The Ronettes were Phil Spector's  big group between the Crystals and the Righteous Brothers. Like most of the early sixties girl groups they were from New York  and first came to anyone's attention in a talent show, this time at the Apollo.  Unlike the Shirelles and the Crystals who were barely out of high school and had no real show business experience, the Ronettes had already been dancers in Murray the K's shows and had signed with Colpix Records as Ronnie & the Relatives, though without any chart success. After auditioning for Spector, at his advice they told Colpix they were getting out of show business to get out of their contract and immediately signed with his Philles label.

Spector shelved their first proposed single, why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love, which is generously included here for fans who are interested in hearing these kinds of lost tracks. He was basically right in this case. It's a nice song, but not the kind of knock it out of the park single that starts a career. That was their first released single, Be My Baby which was not only a #2 charting single in the Fall of '63 but one of the great classics of the rock era. Phil Spector had his faults but he had a great ear for hits and skill in every step of making them.

Of course they got the full Spector treatment with ample enough echo to make them sound like they were recorded in a cathedral, multiple backup singers that sometimes included the always dependable Darlene Love and sometimes Sonny Bono and his girlfriend Cher. Add to that the usual piano, drums including timpani, clapping and castanets, and and a backup band that sometimes included strings and you got a single that was practically an event. It was not for nothing that Spector's name was usually included with the Brill building composers he used; his production was part of the song writing process in which the original melody and words were just the basic material he built on.

The overall sound of the Ronettes was dyamic, positive and upbeat.  Even in a wishful song like Be My Baby, you know they'll get their guy.  The Ronettes look was unique, with their hair teased impossibly high and a generally exotic air. They came in toward the end of the Girl Group Era, which was cut short by the British Invasion.  The girl groups from 1964 on were new ones like the Shangri-Las and Dixie Cups. Only two of the earlier girl groups had hits after 1963: the Chiffons had Sweet Talkin' Guy in 1966 and the Ronettes had Walking In the Rain in the fall of '64. That song not only features the sound of thunder and rain but also an advanced stage in the development of the sound that Spector would find great success with the Righteous Brothers.

many of the Ronettes 1965 and '66 tracks are here, and they're all beautifully produced with great care. yet nothing happened for them after Walking In the Rain. Things were moving so fast and changing rapidly that by 1965 the early sixties girl group sound seemed old. it wasn't just the Ronettes, but every girl group who weren't having hits; the whole early sixties pop edifice vanished overnight with few survivors. The other part of the story comes from interviews with Ronnie and others who claim that Spector withheld many songs from release to keep the Ronettes dependent on him. Considering that Ronnie was practically being held captive in Spector's mansion, it's believable.

No matter what, these are all great songs and the disc is a winner all the way through. The EMI Legacy series has done a beautiful job with the sound, something that can't be overestimated in importance. These sound just like they should, with all the complex parts in their original balance. It makes all earlier Ronettes compilations obsolete. Be sure to check out their equally excellent Crystals disc.
The Ronettes were Phil Spector's  big group between the Crystals and the Righteous Brothers. Like most of the early sixties girl groups they were from New York  and first came to anyone's attention in a talent show, this time at the Apollo. Unlike the Shirelles and the Crystals who were barely out of high school and had no real show business experience, the Ronettes had already been dancers in Murray the K's shows and had signed with Colpix Records as Ronnie & the Relatives, though without any chart success. After auditioning for Spector, at his advice they told Colpix they were getting out of show business to get out of their contract and immediately signed with his Philles label. Spector shelved their first proposed single, why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love, which is generously included here for fans who are interested in hearing these kinds of lost tracks. He was basically right in this case. It's a nice song, but not the kind of knock it out of the park single that starts a career. That was their first released single, Be My Baby which was not only a #2 charting single in the Fall of '63 but one of the great classics of the rock era. Phil Spector had his faults but he had a great ear for hits and skill in every step of making them. Of course they got the full Spector treatment with ample enough echo to make them sound like they were recorded in a cathedral, multiple backup singers that sometimes included the always dependable Darlene Love and sometimes Sonny Bono and his girlfriend Cher. Add to that the usual piano, drums including timpani, clapping and castanets, and and a backup band that sometimes included strings and you got a single that was practically an event. It was not for nothing that Spector's name was usually included with the Brill building composers he used; his production was part of the song writing process in which the original melody and words were just the basic material he built on. The overall sound of the Ronettes was dyamic, positive and upbeat. Even in a wishful song like Be My Baby, you know they'll get their guy. The Ronettes look was unique, with their hair teased impossibly high and a generally exotic air. They came in toward the end of the Girl Group Era, which was cut short by the British Invasion. The girl groups from 1964 on were new ones like the Shangri-Las and Dixie Cups. Only two of the earlier girl groups had hits after 1963: the Chiffons had Sweet Talkin' Guy in 1966 and the Ronettes had Walking In the Rain in the fall of '64. That song not only features the sound of thunder and rain but also an advanced stage in the development of the sound that Spector would find great success with the Righteous Brothers. many of the Ronettes 1965 and '66 tracks are here, and they're all beautifully produced with great care. yet nothing happened for them after Walking In the Rain. Things were moving so fast and changing rapidly that by 1965 the early sixties girl group sound seemed old. it wasn't just the Ronettes, but every girl group who weren't having hits; the whole early sixties pop edifice vanished overnight with few survivors. The other part of the story comes from interviews with Ronnie and others who claim that Spector withheld many songs from release to keep the Ronettes dependent on him. Considering that Ronnie was practically being held captive in Spector's mansion, it's believable. No matter what, these are all great songs and the disc is a winner all the way through. The EMI Legacy series has done a beautiful job with the sound, something that can't be overestimated in importance. These sound just like they should, with all the complex parts in their original balance. It makes all earlier Ronettes compilations obsolete. Be sure to check out their equally excellent Crystals disc.