(You're My) Soul and Inspiration

Single infobox
Name = (You're My) Soul and Inspiration


Artist = The Righteous Brothers
from Album = Soul and Inspiration
Released = April 1966
Format = 7" single
B-side = "B-Side Blues"
Recorded =
Genre = Pop, Rock and Roll, Blue-eyed soul
Length = 3:22
Writer = Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
Label = Verve
Producer = Bill Medley
Last single = "The White Cliffs of Dover"
(1966)
This single = "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" (1966)
Next single = "He" (1966)"(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" was the first major hit for the Righteous Brothers after parting ways with their long time producer, Phil Spector, as well as the title track to the album cite web |last=Richmond |first=Peter |url=http://www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com/ |title=Righteous Brothers Discography |accessdate=2007-09-11 ] . The single peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian CHUM Charts as well as reaching #15 on the UK Singles Chart. After leaving Spector's Philles Records in late 1965, citing personal difficulties with the producer cite web |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |url=http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hifuxqr5ldje~T1 |title=Biography of The Righteous Brothers |accessdate=2007-09-18 ] , the duo made the jump to the mostly jazz-oriented Verve label and teamed up with Songwriters Hall of Famers, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who were then part of the legendary Brill Building pop machine in New York Citycite web |last=Kurutz |first=Steve |url=http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hzfrxqtgldfe |title=Biography of Cynthia Weil |accessdate=2007-09-17 ] . Mann and Weil had already co-written the group's previous #1, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"cite web |last=Kurutz |first=Steve |url=http://wm03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hzfrxqtgldfe |title=Biography of Cynthia Weil |accessdate=2007-09-17 ] cite web |publisher |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595879/youve_lost_that_lovin_feelin |title=You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' |accessdate=2007-09-18 ] with Spector, and were already familiar with their style and capabilities. The production, by group baritone Bill Medley, with reverbing pop-orchestra and soaring female back-up choir, is a spot-on imitation of Spector's "Wall of Sound" and fits in perfectly alongside of the group's early hits. This would, however, mark the end of the group's peak in popularity. Although they would chart again with their next single, the religiously-oriented "He"(#18 US), before briefly splitting in 1968, they would not break the top-10 again until reuniting in 1974 with "Rock and Roll Heaven", an ode to fallen musical comradescite web |last=Richond |first=Peter |url=http://www.righteousbrothersdiscography.com/ |title=Righteous Brothers Discography |accessdate=2007-09-11 ] .

Cover versions

In 1972, reggae artist Paddy Corea covered the tune instrumentally for UK-label, Trojan Records', cover-compilation "Keep on Running".

Donnie & Marie Osmond released a version for their 1977 album "A Winning Combination".

In 1990, country music group The Oak Ridge Boys recorded a cover version for the soundtrack to the film "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys". Their version peaked at #31 on the "Billboard" Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.

References