Unchain My Heart (song)
Encyclopedia
"Unchain My Heart" is a song written by Bobby Sharp and recorded first in 1961 by Ray Charles
and in 1963 by Trini Lopez
and later by many others. Sharp, a drug addict at the time, sold the song to Teddy Powell
for $50. Powell demanded half the songwriting credit. Sharp later successfully fought for the rights to his song. In 1987, he was also able to renew the copyright for his publishing company, B. Sharp Music.
The song was a hit for Charles when released as a single in late 1961. Accompanied by his Raelettes
, Charles sang about wanting to be free from a woman "who won't let (him) go".
It was also accompanied by his longtime saxophonist, David "Fathead" Newman
and other members of Charles' band. The song reached number nine on the pop singles chart and number one on the R&B singles chart and was the working title of Charles' 2004 biopic Ray
.
band The Rivingtons
covered "Unchain My Heart" on their Doin' The Bird LP.
The track was further popularised by Joe Cocker
when he named his 1987 album
after the song. His version of the song was re-released in 1992 and reached #17 in the UK. The Australian government
controversially used the Joe Cocker version to promote the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST
) in 2000. Cocker later stated that if he knew it was going to be used for political gain he would not have licensed it.
Another a cappella
group, The Bobs
, recorded a version in 1994 and George Williams released a version on his Shades album in 2002.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and in 1963 by Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez is an American singer, guitarist and actor.-Career:Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on Ashland Street in the Little Mexico neighborhood. He began his entertainment career in Dallas playing at the Vegas Club, a nightclub owned by Jack Ruby...
and later by many others. Sharp, a drug addict at the time, sold the song to Teddy Powell
Teddy Powell
Teddy Powell was an American jazz guitarist, composer and big band leader...
for $50. Powell demanded half the songwriting credit. Sharp later successfully fought for the rights to his song. In 1987, he was also able to renew the copyright for his publishing company, B. Sharp Music.
The song was a hit for Charles when released as a single in late 1961. Accompanied by his Raelettes
Raelettes
The Raelettes were a girl group in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, formed, as their name suggests, to provide backing vocals for Ray Charles.Its membership originally consisted of Darlene McCrea, Margie Hendricks, Patricia Lyles, and Gwendolyn Berry...
, Charles sang about wanting to be free from a woman "who won't let (him) go".
It was also accompanied by his longtime saxophonist, David "Fathead" Newman
David Newman (jazz musician)
David "Fathead" Newman was an American jazz saxophonist.-Biography:Born in Corsicana, Texas, Newman's professional career as a musician began in 1954 as a member of the Ray Charles Band....
and other members of Charles' band. The song reached number nine on the pop singles chart and number one on the R&B singles chart and was the working title of Charles' 2004 biopic Ray
Ray (film)
Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
.
Covers
In 1963, doo-wopDoo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
band The Rivingtons
The Rivingtons
The Rivingtons were a 1960s doo-wop group. The group members were:lead vocalist Carl White , tenor Al Frazier , baritone Sonny Harris, and bass singer Turner "Rocky" Wilson Jr.. Frazier was replaced by Madero White for a period in the late 1970s.-History:Their first hit was "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow"...
covered "Unchain My Heart" on their Doin' The Bird LP.
The track was further popularised by Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
when he named his 1987 album
Unchain My Heart (album)
Unchain My Heart is the eleventh studio album by Joe Cocker, released in 1987.Miller Lite used Joe Cocker's "Unchain My Heart" for their Dalmatian campaign as the dog jumps from the Budweiser Clydesdale horse-drawn carriage to the Miller Lite truck....
after the song. His version of the song was re-released in 1992 and reached #17 in the UK. The Australian government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
controversially used the Joe Cocker version to promote the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST
Goods and Services Tax (Australia)
The GST is a broad sales tax of 10% on most goods and services transactions in Australia. It is a value added tax, not a sales tax, in that it is refunded to all parties in the chain of production other than the final consumer....
) in 2000. Cocker later stated that if he knew it was going to be used for political gain he would not have licensed it.
Another a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group, The Bobs
The Bobs
The Bobs were dubbed the first new wave a cappella group in history when they were founded in San Francisco, California in the early 1980s. Now based in Seattle, Washington, this genre-bending, eccentric vocal group has maintained a healthy cult following in the U.S...
, recorded a version in 1994 and George Williams released a version on his Shades album in 2002.
External links
- Bobby Sharp's Web site
- Unchain My Heart at Second Hand Songs