Phil Spector
may not be the world’s most saintly human being, but he certainly could produce
great records, and Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil could write great songs. Put
them together and add the Righteous Brothers to the mix, and you have one of
the all-time classics of the rock era. The Righteous Brothers had a few other
great tracks during the year or so they spent with Spector, and did some nice
work afterwards, but they never surpassed this one; they own the song to such
an extent that it makes the 1980 Hall & Oates remake, along with every
other version ever recorded, completely and utterly gratuitous.
Totally agree.
ReplyDeleteDave Marsh, who has the song at #5 on his own personal list, has a great write-up about the first time he heard the song when it came out, as well as another encounter with it some 20+ years later.
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