The Righteous Brothers : “Soul and Inspiration “

With soaring vocals and a symphonic arrangement, this song bears a strong resemblance to the Righteous Brothers’ breakout hit, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” That song was written by the Brill Building songwriting duo of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and produced by Phil Spector. When it became a #1 hit in 1965, Spector asked Mann and Weil to write another one, and they came up with “Soul And Inspiration.” They saw it as a carbon copy of “Lovin’ Feelin’,” however, and didn’t deliver it to Spector.

By 1966, The Righteous Brothers had signed a $1 million deal with MGM Records and needed a hit to please their new corporate overlords. Medley remembered the tune Mann and Weil had scrapped, and asked them to revive it. They reluctantly delivered the song to Medley, who produced it himself, using many of Spector’s techniques.

Released as their first single for MGM, “(You’re My) Soul And Inspiration” returned the duo to the top of the Hot 100, where it stayed for three weeks.

(source)

Lyrics to “Soul and Inspiration”

Girl, I can’t let you do this

Let you walk away

Girl, how can I live through this

When you’re all I wake up for each day?

 

Baby, you’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

You’re all I’ve got to get me by

You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

Without you baby, what good am I?

 

I never had much goin’

But at least I had you

How can you walk out knowin’

I ain’t got nothin’ left if you do?

 

Baby, you’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

You’re all I’ve got to get me by

You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

Without you baby, what good am I, oh what good am I?

 

Baby, I can’t make it withoutcha.

And I’m, I’m tellin’ ya, honey-you’re my

reason for laughin’, for cryin’, for livin’, and for dyin’.

 

Baby, I can’t make it without you

Please, I’m begging you baby

If you go it will kill me

I swear it, Dear, my love can’t bear it

 

You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

Youre all I’ve got to get me by

You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration

Without you baby, what good am I, what good am I?

 

Mm-mm-mm Mm-mm-mm

Mm-mm-mm

Righteous Brothers & Marilyn McCoo sing Soul & Inspiration, 1982

RELATED: A Look Back At The Top 10 Billboard Year-End Hit Songs Of 1965