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Rating: "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica," from 1964, is the first and only true album of the all-female vocal trio, The Ronettes. A sort of girlband from over fifty years ago. Nothing to do with what "girlband" represents today in the collective imagination, also because this work is the result of the schizoid genius of Phil Spector's production.
The trio consisted of the two sisters, Ronnie Spector (born Veronica Yvette Bennett) and Estelle Bennett, plus their cousin Nedra Talley. But the "leading" figure was undoubtedly Veronica, wife of the famous producer from '68 to '74, main voice of the trio, and charismatic character known by most as the first true bad girl of rock 'n' roll.
Let's say right away that it is not exactly an effeminate "Pet Sounds" (which, among other things, would come out only two years later). It is neither so perfect and refined, nor so faithfully pop. But, belonging to the same era and more or less the same musical trend, sometimes the similarities become tangible. In short, not a "Pet Sounds," but a pleasant pop record, logically with a retro aftertaste and contaminated by marked rock 'n' roll shades, which was booming at the time.
It contains many of the trio’s major hits, such as "Baby, I Love You"; "Walking in the Rain"; a cover of Ray Charles’ "What'd I Say?", which also appears in Spector's own box set; but above all the very famous "Be My Baby".
This latter is surely the most representative of the entire, and rather short, existence of the Ronettes, as well as an inspiration for Brian Wilson and company in their "Don't Worry Baby", which according to Wilson himself - who at the time called the Ronettes’ single "the greatest pop record ever" - represented the "male response" precisely to "Be My Baby".
An excellent pop work then, epochal, but that probably doesn't stand the famous test of time, despite maintaining its beauty intact and in some moments continues to be still an alluring piece even though over forty years have passed since its release.
What to say? A step that marked an era. Seminal for pop. Perhaps not obligatory, but highly recommended for those who want to delve into Spector's production, his "Wall of Sound," and especially the phenomenon of the Ronettes - recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - gradually immersing themselves in what was the reality of that era. An era that produced everything that pop and rock music represent today.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
04 (The Best Part of) Breakin' Up ()
Baby when we break up from a quarrel or a fight
I can't wait to have you back and hold you, oh, so tight
Tell me why, I wanna know, tell me why, is it so
That the best part of breaking up is when you're making up
Best part of breaking up is when you're making up
But after breaking up be sure you're making up with me
Everytime you leave I get those teardrops in my eyes
But they seem to go away when you apologize
Tell me why, I want to know, tell me why, is it so
That the best part of breaking up is when you're making up
Best part of breaking up is when you're making up
But after breaking up be sure you're making up with me
Come on baby,
Come on baby,
Don't say maybe
Well it makes no difference who was wrong
Just as long as I'll be with you
Baby I'll be lonely till you're back where you should be
'Cause baby I belong to you and you belong to me
Tell me why, I want to know, tell me why, is it so
That the best part of breaking up is when you're making up
Best part of breaking up is when you're making up
But after breaking up, be sure you're making up with me
The best part of breaking up is when you know that you're making up with me
Come on baby,
Come on baby,
Don't say maybe
Come on baby, woo wee baby, come on baby (fade)
05 I Wonder ()
Mama said, before I'd grown
I'll find somebody I could call my own
So when the stars are shining bright
I dream about the boy
Who's gonna hold me tight
And I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Oh I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Will he be good to me
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Wonder if he'll love me
Forever, and ever
Everynight, I close my eyes
And there is something that I visualise
I hear a voice say 'I love you'
And picture all the things
That we're gonna do
And I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Oh I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Will he be good to me
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Wonder if he'll love me
Forever, and ever
I hope we'll never make each other cry
I pray we'll never ever say goodbye
Woa ho oh oh
And I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Oh I wonder
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Will he be good to me
(Wonder what or who he'll be)
Wonder if he'll love me
Forever, and ever
07 Be My Baby ()
The night we met I knew I needed you so
and if I had the chance I'd never let you go.
So won't you say you love me,
I'll make you so proud of me.
We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go.
So won't you, please, BE MY BE MY
be my little baby
Say you'll be my darlin',
be my baby now.Wha-oh-oh-oh.
I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see.
For every kiss you give me I'll give you three.
Oh, since the day I saw you
I have been waiting for you.
You know I will adore you 'til eternity.
So won't you, please, BE MY BE MY
be my little baby
Say you'll be my darlin',
be my baby now.
Wha-oh-oh-oh.
So come on and, please, BE MY BE MY
be my little baby
Say you'll be my darlin',
be my baby now.
Wha-oh-oh-oh.
BE MY BE MY Be my little baby.
Say you'll be my darlin',
be my baby now.
wha-oh-oh-oh-oh.
(repeat & fade)
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