Unchained Melody (The Movie)

In 1955, Alex North and lyricist HyZaret were contracted to write a song as a theme for the obscure prison film Unchained and their song eventually became known as the "Unchained Melody". The song doesn't actually include the word "unchained", and songwriter Zaret chose instead to focus his lyrics on someone who pines for a lover he hasn't seen in a "long, lonely time". The 1955 film centers around a man who contemplates either escaping from prison, to live life on the run, or completing his sentence and returning to his wife and family.The lyrics note, "Lonely rivers sigh, ' Wait for me... I'll be coming home; wait for me'...".Unable to see them for years, he pleas, "I need your love, God speed your love to me".

Oh, my love
my darling
I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea,
to the sea
to the open arms of the sea
lonely rivers sigh 'wait for me, wait for me'
I'll be coming home wait for me

Oh, my love
my darling
I've hungered for your touch
a long lonely time
and time goes by so slowly
and time can do so much
are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
Godspeed your love to me
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Quote from the movie:

You can lock them in "The Hole"...put them on bread and water...use the bull-whip and the black-jack...but they're still men...with a man's longings! THE STORY OF CHINO PRISON, CALIFORNIA WHICH DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT...TOLD HOW IT HAPPENED...WHERE IT HAPPENED!

"If trouble starts, it'll make Chino another San Quentin and any man can start it!"
 (thanks to http://walkingpath.multiply.com/journal/item/1188/UnChained_Melody_the_history_before_the_Righteous_Brothers)

With Todd Duncan singing the vocals, the song was nominated for an Oscar in 1955, but the Best-Song award went to the hit song "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing."