Introduction
“Unchained Melody” is one of the most enduring love songs of the 20th century, and while it was originally composed in 1955 by Alex North (music) and Hy Zaret (lyrics) for the film Unchained, Elvis Presley’s version stands among the most emotionally compelling renditions ever recorded. Although The Righteous Brothers popularized the song in 1965, Elvis brought a raw, deeply personal energy to it in the final years of his life.
Elvis Presley first performed “Unchained Melody” live in concert in the late 1970s, with one of the most notable renditions captured during his June 21, 1977 show in Rapid City, South Dakota. This performance was filmed for the TV special Elvis in Concert, which aired after his death. In that moment, Elvis, visibly weary and physically declining, sat at the piano and delivered a heart-wrenching, powerful performance that many fans and critics now consider to be one of the most emotional of his career.
What made Elvis’s interpretation so impactful was the contrast between his physical state and the incredible strength of his voice. Despite obvious health struggles, he reached into the depths of the song’s longing and gave it new meaning. It became not just a love song, but a haunting expression of vulnerability and emotional truth.
Although Presley never recorded a formal studio version of “Unchained Melody,” the 1977 live performance has been preserved and widely shared, becoming a posthumous classic. RCA Records later released the live track, and it continues to resonate with fans around the world. In many ways, Elvis’s take on “Unchained Melody” symbolized the last powerful breath of a legendary artist—a farewell as poignant as the lyrics themselves.