so can a brit be allowed to vote? i mean we're over the tea thing. if so, my favourite pre invasion album would be the everley brothers - the golden hits of the everley brothers.
9:26 Colpix Records was kind of a showbiz label, releasing record by Shelley Fabares, Paul Peterson, and James Darren (RIP) as well as a lot of kids' records for my old employer Hanna-Barbera. They morphed into the Monkees' label, Colgems. Great job as always, Miz Abigail; I'm learning a lot.
4:36 Carol Kaye was originally a session guitar player. The reason why she plays bass with a pick is because as some point she made the transition to greatest bass player ever
I love how the early 60s had no idea what was coming. They just kept trucking like the 50s until the youth took the love song and ran with it. Going from "Baby i love you ❤️" to "I WANT YOU RIGHT NOW!!! (Insert moans here)" In less than 10 years is crazy A person in 1959 would've had a heart attack if they heard The MC5 in 1969
This is what I had to listen to through out the 60`s being the only boy with a hand full of sisters but looking back brings back a lot of great memories.🥺
Exactly the same here but from the '80s. Having to grit my teeth as my sisters endlessly played Madonna, Bananarama and Whitney Houston, while I secretly aspired to P/i/L, GBH and The Cult.
@@abigaildevoe I believe the story goes is that she got asked to fill in on bass for a session, and the rest was history! She still continued to play guitar (even on some Beach Boys tracks), but bass became her primary instrument!
She continued playing guitar on jazz gigs around L.A., and always preferred the 6-string (at least back then). But yeah, she also had a few guitar credits to go along with her many, many (many) bass credits.
I fell like back in the day, and even now, a lot of noteworthy bassists are guitar players who were looking to get a gig/fit into a band. This also helps to explain why Carol plays bass with a pick (as is the case for many bassists who start on guitar).
What a great biography. Brought tears to my eyes. Ronnie was practically an angel as far as I'm concerned. What a great artist. Thank goodness she escaped that monster, Phil. Always loved their music 🎶. Hope to see a future biography of Marianne Faithful sometime soon. One of my favorite women of rock and roll. Guess my favorite pre-British invasion album would be "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Thanks again, Abigail.😊 You rock!
apparently phil hated her voice and stuck her behind the blossoms. but i guess phil warmed up to cher, she can be heard on the christmas album! (and in her recent book she says he creeped on her. ew)
The Philles album that works as a proper LP is THE CRYSTALS TWIST UPTOWN , full of great originals and sporting a fab sleeve, it's a gem. FYI the Ronettes reached the top 20 only once, six singles under The Crystal's name did just that( regardless of who sang lead). Just saying!
I read Ronnie’s autobiography and remember a few things, such as Frankie Lymon coming to her house, going with the Beatles and others to a hotel room to watch a couple having *** - not such an innocent era. Driving a car with a store mannequin in the passenger seat. And later in life she was very appreciative of Eddie Money, Southside Johnny, etc for having her appear on their records. Your reviews of Trout Mask Replica, Gabor Szabo and now the Ronettes makes every week a thrill!
Had the honor and pleasure of meeting Ronnie at a Fest For Beatles Fans. Line was probably the longest I've ever seen at one of those things (understandably). Thankfully, my mother (who lived in Spanish Harlem as a little girl and she told Ronnie that to which Ronnie responded with a hearty and cheerful "alright!") and I got there early. They were trying to move the line along quickly because it was so long and everything was timed but I did get a few autographs from her (including my copy of her She Talks To Rainbows EP which I told her I loved, and I do, but she apparently thought she did it with Eddie Money and I told her, no, Joey Ramone. "Oh..", she said. I laughed casually and told her it was ok, which it was. She was also selling prints of a photo of her with John Lennon circa 1974 taken by Bob Gruen, who I've also had the honor and pleasure of meeting once, and I had Ronnie sign it for me and my mother later wisely put it in a frame) I shook Ronnie's hand too and the dude behind her was like, "Ok, move along", and I was like, "Yes, I'm moving", which I did. Ha. Could've been her bodyguard for all I know. Can't say I blame her considering her past, but I'm a fan and was happy to just have that simple moment with her. Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss about their babysitter whose boyfriend routinely beat her. Who was this babysitter? Little Eva. The one who had a hit with Goffin and King's Loco Motion which they wrote for her to record. Sad. The abuse, I mean. The Loco Motion is great, however. At least Little Eva's version of it. Ha. I think Sonny Bono sung backup on Be My Baby along with Cher and everyone else as well. Yeah, I friggin' LOVE Baby I Love You. There are times where I think I like it more than Be My Baby. I didn't like the Ramones version (and I'm a big Ramones fan), but I've warmed up to it. Not sure if you're aware, but they didn't mention Dennis Thompson in the In Memoriam segment during the Grammys last night. I think they mentioned Wayne Kramer last year, though.
Carol Kaye was a great jazz guitarist on the L A.. club scene. She played guitar on a lot of Sam Cooke. One day the bass player didn't show at a recording. session and the rest is history.
A hell of a guitar player. A lot of people knew him from his hit songs, but he could really play. There’s country guys that can blow metal dudes out the door.
@@abigaildevoe Jack Nitzsche and the Wrecking Crew released "The Lonely Surfer" Aug. 3, 1963, and it went to 37 on the top 100. Jack did it all - arrangements, conducting, and writing. His work with the Ronettes at the TAMI show (Santa Monica Civic / 1964) is legendary. Glen Campbell, Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, and Leon Russell were the back up players for the show. The SM venue also hosted "Surf Fairs" - the Beach Boys played (2) consecutive years prior to TAMI and they knew the crowd. By 1972, surfing had changed. At the SM Civic premiere of "Five Summer Stories", I just knew the guys in the back were smoking dust. Dennis was the hard-core surfer of the Wilson family - not afraid of big swells and beat-downs.
Carol Kaye was a guitarist in the WC for quite a while- (I think maybe she even played on "La Bamba"!) She switched to bass around the time of the very fussy line for "Help Me Ronda/Rhonda". When Brian Wilson called for rehearsals and re-takes until her fingers bled, she exited the studio giving a shocked Brian the (bloody) middle finger- a gesture that cemented their friendship.
Yes to spotlighting the Ronettes and Girl Group importance in general. Outside of Little Stevens Underground Garage Radio Show, girl groups and their history tend to be overlooked. Thank you for showcasing Ronnie Spector and co. Seeing that it's Black History Month coming up, hoping that any of the Stevie Wonder albums e.g. Talking Book, Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life, may be covered. And if going more contemporary Living Color Vivid. As always a joy to follow your energy and read the written on The Real Life Layla.
It isn't true that Phil Spector held the Ramones at gunpoint until they recorded Baby I Love You. That story was told by Dee Dee Ramone because it was dramatic and exciting but Marky Ramone corrected that story in his own autobiographical book Punk Rock Blitzkrieg, stating that "Dee Dee had a childlike imagination." It's also corrected in a few books about Phil Spector, other Ramones interviews like the one in Trouser Press magazine, and other books about the Ramones. The true story is; the Ramones showed up at thier first meeting with Spector, and Marky, wanting to impress Phil, showed up wearing a Ronettes t-shirt and that backfired. Phil, still raw and hurt by having lost Ronnie, could not stand to see his former wife staring back at him from Marky's chest and told him to "take my wife off your chest!" Marky then turned his shirt inside-out and Phil was okay. From there, it was Johnny and Joey Ramone who told Phil they wanted to do Baby I Love You, and Phil was displeased. He'd recently recorded the song with Cher, for the Warner-Spector label in 1974 as the flip-side of a song called A Woman's Story written by Nino Tempo & April Stevens and the single flopped. It is said that some deejays thought the song was too slow, others thought the Baby I Love You side was better, bigger, and more majestic than the A Woman's Story side which was the designated A-Side and they were conflicted about which side to play, so they played neither side. For whatever reason, the Cher single flopped and Phil was not anxious to record Baby I Love You again. Phil suggested that if the Ramones wanted to do one of his songs, why not do Not Too Young To Get Married instead? Phil advised them that it was a faster song, better suited to the Ramones frantic style. The Ramones rejected that idea and Johnny in particular insisted upon Baby I Love You because he pictured it sounding like it did on the Ronettes recording: "big and powerful." And it might have, except that when it came time to record it, Phil had put an orchestra to it, and Johnny Ramone stormed out of the session in anger, shouting; "there's no point in having the Ramones if you're gonna have an orchestra" and refused to play on it. What Johnny didn't know, was that it was Phil's intent to put the orchestra in the background as just "sweetener" to contrast Johnny's loud guitar roar. Jack Nitchze had deliberately and intentionally arranged it that way, but, when Johnny stormed out, those strings and horns specifically arranged to be background had nowhere else to go but to the forefront, making the song feel considerably less powerful than either the Ronettes or the Cher version of the song! Nevertheless, Joey's vocals were so passionate and credible the song was a #5 hit in England and became the group's highest charted single anywhere. Phil would not make the same blunder when it became time to record Do You Remember Rock And Roll Radio? This time knowing that Johnny would refuse to play along with an orchestra, he recorded the loud and distinctive Johnny Ramone guitar part first, then added the orchestra to it afterwards when Johnny wasn't around. The result on that song was a big and powerful recording; the perfect blend of the Spector and Ramones styles, and a glmpse of what the Baby I Love You recording might have been. One Spector/Ramones story that is by all accounts true, is that Phil made Johnny playe the opening chord of Rock and Roll High School dozens of times until it was done to Phil's satisfaction, which frustrated and enraged Jonny even further. As you know, Joey and Ronnie Spector would work together later in life and grew to become great friends. Although Spector did show his guns to the Ramones, Marky denies that he pointed a gun on them to FORCE them to play Baby I Love You, a crazy story that's clearly ridiculous. You can't just learn a song and play it on the spot under those conditions, and if that had happened someone in the studio would have ran out and called the police. But if Phil had done that...maybe Johnny would have had no choice but to play guitar on it after all! 😅
Happy birthday Dave Davis ❤, also 1959 3rd of Feb was a bad day. Broken English for comeback album. Another great episode, Ronettes were fave amongst the Mods ❤
I first heard this album on the soul radio station (XPRS) out of Tijuana (Soul Express) around '68. They'd play oldies on Saturday nights. This was a favorite. There was an innocent yet subversive nature to it and then there was Ronnie's voice - what a voice. I never could find a copy, but still love the singing. It just needed more cowbell.
Fantastic selection today and a cool surprise. Always love a Ronettes tune, and what would Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain be without that beat. Fave Pre-British album, Green Onions by Booker T. and The M.G.s
Abigail, another terrific piece of work. I'd never listened to this album before but, as is my new Monday tradition, I listened to it on Spotify before watching this video and fell in love with it. Despite the Phil Spector of it all.
That was so great. Enjoyed every second. And now that you're at it, please please do a video about the only 60s girl group i love even more than the Ronettes. The Shangri Las.
I'm 40 seconds in and already: - does this video need to come with a warning as to how much damage its going to do the Ozone layer? - hair is absolutely on fleek... I love that Vinyl Monday arrives in time for bedtime for us in the UK!
@@grabham59 dunno about the ozone layer but i inhaled altogether too much. and that’s the idea - airs in time for lunch break for the US and after work in the UK!
It is amazing that something 'constructed' 60 years ago to punch out of an old radio and into your brain STILL works on modern kit. That and you can never go wrong when the wrecking crew are laying down the tracks.
Awesome! Dirty Dancing is why I fell in love with Be My Baby and the Ronettes thirty years before you did. Luckily, my mom bought the soundtrack, so I got to play it to death in the days before the internet.
Might be my favorite album of this decade, When I Saw You one of the songs of my life (oh my god you really put so much effort into your look this week that should not go unnoticed!)
It’s a shame that is their only album as a group because it sounds really good with everyone on fire especially Ronnie’s singing This album has some of their hits like Be My Baby and Baby I Love You which unfortunately comes with Spector’s production
I'm not sure how much doubt or frustration you may experience, if any, in putting these videos together, but I hope you see that your efforts pay off because I enjoy your videos for how well presented and researched they are. I'm re-reading through this textbook "What's that Sound: An Introduction to Rock and it's history" and your videos are a good in-depth supplement to that.
Lots of memories! I was 10 years old when the Ronettes broke through. Have you ever thought of doing an album take on Lesley Gore? She was also big in 1963-64, but there's the added twist that she was gay but still had to sing all of those "girl loves boy" songs.
Back in the 1990s, when I had an infatuation and super fan respect for Phil Spector, I would send some of my Multi track rough demos to his publishing company, Mother Bertha Publishing. I started doing this after I had purchased the Back to Mono box set. Needless to say, I never heard back from them.
Hi Abigail! I just got turned onto yr channel cos th' inimitable Madam Cyn made a vid for you - he has only just returned to youtube after being abducted by aliens last year. Totally enjoyed this Ronettes bio! Couple of snippets of info for ya - Ist pressings of Presenting had pale blue and black labels with a Ronnettes misspelling and the drummer on Be My Baby was Earl Palmer (a fave drummer of Ringo, Charlie Watts & Keith Moon - check him out on Baby's Crazy take 19 by Larry Williams, he's phenomenal!) another member of the legendary Wrecking Crew, tho I believe he and Hal Blaine would sometimes both be used by PS for that 'wall of sound' (I think his engineer Jack Nitzsche deserves a lot of credit for keeping it all listenable). Fave pre-British invasion LP? Surfers' Choice by Dick Dale, th' eponymous Link Wray and The Wraymen, Rockin' the Boogie by Amos Milburn, Blues After Hours by Elmore James, Johnny Bunette and The Rock 'n Roll Trio all spring to mind but there's shedloads more. I see in the comments that yr fella likes Joe Meek - Baby I Go for You by The Blue Rondos is awesome, so too I Love to See You Strut by David John & The Mood. That's it, I've subscribed, gonna check out yr 'back catalog'.
I'm lucky enough to have a repress copy of this too! I love their music so much, this was a fun watch on an album I really enjoy I only have two girl group albums on vinyl this one and The Shangri-las Leader of the Pack
After doing a full blown wall of sound production, Spector would play the song through the tiniest speaker he could find. He told people the first time anyone would hear that song would probably be through a transistor radio, and if didn’t sound good through that, the song wouldn’t be a hit.
They didn't record physically within the echo chamber - they just mixed in...to varying degrees depending on the song...a lot of the resulting sound of what got played into the chamber after the sound bounced around in there into the finished mixes. It really sounds great in its way when you hear it mastered well. Beautiful music. Great episode...I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Abigail.
I know most of those Ronettes songs, and have loved them for decades. I had no idea they were all on the same album! I've read that back in the day record producers grabbed songwriter credits as part of the deal. I wouldn't put it past Phil to do that.
Have you read "The Birth of Loud" by Ian Port? Yoou could do an entire episode on the Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller songs. When they were later 'rediscovered' about 25 years ago or so, some folks made a musical revue of their songs, called "Smokey Joe's Cafe" which includes all of their hits written for various artists.
Phil Spector also pulled (and fired) a gun during John Lennon's Rock n' Roll sessions... as well as pulling a gun out during Leonard Cohens Death Of A Ladies Man session... Leonard Cohen of all people! Jeebus!
didn't know about the leonard session but found out about the rock n roll incident while researching ronnie's podcast episode. crazy to think phil spector was very nearly the man who shot john lennon
Phil Spector killing a woman was an accident waiting to happen for decades. A brilliant producer but a deeply sick man who needed to be locked away a long time ago. To paraphrase Kurt Loder talking about Albert Goldman: Phil Spector. Dead.
Oddly enough Lennon was one of the only artists where Spector submerged his ego and he took a backseat to him in the studio. He even showed Yoko polite respect, knowing you had to do that with John. He felt most of his artists were nothing without him, but he knew Lennon was a great artist and, mostly, he kept himself in check.
Yeah, when the news dropped that he might have finally impulsively shot someone, some people might have been shocked, but no one was particularly surprised.
@@abigaildevoe my friend knew the victim, Lana Clarkson, who by all accounts was good people. When he pulled a gun on Leonard Cohen he said Leonard I love you and Leonard said I hope so
Well, that may be, the hairspray and eyeliner, but I have to admit that looking like that you are rocking my world. I’m going to go and play some guitar in your honor right now.
The Wrecking Crew features in your vids a lot- hope you cover some of their best work with David Axelrod on his Songs of Innocence and Experience albums one day!
When I was a kid, (around 10 in 63) my freinds and I always talked about how fine the Greaser Girls were on block. They all looked like the Ronettes. Your album review brought it all back.
BTW Abby I started The Dedicated Abigail Devoe Thread on the Steve Hoffman Music forums about a year ago. I may not always seem like it but I'm one of your biggest fans.
Love the Ronettes, Ronnie Spectror, with my man Eddie Money and I recently picked up Phil Spectors Christmas album, the Ronettes are all over that, thank you for sharing the great music info, Peace!
My favorites on that album are The Crystals tracks: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, and Parade of Wooden Soldiers. It is interesting to note that, although people claim that Phil gave all his attention to The Ronettes after he signed them, The Ronettes only have three songs on the album, just like The Crystals. Bob B. Sox had two, and it's Darlene Love who had the most at 4 songs! Not only that, Phil gave Darlene the ONLY original song written especially for the alim with Christmas, Baby Please Come Home, which (due to David Letterman) developed into becoming Darlene's best known song. The fact Darlene had four songs to The Ronettes three on that album makes mincemeat of the idea that Phil gave all his attention to The Ronettes. Still, although The Crystals had three albums out on Philles Records to The Ronettes one album and Bob B. Sox one album, and The Righteous Brothers three albums, Darlene Love didn't get her own Phil Spector produced solo album in the 1960s. He recorded enough song with her to put out an album, but it didn't get released until the 1980s, and it came out as part of the Masters: Wall Of Sound series, on Polydor/Phil Spector International records.
If you did not enjoy the version of I Wonder by The Ronettes, I would advise that you check out the song again because it was recorded at least three more times; all of them differently. The Crystals, with lead singer La La Brooks, do a very excellent version, which was also on Philles Records. This version has a lot of power and quite an interesting intro with Spanish guitar and La La singing beautifully. Moving over to Red Bird Record (the same label as The Dixie Cups and Shangri-Las) a quite different version was done by The Butterflys, who consisted of a two ex-members of The Crystals, Mary Thomas and Myrna Giraud, (La La Brooks was actually Myrna's replacement in The Crystals) joined by two other girls, Paulette Holland (on lead vocals) and Carmen Santiago. The version by The Butterflys is really quite amazing in its own right, and deserves to be heard as much as The Crystals version does. It's slower, and more romantic sounding. And to round out the proof of how the same song can sound totally different depending on who is doing it, there is a version by the Japanese punk rock band Supersnazz! This was an all-female band who were very popular in underground circles in the 1990s. Their spectacular version of I Wonder was released on their album Diode City, released in the USA on Sympathy For The Record Industry in 1998, and originally released in Japan on Time Bomb Records. In Supersnazz's able hands the songs becomes more aggressive and tough. Check these out!
I could give you a great big hug for this one. This was wonderful. Thank You!!!! I have a greatest hits that has 10 of these 12 tracks. Now that pre British Invasion is in play I need to add Elvis Is Back to my recommendations.
Love this selection! Ronettes, Shirelles and Supremes are my top 3. Would love to see more girl group and some classic soul reviews. Have you seen The Temptations biopic? (its the best music biopic, imo)
I met Garth back in '93 when my band opened for them. What a great guy. Being a keyboardist, he took me aside and showed me a number of things. RIP Garth!!
1) Given that exactly 3 years earlier, The Marvelettes "couldn't" be shown on the cover of their "Please Mr. Postman" album, "The Fabulous Ronettes" cover represents some progress. 2) I humbly suggest that Hal Blaine's drumming deserves a "vocal" credit on "Be My Baby".
RIP " Ronnie" and Marianne Faithful. Thanx for letting me know about " We Gotta Get Out of this Place- The True......." book. Yeah 60s records were laughable until 1966 ish. Bands didn't Mae money touring ( unless your were The Beatles.)Pre British Invasion album- The Springfields!
I'm 73 and still going to live music clubs and I love good performative music. The world stopped when Shindig was on if you know what I mean. In '64 my school voted who's better Beach Boys or Beatles. Beach Boys won cause they were the local band less than five miles away. So yeah surf guitar bands were huge in So Cal before the Beatles. The girls were the first ardent Beatle fans and so the guys didn't want to openly dis them even though the guys liked the Stones, Animals, or the Yardbirds better and it stayed that way until the Sgt. Pepper Album and acid and expanding minds that we all came around.
what’s your favorite pre-british invasion album? comment below!
so can a brit be allowed to vote? i mean we're over the tea thing. if so, my favourite pre invasion album would be the everley brothers - the golden hits of the everley brothers.
❤ your hair, make-up & that blue sweater. 😊
Time Out by Dave Brubeck, it's the only one I've heard front to back
Peter, Paul and Mary's first album from 1962 was pretty great.
Johnny & Santo.... anyone?
9:26 Colpix Records was kind of a showbiz label, releasing record by Shelley Fabares, Paul Peterson, and James Darren (RIP) as well as a lot of kids' records for my old employer Hanna-Barbera. They morphed into the Monkees' label, Colgems. Great job as always, Miz Abigail; I'm learning a lot.
Speaking of 60s girl groups, I’d love to see a video on The Shangri-La’s one day!
YESS!
Darlene Love WAS the Crystals - she was also Bobbie Sox and the Blue Jeans.
MARY WEISS! ❤❤❤
(RIP)
@@catholicboy80 YESS
@@catholicboy80 unbelievably hyped for the biography to come out. expect a podcast episode as soon as i get my copy!
4:36 Carol Kaye was originally a session guitar player. The reason why she plays bass with a pick is because as some point she made the transition to greatest bass player ever
I love how the early 60s had no idea what was coming. They just kept trucking like the 50s until the youth took the love song and ran with it. Going from "Baby i love you ❤️" to "I WANT YOU RIGHT NOW!!! (Insert moans here)" In less than 10 years is crazy
A person in 1959 would've had a heart attack if they heard The MC5 in 1969
They probably all did!
This is what I had to listen to through out the 60`s being the only boy with a hand full of sisters but looking back brings back a lot of great memories.🥺
Exactly the same here but from the '80s. Having to grit my teeth as my sisters endlessly played Madonna, Bananarama and Whitney Houston, while I secretly aspired to P/i/L, GBH and The Cult.
Carol Kaye was originally a guitar player. She started playing bass later.😊
i never knew that, even the wrecking crew doc bills her as a bassist! when/why did she switch?
@@abigaildevoe I believe the story goes is that she got asked to fill in on bass for a session, and the rest was history! She still continued to play guitar (even on some Beach Boys tracks), but bass became her primary instrument!
She continued playing guitar on jazz gigs around L.A., and always preferred the 6-string (at least back then). But yeah, she also had a few guitar credits to go along with her many, many (many) bass credits.
I fell like back in the day, and even now, a lot of noteworthy bassists are guitar players who were looking to get a gig/fit into a band. This also helps to explain why Carol plays bass with a pick (as is the case for many bassists who start on guitar).
@@abigaildevoe I only learned that in an interview, maybe on The Wrecking Crew movie channel.
What a great biography. Brought tears to my eyes. Ronnie was practically an angel as far as I'm concerned. What a great artist. Thank goodness she escaped that monster, Phil. Always loved their music 🎶.
Hope to see a future biography of Marianne Faithful sometime soon. One of my favorite women of rock and roll.
Guess my favorite pre-British invasion album would be "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Thanks again, Abigail.😊 You rock!
This was refreshing and appreciated. I love the innocence of this era. Thanks!
Ronnie & Joey's duet on "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" is everything.
Bye bye baby and she talkes to rainbows 👌
Ronnie Spector is the highlight of the 1985 Eddie Money hit Take Me Home Tonight with her " Be My Little Baby " backing vocals.
I was today years old when I discovered that Cher sang on the backing vocals to Be My Baby. Mind blown!
It was news to me as well. 60 years of ignorance vanquished in an instant.
apparently phil hated her voice and stuck her behind the blossoms. but i guess phil warmed up to cher, she can be heard on the christmas album! (and in her recent book she says he creeped on her. ew)
Knew about that, Ronettes singing on a Hendrix track is a much bigger surprise for me.
Do I Love You is my favorite Ronettes song. I'm glad to see you appreciate this great song.
Same here. I can't think of it or listen to it without immediately getting teary eyed.
The Philles album that works as a proper LP is THE CRYSTALS TWIST UPTOWN , full of great originals and sporting a fab sleeve, it's a gem. FYI the Ronettes reached the top 20 only once, six singles under The Crystal's name did just that( regardless of who sang lead). Just saying!
Be My Baby is one of my all-time favourite songs. A masterpiece of a song & Production.
I read Ronnie’s autobiography and remember a few things, such as Frankie Lymon coming to her house, going with the Beatles and others to a hotel room to watch a couple having *** - not such an innocent era. Driving a car with a store mannequin in the passenger seat. And later in life she was very appreciative of Eddie Money, Southside Johnny, etc for having her appear on their records. Your reviews of Trout Mask Replica, Gabor Szabo and now the Ronettes makes every week a thrill!
That’s a very good book, a harrowing story, similar to Tina Turner’s journey to freedom
Had the honor and pleasure of meeting Ronnie at a Fest For Beatles Fans. Line was probably the longest I've ever seen at one of those things (understandably). Thankfully, my mother (who lived in Spanish Harlem as a little girl and she told Ronnie that to which Ronnie responded with a hearty and cheerful "alright!") and I got there early. They were trying to move the line along quickly because it was so long and everything was timed but I did get a few autographs from her (including my copy of her She Talks To Rainbows EP which I told her I loved, and I do, but she apparently thought she did it with Eddie Money and I told her, no, Joey Ramone. "Oh..", she said. I laughed casually and told her it was ok, which it was. She was also selling prints of a photo of her with John Lennon circa 1974 taken by Bob Gruen, who I've also had the honor and pleasure of meeting once, and I had Ronnie sign it for me and my mother later wisely put it in a frame) I shook Ronnie's hand too and the dude behind her was like, "Ok, move along", and I was like, "Yes, I'm moving", which I did. Ha. Could've been her bodyguard for all I know. Can't say I blame her considering her past, but I'm a fan and was happy to just have that simple moment with her.
Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss about their babysitter whose boyfriend routinely beat her. Who was this babysitter? Little Eva. The one who had a hit with Goffin and King's Loco Motion which they wrote for her to record. Sad. The abuse, I mean. The Loco Motion is great, however. At least Little Eva's version of it. Ha.
I think Sonny Bono sung backup on Be My Baby along with Cher and everyone else as well.
Yeah, I friggin' LOVE Baby I Love You. There are times where I think I like it more than Be My Baby. I didn't like the Ramones version (and I'm a big Ramones fan), but I've warmed up to it.
Not sure if you're aware, but they didn't mention Dennis Thompson in the In Memoriam segment during the Grammys last night. I think they mentioned Wayne Kramer last year, though.
@@ErnestIII83 Awesome knowledge! Wow!! 👍
@@ErnestIII83 oh you’re so lucky you got to meet ronnie 🥹 practically heard that “alright!” in her voice in my head
@@abigaildevoe So did I when I was typing about it. 😊
Hell yeah! Ronnie forever ❤️🔥
I haven’t seen that much hairspray since the Born in the USA video 😂
Carol Kaye was a great jazz guitarist on the L A.. club scene. She played guitar on a lot of Sam Cooke. One day the bass player didn't show at a recording. session and the rest is history.
Glen Campbell was a rhythm guitar player member of the Wrecking Crew
and he was a beach boy! what a guy
@@abigaildevoe Really? That I didn't know.
A hell of a guitar player. A lot of people knew him from his hit songs, but he could really play. There’s country guys that can blow metal dudes out the door.
@@abigaildevoe For 4 months! 😅
@@abigaildevoe Jack Nitzsche and the Wrecking Crew released "The Lonely Surfer" Aug. 3, 1963, and it went to 37 on the top 100. Jack did it all - arrangements, conducting, and writing. His work with the Ronettes at the TAMI show (Santa Monica Civic / 1964) is legendary. Glen Campbell, Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, and Leon Russell were the back up players for the show. The SM venue also hosted "Surf Fairs" - the Beach Boys played (2) consecutive years prior to TAMI and they knew the crowd. By 1972, surfing had changed. At the SM Civic premiere of "Five Summer Stories", I just knew the guys in the back were smoking dust. Dennis was the hard-core surfer of the Wilson family - not afraid of big swells and beat-downs.
Carol Kaye was a guitarist in the WC for quite a while- (I think maybe she even played on "La Bamba"!) She switched to bass around the time of the very fussy line for "Help Me Ronda/Rhonda". When Brian Wilson called for rehearsals and re-takes until her fingers bled, she exited the studio giving a shocked Brian the (bloody) middle finger- a gesture that cemented their friendship.
Yes to spotlighting the Ronettes and Girl Group importance in general. Outside of Little Stevens Underground Garage Radio Show, girl groups and their history tend to be overlooked. Thank you for showcasing Ronnie Spector and co.
Seeing that it's Black History Month coming up, hoping that any of the Stevie Wonder albums e.g. Talking Book, Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life, may be covered. And if going more contemporary Living Color Vivid.
As always a joy to follow your energy and read the written on The Real Life Layla.
Everything you mentioned..... Little Stevie's Underground Garage, Stevie Wonder, Living Colour.....❤🙌🏽
LOL, don't go near any heat source with that much hairspray. Thank you for another incredible deep dive.
Abby love the look, please keep it !
The ensemble is adorable!!
It isn't true that Phil Spector held the Ramones at gunpoint until they recorded Baby I Love You. That story was told by Dee Dee Ramone because it was dramatic and exciting but Marky Ramone corrected that story in his own autobiographical book Punk Rock Blitzkrieg, stating that "Dee Dee had a childlike imagination." It's also corrected in a few books about Phil Spector, other Ramones interviews like the one in Trouser Press magazine, and other books about the Ramones. The true story is; the Ramones showed up at thier first meeting with Spector, and Marky, wanting to impress Phil, showed up wearing a Ronettes t-shirt and that backfired. Phil, still raw and hurt by having lost Ronnie, could not stand to see his former wife staring back at him from Marky's chest and told him to "take my wife off your chest!" Marky then turned his shirt inside-out and Phil was okay. From there, it was Johnny and Joey Ramone who told Phil they wanted to do Baby I Love You, and Phil was displeased. He'd recently recorded the song with Cher, for the Warner-Spector label in 1974 as the flip-side of a song called A Woman's Story written by Nino Tempo & April Stevens and the single flopped. It is said that some deejays thought the song was too slow, others thought the Baby I Love You side was better, bigger, and more majestic than the A Woman's Story side which was the designated A-Side and they were conflicted about which side to play, so they played neither side. For whatever reason, the Cher single flopped and Phil was not anxious to record Baby I Love You again. Phil suggested that if the Ramones wanted to do one of his songs, why not do Not Too Young To Get Married instead? Phil advised them that it was a faster song, better suited to the Ramones frantic style. The Ramones rejected that idea and Johnny in particular insisted upon Baby I Love You because he pictured it sounding like it did on the Ronettes recording: "big and powerful." And it might have, except that when it came time to record it, Phil had put an orchestra to it, and Johnny Ramone stormed out of the session in anger, shouting; "there's no point in having the Ramones if you're gonna have an orchestra" and refused to play on it. What Johnny didn't know, was that it was Phil's intent to put the orchestra in the background as just "sweetener" to contrast Johnny's loud guitar roar. Jack Nitchze had deliberately and intentionally arranged it that way, but, when Johnny stormed out, those strings and horns specifically arranged to be background had nowhere else to go but to the forefront, making the song feel considerably less powerful than either the Ronettes or the Cher version of the song! Nevertheless, Joey's vocals were so passionate and credible the song was a #5 hit in England and became the group's highest charted single anywhere. Phil would not make the same blunder when it became time to record Do You Remember Rock And Roll Radio? This time knowing that Johnny would refuse to play along with an orchestra, he recorded the loud and distinctive Johnny Ramone guitar part first, then added the orchestra to it afterwards when Johnny wasn't around. The result on that song was a big and powerful recording; the perfect blend of the Spector and Ramones styles, and a glmpse of what the Baby I Love You recording might have been. One Spector/Ramones story that is by all accounts true, is that Phil made Johnny playe the opening chord of Rock and Roll High School dozens of times until it was done to Phil's satisfaction, which frustrated and enraged Jonny even further. As you know, Joey and Ronnie Spector would work together later in life and grew to become great friends. Although Spector did show his guns to the Ramones, Marky denies that he pointed a gun on them to FORCE them to play Baby I Love You, a crazy story that's clearly ridiculous. You can't just learn a song and play it on the spot under those conditions, and if that had happened someone in the studio would have ran out and called the police. But if Phil had done that...maybe Johnny would have had no choice but to play guitar on it after all! 😅
Happy birthday Dave Davis ❤, also 1959 3rd of Feb was a bad day. Broken English for comeback album. Another great episode, Ronettes were fave amongst the Mods ❤
I first heard this album on the soul radio station (XPRS) out of Tijuana (Soul Express) around '68. They'd play oldies on Saturday nights. This was a favorite. There was an innocent yet subversive nature to it and then there was Ronnie's voice - what a voice. I never could find a copy, but still love the singing. It just needed more cowbell.
you look gorgeous as always!
Abby forever!🎉😘💕💕💕
My Shayla!
Fantastic selection today and a cool surprise. Always love a Ronettes tune, and what would Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain be without that beat. Fave Pre-British album, Green Onions by Booker T. and The M.G.s
Abigail, another terrific piece of work. I'd never listened to this album before but, as is my new Monday tradition, I listened to it on Spotify before watching this video and fell in love with it. Despite the Phil Spector of it all.
That was so great. Enjoyed every second. And now that you're at it, please please do a video about the only 60s girl group i love even more than the Ronettes. The Shangri Las.
A fabulous review of the fabulous ronettes by the fabulous abigail devoe🌟🙋♂️
21:18 I thing my grandma had that container with that cotton pattern. It's so beautiful.
Hell yeah, this album f@cking rocks!
I'm 40 seconds in and already:
- does this video need to come with a warning as to how much damage its going to do the Ozone layer?
- hair is absolutely on fleek...
I love that Vinyl Monday arrives in time for bedtime for us in the UK!
@@grabham59 dunno about the ozone layer but i inhaled altogether too much.
and that’s the idea - airs in time for lunch break for the US and after work in the UK!
Great video, loved it. Now that you've broken the pre-Beatles wall, I hope you get to Elvis' self-titled debut.
You’re perfect
It is amazing that something 'constructed' 60 years ago to punch out of an old radio and into your brain STILL works on modern kit.
That and you can never go wrong when the wrecking crew are laying down the tracks.
so happy to see more ladies getting covered on vinyl monday ☺️
I really think this is one of your top 10 reviews
Awesome! Dirty Dancing is why I fell in love with Be My Baby and the Ronettes thirty years before you did. Luckily, my mom bought the soundtrack, so I got to play it to death in the days before the internet.
Might be my favorite album of this decade, When I Saw You one of the songs of my life (oh my god you really put so much effort into your look this week that should not go unnoticed!)
AAAAAAAAHHHHHH the epeisode I've been waiting for!!!
You did really a great review for this
It’s a shame that is their only album as a group because it sounds really good with everyone on fire especially Ronnie’s singing
This album has some of their hits like Be My Baby and Baby I Love You which unfortunately comes with Spector’s production
I've never decided on "the favorite album" but what comes to mind is Gene Pitney's Only Love Can Break a Heart.
It suits this theme.
I'm not sure how much doubt or frustration you may experience, if any, in putting these videos together, but I hope you see that your efforts pay off because I enjoy your videos for how well presented and researched they are. I'm re-reading through this textbook "What's that Sound: An Introduction to Rock and it's history" and your videos are a good in-depth supplement to that.
Lots of memories! I was 10 years old when the Ronettes broke through. Have you ever thought of doing an album take on Lesley Gore? She was also big in 1963-64, but there's the added twist that she was gay but still had to sing all of those "girl loves boy" songs.
Excellent suggestion. "You Don't Own Me" was an anthem ahead of its time.
I just saw that credit for V. Poncia - that's Vini Poncia, who cowrote some songs with Ringo Starr for his masterpiece, "Ringo."
Oh Abigail! This video was so much fun❤ I hope you do more early 60's releases! Love all your videos❤
Back in the 1990s, when I had an infatuation and super fan respect for Phil Spector, I would send some of my Multi track rough demos to his publishing company, Mother Bertha Publishing. I started doing this after I had purchased the Back to Mono box set. Needless to say, I never heard back from them.
Ronnie sang and looked like a dream.
love songs that are very easy to love.
That was a lot of mascara... 😎 Loved your blue sweater though! 😊
had to be period-accurate!
@@abigaildevoe You mascara snake, you!
Are you planning to review more shoegaze albums in the near future? Requesting "Spooky" by Lush since it makes my heart melt😷
Thank you.
Fantastic. Thanks!
Hi Abigail! I just got turned onto yr channel cos th' inimitable Madam Cyn made a vid for you - he has only just returned to youtube after being abducted by aliens last year. Totally enjoyed this Ronettes bio! Couple of snippets of info for ya - Ist pressings of Presenting had pale blue and black labels with a Ronnettes misspelling and the drummer on Be My Baby was Earl Palmer (a fave drummer of Ringo, Charlie Watts & Keith Moon - check him out on Baby's Crazy take 19 by Larry Williams, he's phenomenal!) another member of the legendary Wrecking Crew, tho I believe he and Hal Blaine would sometimes both be used by PS for that 'wall of sound' (I think his engineer Jack Nitzsche deserves a lot of credit for keeping it all listenable). Fave pre-British invasion LP? Surfers' Choice by Dick Dale, th' eponymous Link Wray and The Wraymen, Rockin' the Boogie by Amos Milburn, Blues After Hours by Elmore James, Johnny Bunette and The Rock 'n Roll Trio all spring to mind but there's shedloads more. I see in the comments that yr fella likes Joe Meek - Baby I Go for You by The Blue Rondos is awesome, so too I Love to See You Strut by David John & The Mood. That's it, I've subscribed, gonna check out yr 'back catalog'.
I'm lucky enough to have a repress copy of this too! I love their music so much, this was a fun watch on an album I really enjoy
I only have two girl group albums on vinyl this one and The Shangri-las Leader of the Pack
When you end up doing Anthem of the Sun I recommend checking out some of the source tapes that they used to create the collage.
After doing a full blown wall of sound production, Spector would play the song through the tiniest speaker he could find. He told people the first time anyone would hear that song would probably be through a transistor radio, and if didn’t sound good through that, the song wouldn’t be a hit.
They didn't record physically within the echo chamber - they just mixed in...to varying degrees depending on the song...a lot of the resulting sound of what got played into the chamber after the sound bounced around in there into the finished mixes. It really sounds great in its way when you hear it mastered well.
Beautiful music. Great episode...I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Abigail.
Love the complex, deep and rich sound of this album, Phil Spector, that weirdo genius.
As a human being, Phil Spector was a great producer
I know most of those Ronettes songs, and have loved them for decades. I had no idea they were all on the same album! I've read that back in the day record producers grabbed songwriter credits as part of the deal. I wouldn't put it past Phil to do that.
And you really enlightened me on this kudos to you ❤
Have you read "The Birth of Loud" by Ian Port?
Yoou could do an entire episode on the Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller songs. When they were later 'rediscovered' about 25 years ago or so, some folks made a musical revue of their songs, called "Smokey Joe's Cafe" which includes all of their hits written for various artists.
Excellent review. Nice work!
I know these DIVAS 💜
I was today-years-old when I discovered 2 of the Ronettes sang on "Earth Blues" by Jimi Hendrix
Phil Spector also pulled (and fired) a gun during John Lennon's Rock n' Roll sessions... as well as pulling a gun out during Leonard Cohens Death Of A Ladies Man session... Leonard Cohen of all people! Jeebus!
didn't know about the leonard session but found out about the rock n roll incident while researching ronnie's podcast episode. crazy to think phil spector was very nearly the man who shot john lennon
Phil Spector killing a woman was an accident waiting to happen for decades. A brilliant producer but a deeply sick man who needed to be locked away a long time ago. To paraphrase Kurt Loder talking about Albert Goldman: Phil Spector. Dead.
Oddly enough Lennon was one of the only artists where Spector submerged his ego and he took a backseat to him in the studio. He even showed Yoko polite respect, knowing you had to do that with John. He felt most of his artists were nothing without him, but he knew Lennon was a great artist and, mostly, he kept himself in check.
Yeah, when the news dropped that he might have finally impulsively shot someone, some people might have been shocked, but no one was particularly surprised.
@@abigaildevoe my friend knew the victim, Lana Clarkson, who by all accounts was good people. When he pulled a gun on Leonard Cohen he said Leonard I love you and Leonard said I hope so
Well, that may be, the hairspray and eyeliner, but I have to admit that looking like that you are rocking my world. I’m going to go and play some guitar in your honor right now.
Back in the day, I was a faithful viewer of David Letterman. Ronnie made many appearances, solo or with Eddie Money. She always brought it.
Ronettes Rule OK!!
The Ronettes vs The Supremes vs The Shangri-Las ? 🤔
The Wrecking Crew features in your vids a lot- hope you cover some of their best work with David Axelrod on his Songs of Innocence and Experience albums one day!
Rare Axelrod mention out in the wild. You have good taste, random person.
I always heard Ronnie’s influence in Joey Ramone’s vocal style. I wonder if he required less pistol-brandishing to be convinced?
When I was a kid, (around 10 in 63) my freinds and I always talked about how fine the Greaser Girls were on block. They all looked like the Ronettes. Your album review brought it all back.
Would love to hear Abby talk with Norman Maslov, that would be great
BTW Abby I started The Dedicated Abigail Devoe Thread on the Steve Hoffman Music forums about a year ago. I may not always seem like it but I'm one of your biggest fans.
Love the Ronettes, Ronnie Spectror, with my man Eddie Money and I recently picked up Phil Spectors Christmas album, the Ronettes are all over that, thank you for sharing the great music info, Peace!
nice! glad you found a copy of spector's christmas album. that's one of my grails
The Ronettes' version of "Sleigh Ride" is not only my favorite holiday song, it's one of favorites period.
My favorites on that album are The Crystals tracks: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, and Parade of Wooden Soldiers. It is interesting to note that, although people claim that Phil gave all his attention to The Ronettes after he signed them, The Ronettes only have three songs on the album, just like The Crystals. Bob B. Sox had two, and it's Darlene Love who had the most at 4 songs! Not only that, Phil gave Darlene the ONLY original song written especially for the alim with Christmas, Baby Please Come Home, which (due to David Letterman) developed into becoming Darlene's best known song. The fact Darlene had four songs to The Ronettes three on that album makes mincemeat of the idea that Phil gave all his attention to The Ronettes. Still, although The Crystals had three albums out on Philles Records to The Ronettes one album and Bob B. Sox one album, and The Righteous Brothers three albums, Darlene Love didn't get her own Phil Spector produced solo album in the 1960s. He recorded enough song with her to put out an album, but it didn't get released until the 1980s, and it came out as part of the Masters: Wall Of Sound series, on Polydor/Phil Spector International records.
If you did not enjoy the version of I Wonder by The Ronettes, I would advise that you check out the song again because it was recorded at least three more times; all of them differently. The Crystals, with lead singer La La Brooks, do a very excellent version, which was also on Philles Records. This version has a lot of power and quite an interesting intro with Spanish guitar and La La singing beautifully. Moving over to Red Bird Record (the same label as The Dixie Cups and Shangri-Las) a quite different version was done by The Butterflys, who consisted of a two ex-members of The Crystals, Mary Thomas and Myrna Giraud, (La La Brooks was actually Myrna's replacement in The Crystals) joined by two other girls, Paulette Holland (on lead vocals) and Carmen Santiago. The version by The Butterflys is really quite amazing in its own right, and deserves to be heard as much as The Crystals version does. It's slower, and more romantic sounding. And to round out the proof of how the same song can sound totally different depending on who is doing it, there is a version by the Japanese punk rock band Supersnazz! This was an all-female band who were very popular in underground circles in the 1990s. Their spectacular version of I Wonder was released on their album Diode City, released in the USA on Sympathy For The Record Industry in 1998, and originally released in Japan on Time Bomb Records. In Supersnazz's able hands the songs becomes more aggressive and tough. Check these out!
saw next week’s record and said “yesssssssssssss.”
@@tim_brooks “for i knew i had to rise above it all…”
@ absolutely THE greatest guitar solo ever committed to tape.
I believe Nedra is still alive and kicking
I could give you a great big hug for this one. This was wonderful. Thank You!!!! I have a greatest hits that has 10 of these 12 tracks. Now that pre British Invasion is in play I need to add Elvis Is Back to my recommendations.
Love this selection! Ronettes, Shirelles and Supremes are my top 3. Would love to see more girl group and some classic soul reviews. Have you seen The Temptations biopic? (its the best music biopic, imo)
Having visited Motown Studios last summer, I fricking KNEW this was missing from VM!
Be my baby is one of my favorite songs every time I hear it I think of watching mean streets by Martin Scorsese great video Abby ❤❤❤ keep it up
Found your channel from the great Madam Cyn, very cool!!
Are we going to get a Music From Big Pink because Garth died
I met Garth back in '93 when my band opened for them. What a great guy. Being a keyboardist, he took me aside and showed me a number of things. RIP Garth!!
Well that was fun!
I learned something from this video I did not know. I never knew Cher sang on Be My Baby. That is a great sonf. Neat to learn new facts .
Be My Baby turned the intro to Mean Streets into an iconic scene. Martin Scorcese is a master at integrating music into film
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
1) Given that exactly 3 years earlier, The Marvelettes "couldn't" be shown on the cover of their "Please Mr. Postman" album, "The Fabulous Ronettes" cover represents some progress. 2) I humbly suggest that Hal Blaine's drumming deserves a "vocal" credit on "Be My Baby".
RIP " Ronnie" and Marianne Faithful. Thanx for letting me know about " We Gotta Get Out of this Place- The True......." book. Yeah 60s records were laughable until 1966 ish. Bands didn't Mae money touring ( unless your were The Beatles.)Pre British Invasion album- The Springfields!
I'm 73 and still going to live music clubs and I love good performative music. The world stopped when Shindig was on if you know what I mean. In '64 my school voted who's better Beach Boys or Beatles. Beach Boys won cause they were the local band less than five miles away. So yeah surf guitar bands were huge in So Cal before the Beatles. The girls were the first ardent Beatle fans and so the guys didn't want to openly dis them even though the guys liked the Stones, Animals, or the Yardbirds better and it stayed that way until the Sgt. Pepper Album and acid and expanding minds that we all came around.
A belgian band the name of which was "The paranoiacs" covered "Be my baby" in the late 80s. Interesting.