The Jukebox Rebel

A hugely enjoyable album – irresistible even – and packed full of timeless classics that will still sound huge in 2064. Quite why “Be My Baby”, “Baby I Love You” and “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” didn’t give these girls three Number One smash hits will remain a puzzle to me for as long as I live. What more could the public possibly want in a pop song? Some of the heights scaled in these tracks were otherworldly for the age; producer Phil Spector and his recording engineer Larry Levine fully merit all the plaudits going for their vision and the studio wizardry. In their career span, the Ronettes placed nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100, five of which became Top 40 hits. All five of those were included here on their one and only LP – needless to say it’s an essential release. For the record, those hits were “Be My Baby” (US #2), “Walking in the Rain” (US #23), “Baby, I Love You” (US #24), “Do I Love You?” (US #34) and “(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up” (US #39). After being denied a release of their first recording, and having to silently tolerate the credit for their next four recordings going to another group (The Crystals), the Ronettes hung in there with Phil Spector and were rewarded when “Be My Baby” (featuring a 17 year-old Cher on backing vocals) shot to #2 in the fall of ’63. “Our lives were turned upside down” lead singer Ronnie later recalled. “All the things I'd ever dreamed about were finally coming true.”

The Jukebox Rebel
20–Dec–2011

A1	[03:16] The Ronettes - (Walking) In The Rain (Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann, Phil Spector) Pop
A2	[02:50] The Ronettes - Do I Love You? (Vini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil Spector) Pop
A3	[02:36] The Ronettes - So Young (William Tyus) Rock n Roll Ballad
A4	[03:02] The Ronettes - (The Best Part Of) Breakin’ Up (Vini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil Spector) Pop
A5	[02:51] The Ronettes - I Wonder (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) Pop
A6	[04:40] The Ronettes - What’d I Say? (Ray Charles Robinson) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B1	[02:40] The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) Pop
B2	[02:56] The Ronettes - You, Baby (Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann, Phil Spector) Pop
B3	[02:50] The Ronettes - Baby, I Love You (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) Pop
B4	[02:40] The Ronettes - How Does It Feel? (Vini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil Spector) Pop
B5	[02:43] The Ronettes - When I Saw You (Phil Spector) Rock n Roll Ballad
B6	[02:52] The Ronettes - Chapel Of Love (Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector) Pop

ratings by TJR