Alternate issue of the Greatest Hits album

The Righteous Brothers Greatest Hits by Phil Spector - 1981 Verve 18MM 0585 Japan

At first glance this very rare 1981 Japanese vinyl album might appear to be the very familiar Righteous Brothers classic "Greatest Hits" album, originally issued in 1967 and re-issued many times since then.

However, on this 1981 Japanese issue, the track listing has been changed to include B sides of the Righteous Brothers Philles singles not originally included on the Greatest Hits album, "There's A Woman" "The Blues" and "She's Mine All Mine" plus two Bill Medley solos from the Philles "Back To Back" album, "Without A Doubt" and "Loving You".

Even though the title has been extended to be the "Righteous Brothers Greatest Hits BY PHIL SPECTOR", as the changes have been made using the identical styling and original fonts, a casual viewing of the album cover can result in it being overlooked

The back cover utilizes the original layout of the Righteous Brothers 1969 "Greatest Hits Vol2" album, including the two photos of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield.

Track Listing;

You've Lost That Lovin Feelin
Just Once In My Life
Loving You
(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
Hung On You
Ebb Tide

Unchained Melody
Without A Doubt
The Blues
White Cliffs Of Dover
She's Mine All Mine
There's A Woman

Unchained Melody producer credit

Well worth seeking out is the original issue of this classic single that has been the subject of many heated debates over the years as to the identity of the producer of "Unchained Melody".

Apart from not sounding in the remotest like a Phil Spector production, the lack of any producer credits on the label would appear to imply that Phil Spector did not produce "Unchained Melody". After all, as Phil Spector was the sole owner of Philles Records it hardly seems feasible that his name would be omitted by mistake.

Although DJ and initial releases of Philles 129 "Hung On You" credited Phil Spector as the producer, the B side "Unchained Melody" had no producer credits, this was also the case with the Bill Medley produced tracks on the two previous Righteous Brothers Philles singles.

However, after "Unchained Melody" was switched to the A side following DJ's playing it in preference to main side and it started to climb the charts, Phil Spector's name appeared credited as producer on the subsequent pressings of the single and all other releases of the track ever since.

Another interesting factor is that there is no arranger credit which had by then become standard practice on Spector produced tracks at this point.

It is also worth noting that the producer credits on the album "Just Once In My Life" are vague with no distinction between the tracks Phil Spector and Bill Medley produced. On the other two Righteous Brothers/Philles albums, "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin" and "Back To Back", the producer credits are very clear.

Further evidence, if it were needed, has surfaced with the release of the Phil Spector compilation "Retrospective". The liner notes gives details of the session musicians, none of these included any of the "wrecking crew" who worked with Spector but several familiar names of members of the Righteous Brothers Band including Mike Patterson Bill Baker Art Munson Woody Woodrich Drew Johnson and Barry Rillera.

Alternate mix of Hung On You

Retrospective (1963-1974) - 2005 ABKCO 92353

On this compilation Phil Spector is credited as “original and supervising re-issue producer” and under his direction, it is very evident with the Righteous Brothers tracks associated with his Philles Records company, that he has reverted back to the original “wall of sound”.

Over the years all Righteous Brothers re-issues of the Phil Spector produced tracks, “You’ve Lost That Lovin Feelin” “Just Once In My Life” “Hung On You” “Ebb Tide” “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons” and “The White Cliffs Of Dover” – have been in stereo.

When Phil Spector first produced these masterful ‘wall of sound’ tracks, the original objective was to have the sound as though there was a single microphone suspended over the top of everything – the original singles, in mono of course, sounded exactly like this.

By the end of the 1960’s, record collectors wanted stereo and subsequently all re-issues of the Righteous Brothers/Spector partnership were the stereo mixes, this trend has continued to this day – until now !

All the Spector produced Righteous Brothers tracks have been transferred from the original mono masters and sound precisely the way the great producer envisaged.

No longer are the tracks separated into having the strings emerging, from the right hand channel competing with the rhythm and vocals, instead of complementing the rest of the track as they were originally intended to do and blending into the wall of sound.

Probably the most interesting feature of the whole album is in the mix of “Hung On You”, where there is a major difference to any other issue of the track.

At the 2:59 mark where the Righteous Brothers lead into their frantic call and response section of repeated “Why” – this particular mix goes into the chorus at this point before then going into the call and response section.

There are other highlights also, the slightly longer fade outs on "For Sentimental Reasons" and "The White Cliffs Of Dover", has Bobby Hatfield majestically rolling around at the top of his range just that bit longer.

I Can't Make It Alone sessions

Japanese double CD of Philles albums

The Collection Of Their Golden Years - 1996 Verve POCP 2412/3 Japan

Japanese only issue on double CD of all three Righteous Brothers Philles albums, “You’ve Lost That Lovin Feelin”, “Just Once In My Life” and “Back To Back”.

The set includes a 34-page booklet, which has the lyrics in English plus a biography in Japanese.

Of course all the massive hits are included as they were on the original albums but it is the rest of the album tracks and the convenience of having the albums in CD format, that really make this such a collectible item.

Many of the Righteous Brothers album tracks from their Philles era have never seen the light of day on CD, this collection captures in stunning clarity some of the great qualities of these tracks.

Withdrawn UK Just Once In My Life single

In the UK the follow up to "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin", "Just Once In My Life"/"The Blues", was released in April 1965 on London American HL9962 and then rather abruptly withdrawn by Decca. It was a controversial decision at the time, one of the reasons given in the music press at the time was "technical reasons", which could amount to anything.

It has been well documented that demonstration copies of the single were released before the withdrawal. Since then several had been in circulation, though very rare.

No regular copies of this release were thought to have existed but in the past few years two copies have surfaced.

In June 1966, just over a year after the initial release, "Just Once In My Life"/"The Blues" was finally released by Decca on London American HL10066. There are no differences between the recordings of either issue.

Some mis-informed record sellers are trying to sell the London American HL10066 issue by claiming it is the withdrawn issue, something to be aware of before buying or bidding on the item.

Lovin Feelin on the Belgium Moonglow label

When Phil Spector bought out the Righteous Brothers contract with Moonglow Records, part of the deal was that his Philles Records would have the distribution rights in four markets, US UK Canada and South Africa - Moonglow Records would retain the rights for the rest of the world.

Subsequently, Phil Spector produced Righteous Brothers records released outside the designated four markets would have the legend "by arrangement with Moonglow Records".

In Belgium, several of the Righteous Brothers Moonglow and Philles recording were released on the Moonglow label including rather bizarrely, "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin".

Ray Maxwell, the owner of Moonglow Records, was in fact a Belgium named Rene Jan Van Hoogten, who came over to New York to set up Moonglow Records in the 1950’s before moving to Hollywood.

Ray Maxwell’s brother, Albert Van Hoogten, owned the Belgium record label Ronnex Records.

Philles Clock

The story on the Philles no# single is that just a few were pressed under the expressed direction of Phil Spector to accompany a present of a clock that he gave to valued associates in 1965. Within the grooves is what was probably his latest release, namely, "Ebb Tide" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" by the Righteous Brothers but there is no mention of that on the label. Possibly less than a dozen were pressed.

Information provided by Mark Landwehr.