Asymmetric Music

Proving once again that being an artist, especially a Rock star, is no guarantor of personal virtue, Phil Spector was convicted of second degree murder for killing actress Lana Clarkson.

Phil Spector is a Rock and Roll legend, having been involved in a series of early sixties girl group songs as well as having collaborated with the Righteous Brothers and the Beatles. According to Wikipedia, Cuban and Caribbean music was a big influence.

Phil Spector's famous for his "wall of sound" technique which means, to me, that there's a lot of instruments and you can't quite tell what they are.

The most prescient song is "He Hit Me and it Felt Like a Kiss" (above).

Ronnie Spector of the hyper-cleverly named group, the Ronettes, was his suffering, secluded wife. "Be My Baby" is the Ronettes' best song.

Follow up:

Darlene Love is one of the top ten female singers of the Rock and Roll era. In a confusing shuffle, she actually sang the biggest Crystal hits. "He's a Rebel," below.

My favorite song from any Spector girl group is "Today I Met the Boy I'm Going to Marry." A gorgeous voice "married" to a beautiful melody. Darlene Love sings, again.

The Righteous Brothers was the way to Rebecca Howe's (Cheers) heart (until it became her stomach).

Cheers - The Complete Seventh Season

Spector's Christmas album is the stuff of legend. Most of the songs are predictable remakes except for the truly worthy (of standard status) "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home," with Darlene Love, again.

All of the above may be achievement enough for any man, but Spector wouldn't have any Classic Rock cred had he not worked with the Beatles. The story of "The Long and Winding Road" is fascinating for people who like musical intrigue. Paul McCartney himself cites it as a cause of the breakup.

The album version below and the song, de-Spectored, below that.

Tribute to Lana Clarkson:

Murder, breaking up the Beatles, I hope you're proud of yourself, Mr. Spector.

All of the tracks above can be found on the excellent, Back to Mono box set, except for the "Long and Winding Road, which is on Let it Be.

Back to Mono (1958-1969)

Let It Be

Tags: ronettes, ronnettes