‘Rock And Roll Hello’ kicked off The Righteous Brothers’ epic Midnight Special reunion in 1974. Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield hadn’t performed together for over 5 years, but they came roaring back with their signature blue-eyed soul sound. The audience went wild as soon as they hit those first notes.
The fellas looked a bit different than their clean-cut 60s image. Bill was sporting some serious sideburns, and Bobby had that shaggy surfer look going on. But man, their voices were still pure gold. They launched into a medley of their biggest hits like “Soul and Inspiration,” “Unchained Melody,” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.”
Hearing Bobby’s soaring falsetto on “Ebb Tide” gave me goosebumps. And when they belted out that “whoa-oh-oh” part in “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the whole place erupted. It was like being transported back to 1965 all over again. These guys hadn’t missed a beat.
The show wasn’t just oldies, though. Bill and Bobby debuted some new tunes, like the funky “Rock and Roll Loser.” They even did a goofy comedy skit, poking fun at their teenage heartthrob days. Seeing these pros ham it up on stage was a real hoot.
Of course, they closed things out with a soul-stirring gospel medley. Hearing The Righteous Brothers harmonize on “Oh Happy Day” was like a religious experience. Their voices blended together so perfectly that it was downright heavenly.