"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is a song by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil, first recorded in 1964 by the American vocal duo the Righteous Brothers.

This version, produced by Spector, is cited by some music critics as the ultimate expression and illustration of his Wall of Sound recording technique.

[8] All the songs previously produced by Spector for Philles Records featured African-American singers, and the Righteous Brothers would be his first white vocal act.

[1] Taking a cue from "Baby I Need Your Loving" by The Four Tops, which was then rising in the charts, Mann and Weil decided to write a ballad.

[17][19] Bobby Hatfield reportedly expressed his annoyance to Spector when he learned that Medley would start the first verse alone and that he had to wait until the chorus before joining in.

It features the studio musicians the Wrecking Crew; playing on this recording were Don Randi on piano, Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Carol Kaye and Ray Pohlman on bass, and Steve Douglas on sax.

[21] According to sound engineer Larry Levine, they started recording four acoustic guitars; when that was ready, they added the pianos, of which there were three; followed by three basses; the horns (two trumpets, two trombones, and three saxophones); then finally the drums.

[1] The background singers were mainly the vocal group the Blossoms, accompanied by the Ronettes[24] and joined in the song's crescendo by a young and then-unknown Cher.

[21] According to music writer Robert Palmer, the effect of the technique used was to create a sound that was "deliberately blurry, atmospheric, and of course huge; Wagnerian rock 'n' roll with all the trimmings.

[17] Right before the second verse started, Spector wanted the tempo to stay the same, but the beat to be just a little behind where they are supposed to land to give the impression of the song slowing down.

[12] When Mann heard the finished record over the phone, he thought that it had been mistakenly played at 33 1/3 instead of 45 rpm and told Spector, "Phil, you have it on the wrong speed!

He also added a false ending which made the recording more dramatic, and also tricked radio DJs into thinking it was a shorter song.

Loog Oldham later wrote, "The room was filled with this amazing sound, I had no idea what it was, but it was the most incredible thing I'd ever heard.

"[32] Later, when Cilla Black recorded a rival version of the same song and it was racing up the British charts ahead of The Righteous Brothers' version, Loog Oldham was appalled, and took it upon himself to run a full-page ad in Melody Maker: This advert is not for commercial gain, it is taken as something that must be said about the great new PHIL SPECTOR Record, THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS singing "YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING".

Already in the American Top Ten, this is Spector's greatest production, the last word in Tomorrow's sound Today, exposing the overall mediocrity of the Music Industry.

[36] However, when it was first presented on the BBC television panel show Juke Box Jury in January 1965 upon its release in the UK, it was voted a miss by all four panelists, with one questioning if it was played at the right speed.

[38] In Britain, Sam Costa, a DJ on the BBC Light Programme, said that The Righteous Brothers' record was a dirge, adding, "I wouldn't even play it in my toilet.

"[12] Wilson later referred to the Beach Boys' 1966 song "Good Vibrations" as his attempt to surpass "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".

Black's producer George Martin repeated this strategy with the Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" that had just been released in the US.

The Righteous Brothers came over to Britain, spent a week promoting the song and performed for television shows in Manchester and Birmingham.

[43] Black's version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" would prove to be her highest charting UK single apart from her two number ones: "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "You're My World".

While Black's version was released in Ireland, it did not make the official Irish Singles Chart as published by RTÉ, but it reached No.

In 1969, American singer Dionne Warwick recorded a cover version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" for her studio album Soulful.

Her version was the only single released from the album and it was aimed to showcase Warwick as more of an R&B singer than was evidenced by her work with Burt Bacharach.

(* - unofficial stratified ranking) In 1971, American singers Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway recorded a cover version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'".

Their version of the song was produced by Joel Dorn and was included on their 1972 self-titled duet album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, issued on the Atlantic Records label.

In 1980, the American musical duo Hall & Oates recorded a cover version of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" for their ninth studio album Voices.

After Maverick (assisted by Goose) serenades his love interest with the tune, she returns the favor by selecting it on the jukebox at his old hangout to catch his attention and reunite.

As the end credits begin to roll, the main character, Maverick, literally flies off into the sunset as the Righteous Brothers harmonic chorus continues in the background.

[citation needed] The song has been adopted as a terrace chant by supporters of English football club Nottingham Forest.