retro CHART

This week in 2002

1 Unchained Melody Gareth Gates 2 I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman Britney Spears 3 Whenever, Wherever Shakira 4 Me Julie Ali G and Shaggy 5 How You Remind Me Nickelback 6 4 My People Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott 7 It's Going Down X-ecutioners Feat. Mike Shinoda 8 Anything Is Possible/Evergreen Will Young 9 Tainted Love Marilyn Manson 10 Fly By II Blue

‘Oh, my love, my darling I've hungered, hungered for your touch’

UNCHAINED MELODY

‘ Unchained Melody' is one of the most recorded songs in history, with versions by upwards of 700 recording artists. Gareth Gates (pictured) scored number one with his version after finishing runner-up to Will Young in the first UK series of Pop Idol. In doing so, the 17year-old was the youngest ever British male artist to top the charts. ' Unchained Melody' is the only song to make UK number one in four different versions - Jimmy Young, The Righteous Brothers, Robson and Jerome and Gates (in Ireland only Gates and The Righteous Brothers reached No. 1 with the song). The Righteous Brothers - Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley - recorded the best-known version of ' Unchained Melody' in 1965, with Phil Spector earning production credits. The release failed to make the UK top ten at the time but did top the charts 25 years later when reissued after featuring in hit movie 'Ghost'. 'Unchained Melody' was written in 1955 by Alex North and lyricist Hy Zaret. Unusually, for the era, the song does not include the word 'unchained'. North had been hired to score an obscure prison film called 'Unchained' and called his theme song 'unchained melody'. He then asked old army buddy Zaret to add lyrics and the rest, as they say, is history.