Unchained Melody

Honey Boy Martin’s version of “Unchained Melody” was issued in 1972 on the London-based Sioux label, and later appeared on the Sioux compilation Unchained (SLX 7503). The release was part of a pop-covers-in-reggae run that also included tracks by Sammy Jones, Jackie Rowland, and others. The track placed Martin on one of the early-1970s Jamaican pop-cover sets associated with Sioux, showing how the original ballad could be reframed in reggae form. It later turned up on Trojan retrospectives such as Here Comes That Feeling and Reggae Love Songs, confirming its place in the catalog of classic Jamaican love-song covers. “Unchained Melody” remained a collectors’ cut and has been repeatedly reissued on compilation albums and retailer catalogs, which kept the recording in circulation long after its original 1972 appearance. Its continued inclusion alongside other Honeyboy Martin sides shows it as one of his better-known cover recordings.