Be My Baby - The Ronettes 1963 "Color" {Stereo}
Rest In Peace, Ronnie Spector. We will miss you forever.
This DES stereo (property of Eric Records) video has been abridged to support the hard work of its creators. Without sales of the CD on which this first-time DES song appears there can be no more new stereo like this based on mono originals. Please visit www.ericrecords.com to order and express your support! To find out more about spectral editing and sound source separation, go to http://www.monotostereo.info/. Colorized video by "Colouring The Past." Further editing and remastering by Smurfstools STS Video
1963.....#2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #4 UK Singles Chart, #2 Canada, #2 New Zealand
"Be My Baby" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. It was recorded on July 5, 1963 at Gold Star Studios Hollywood by American girl group the Ronettes and released as a single in August 1963 and later placed on their 1964 debut LP Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica. Ronnie Spector is the only Ronette to appear on the single; her future husband Phil produced their elaborately layered recording in what is now considered a quintessential example of his Wall of Sound production formula.
"Be My Baby" was recorded in July 1963 at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles. Spector recorded a range of instruments including guitars, saxophones, multiple pianos, and horns with innovative studio mixing and over-dubbing. Spector described his production method as "a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll", which became known as the wall of sound. "Be My Baby" was one of the first times Phil Spector used a full orchestra in his recording. The drums were played by Hal Blaine, who introduced a drum beat that later became widely imitated. Guitars on the session were played by Tommy Tedesco and Bill Pitman, after whom the instrumental "Tedesco and Pitman" on the B-side of the single was named.
The song was arranged by Spector regular Jack Nitzsche and engineered by Larry Levine. Ronnie Spector is the only Ronette to appear on the record. "Be My Baby" was the Ronettes' first song produced by Phil Spector, released on his label, Philles Records. The group had already recorded a track by Greenwich and Barry called "Why Don't They Let Us Fall in Love", but this was held back in favor of "Be My Baby". The song reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Singles Chart (kept from the top spot by The Fireballs' "Sugar Shack") and number 4 on the UK's Record Retailer. It also peaked at number four on the R&B chart. The single sold more than two million copies in 1963. In her autobiography, lead vocalist Ronnie Spector relates that she was on tour with Joey Dee and the Starlighters when "Be My Baby" was introduced by Dick Clark on American Bandstand as the "Record of the Century."