King and Gerry Goffin's "Just Once in My Life" as the duo's second single. https://books.google.com/books?id=8pX_AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 The Time of My Life: A Righteous Brother's Memoir Bill Medley Da Capo Press April 24, 2014 978-0306823169 34 After leaving Spector's Philles Records in late 1965, the Righteous Brothers moved to the mostly jazz-oriented Verve label. Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers then asked Mann about the incomplete "Soul and Inspiration" that the songwriters had played for Medley when they first started writing it, and asked them to complete the song. Mann and Weil complied, and the Righteous Brothers then recorded the finished song in late 1965.Unterberger Richie artist p5274 yes Biography of The Righteous Brothers 18 September 2007 The song was arranged by Jack Nitzsche, who had arranged many of Phil Spector's records,https://books.google.com/books?id=sU7NCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT98 You've Heard These Hands: From the Wall of Sound to the Wrecking Crew and Other Incredible Stories Don Randi Karen "Nish" Nishimura 978-1495008825 Hal Leonard August 1, 2015 and Medley produced the song in a style like the sound of the group's early hits with Spector. Medley was able to imitate Spector's "Wall of Sound" technique with reverbing pop-orchestration and a soaring female backup choir. Some of the session musicians from the Wrecking Crew, such as keyboard player Don Randi, pianist Michel Rubini and bassist Jimmy Bond, were hired for the recording. Other musicians on this record included Art Munson on guitar, Michael Patterson on piano, Drew Johnson on drums, Bill Baker (who also arranged the song) on sax, Dick Shearer on trombone, and Bill King, Sanford Skinner and Bob Faust on trumpets.http://www.45cat.com/record/vk10383 Record Details 45cat It used a string section as well, and there is a spoken section by Bobby Hatfield in the bridge. The song was released on February 26, 1966,https://books.google.com/books?id=vyyVGNycEA0C&pg=PT139 Phil Spector: Out Of His Head Richard Williams Omnibus Press Revised November 17, 2009 9780857120564 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; it stayed at the top for three weeks.https://archive.org/details/hesrebel00mark registration He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer Mark Ribowsky 213 Cooper Square Press 2 May 2000 9781461661030 This was, however, the end of the duo's peak in popularity. Although they entered the charts with their next single, the religiously-oriented "He" (No. 18 US), before briefly splitting in 1968, they did not crack the top 10 again until reuniting in 1974 with "Rock and Roll Heaven", an ode to deceased musicians. Cover versions In 1969, the Blossoms covered the tune with Righteous Brothers member Bill Medley producing. In 1973, Doc Severinsen recorded an instrumental version of this song on his Trumpets & Crumpets & Things album. In 1974, The 5th Dimension covered the song for their Soul & Inspiration album. In 1978, Donny and Marie Osmond went to No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 18 Easy Listening with their version. In 1990, the Oak Ridge Boys covered the song for the soundtrack of My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys. This version peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.Whitburn Joel Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008 Record Research, Inc. 2008 303 978-0-89820-177-2 Bill Medley himself covered the song in 1994 as a duet with Darlene Love. Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart (1966)PeakpositionCanada RPM 2 The Righteous Brothers Soul and Inspiration 2830New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 22 July 196618UKsinglesbyname 15 Righteous Brothers Soul and InspirationBillboardhot100 1 The Righteous Brothers Soul and InspirationUS CashboxCashBox, 1966 April 161 Certifications United States single Righteous Brothers Righteous Brothers Gold 1966 1966 true References Category:1966 songs Category:1966 singles Category:1978 singles Category:1990 singles Category:The Righteous Brothers songs Category:The Oak Ridge Boys songs Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:Songs written by Barry Mann Category:Donny Osmond songs Category:Marie Osmond songs Category:Songs with lyrics by Cynthia Weil Category:Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements Category:Verve Records singles