Let’s do a little throwback to one of the most powerful performances on live television.
This was The Righteous Brothers during their TV guesting on The Ed Sullivan Show on November 7, 1965.
Even if w weren’t born yet or were very young during this performance, you still probably know how iconic it was. It was breathtaking to watch, and the duo probably didn’t imagine it would be such a huge hit.
Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield became a pop duo after leading their separate bands.
They were previously called The Paramours, and their humble beginnings started with one song that flopped after the other. Trying to change their fortunes, they changed their names to The Righteous Brothers.
Soon enough, the duo had massive success in the 60s and 70s with their hits songs You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, Unchained Melody, and White Cliff of Dover.
Their songs hit the charts in the United States and the United Kingdom until they decided to go their separate ways.
But their rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was one of the most iconic performances on TV.
Fun fact: The Righteous Brothers weren’t supposed to sing this song during the show.
They planned to sing another song, but when they heard the show’s producer talking about the tragedy that the country was facing at that time (which was John F. Kennedy’s assassination two years prior), they were inspired and changed their song to this one. And we’re thankful that they did.
Their performance was soulful, and you could feel their emotions throughout.
Bill Medley started singing the first verse with his signature bass tone, a perfect low register for this song. His voice is like a rolling thunder but plays beautifully with the music.
Then, Bobby’s voice came in, that superb tenor sound.
His embellishments on every line made it more dramatic but not too much to overpower the song. He serenaded the audience with his voice as warm and smooth as honey.
Bill and Bobby’s voices merged into the chorus, sounding so perfect.
The mix of that bass and tenor heightened the emotions of their renditions. Plus, Bobby’s countertenor hitting the high notes was the icing on the cake.
It was one of their notable performances, as their version is also one of the most famous renditions of the song.
“You’ll Never Walk Alone” was written for the 1945 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Carousel.
In the story, Nettie Fowler sang the song to Julie Jordan after her husband committed suicide. The song was to comfort and encourage her cousin, making the song’s lyrics perfect for the scene.
The song was a timely anthem during wartime as its message centered on the triumph over losing a loved one and honoring their memory with the support of people around us.
Since then, the song has become an anthem of hope and resilience.
The Righteous Brothers decided to sing it on The Ed Sullivan Show because the message was on point. The song continues to inspire people with this same message to this day.
Watch their entire performance in the video below.
