(You're My) Soul And Inspiration

Album: Soul And Inspiration (1966)
Charted: 15 1
Play Video
  • Lyrics currently unavailable Writer/s: Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
    Publisher: Wixen Music Publishing

Comments: 14

  • Paddy R from WhitestoneBefore lyrics were widely available you had to buy them in instrument stores. In the 60s it was " ...soul and my y y inspiration ( my inspiration).
  • Billy G from Indiana, UsaFor me it always has been, and always will be, "highest inspiration."
  • Rps from Kingsport TnSo what I hear and have always heard is "highest inspiration", my wife hears heart's inspiration. Sometimes I hear them both at different parts of the song.
  • Don Kellogg from Huntsville Al By Way Of Franklinville Nythe above lyrics are wrong in that they include-- my "heart's" inspiration.. when in actuality it should correctly say "my-y inspiration" or "my inspiration".. whichever.. just needed to say this... could not go on with the wrong ones..
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaJean, would have to disagree with you. I would pick John and Paul, and then Brian Wilson. I had always thought that Phil did all their recordings, so am surprised to find out differently. Am wondering who the musicians were on the song. I know Phil used pretty much the same group of the Wrecking Crew for his recordings.
  • Coy from Palestine, TexasMedley says in his bio that Spector passed on the song after Mann and Weil wrote it as a follow up to "Lovin' Feeling". Bill was disappointed and when they left Philles and Spector--he decided to produce and record it as the duo's first single. It is a fantastic song and Bobby Hatfield's spoken bridge in the song is terrific. Medley was a vastly underappreciated producer --he actually also produce "Unchained Melody".
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 21st 1966, the Righteous Brothers performed "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" on the NBC-TV program 'Hullabaloo!'...
    Six days later on February 27th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on April 3rd it peaked at #1 (for 3 weeks) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 8 of those 13 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    Its three weeks at #1 prevented "Daydream" by the Lovin’ Spoonful and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Cher from reaching #1, both peaked at #2...
    In 1978 Donny & Marie Osmond covered it; their version reached #38 on the Top 100...
    And on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart the Oak Ridge Boys' covered version peaked at #31 in 1990...
    The B-side of the Righteous Brothers' version was titled "B-Side Blues"...
    R.I.P. Bobby Hatfield (1940 - 2003) and Bill Medley will celebrate his 74th birthday this coming September 19th (2014).
  • Jean from Owensboro, KyMann & Weil are arguably the most prolific and lyrical writers of the rock era, and they wrote more for the Righteous Brothers than the songs "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Mann & Weil were close friends of the Brothers and wrote for both of them, together and separately, throughout their careers.
  • Dryattz from Atlanta, GaAlthough I've always been a big fan of the Brothers, I've frequently cited this song as an example of what happens when the melody is written first, and the words are grafted onto it afterward. The chorus' highest and most powerful note has no word or syllable associated with it, sounding like "You're my soul, and my-EYE inspiration." The lyrics on this webpage feature what many have done - stuck a word in where one should be (in this case, "my HEART'S inspiration"). Elsewhere, amateur lyric transcribers use "my LIFE'S inspiration" and "my HIGH inspiration." Fewer use "MY inspiration," although an online search turns those up, too. But if you listen carefully, you'll hear the problem: the words don't fit the melody.


  • Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, CaBilly Medley showed he knew exactly what the Phil Spector sound was, and even tho they used a different arranger than Gene Page or Jack Nitzchie
    (did I spell that right?,lol) in the personage of Bill Baker, he hit it right on the head, and the public thought so also...it became no.1...great record!
  • Quebec_zeus from Quebec CityThe really album is: Soul And Inspiration
  • Steve from Fenton, MoIt's a pity that more great songs weren't passed to these two singers, because they sure knew how to sing a great song. Another terrific record.
  • Brian from Meriden, CtOne of the great records of one of the most legit soul acts of all time. Whether the production work was by the great Phil Spector or Medley's own the all-time greatest blue-eyed soul act put more emotion into a performance than just about anyone. Couldn't agree more, Vince.
  • Vince from Phoenix, AzMy favorite tune of all-time. Bill Medley deserves major kudos for his production work here. Everything Mann & Weil wrote for the Righteous Brothers was awesome. Gives me goosebumps and brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.