Ellie Greenwich died today in New York at the age of 68. She was the premier songwriter for some of the best girl groups of the 1960s and an influential member of the Brill Building team of songwriters, who churned out countless era-defining singles in the 1950s and 1960s. With her husband Jeff Barry, she penned such chart-topping hits as "Be My Baby" for the Ronnettes, "Chapel of Love" for the Dixie Cups, "Da Doo Ron Ron" for the Crystals, and my personal favorite, "Leader of the Pack" for the Shangri-Las (all of which were given a characteristic flair by producer Phil Spector). A new crop of bands have declared their love for this specific girl group sound, with acts as diverse as Grizzly Bear, TV On the Radio, and Broadcast all paying homage to the drama and youthfulness of these songs.
Here are a few videos displaying Greenwich's brilliance, plus a Spanish cover of "Be My Baby" by Les Surfs.
No comments:
Post a Comment