Originally written by the renown film composer Alex North as a theme for the now obscure 1955 prison film Unchained, with lyrics by Hy Zaret, the lyrics tell of a prisoner's anguish over his girlfriend. Les Baxter recorded it for the film's soundtrack, and it was very soon thereafter recorded by Al Hibbler. Perhaps the best known version is from 1965, credited to the Righteous Brothers but performed as a solo by Bobby Hatfield, who later recorded versions credited solely to himself.