“Be My Baby” it's as universal as a pop song can be. It's the song that made Ronnie Spector a timeless rock & roll legend, a teenage girl from Spanish Harlem who packed a lifetime of raw power into three minutes. Ever since “Be My Baby” was released in 1963, it has been the classic that sums up the entire '60s girl era, with Phil Spector's sumptuous Wall of Sound production. But it never left the airwaves. On Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs, “Be My Baby” is at #22.
Ronnie formed the Ronettes with her older sister Estelle and their cousin Netra. “Be My Baby” was their first and biggest single, written by Phil Spector with legendary hit-making team Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the duo behind so many classics. The producer made it sound incredibly huge and melodramatic – strings, handclaps, castanets – while Hal Blaine started it with this incredible-sounding drum intro. But it all depends on the strength of Ronnie's voice. It's a force of nature — teenage longing amplified on an epic scale.
In this week's episode The Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield discuss the history of “Be My Baby,” analyzing the song's massive impact on pop history. It's been the foundation for artists from Brian Wilson to Bruce Springsteen and Lana Del Rey. You hear it everywhere, from Scorsese movies to goth clubs to hair metal, from the Ramones to Beyoncé. As Madonna said when she first burst onto the pop scene in the eighties, “I like to sound like Ronnie Spector sounded: hot, hungry, totally useless.” Ronnie had that gift to the end.
On this week's episode, Rob and Brittany are joined by a true legend: Jeff Barry, who co-wrote “Be My Baby.” The Barry/Greenwich group produced a string of '60s girl groups for stars including the Crystals (“Then He Kissed Me”), the Dixie Cups (“Chapel of Love”), the Chiffons (“I Have a Boyfriend” ), and the Shangri-Las (“Leader of the Pack”). Barry discusses the making of 'Be My Baby', his early songwriting days in the Brill Building and his long career from pop to soul to country.
In 2004, Rolling Stone released their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Drawn from a massive vote involving artists, industry figures and critics, the list has been a source of discussion, inspiration and controversy for two decades. It is one of the most popular, influential and controversial features the magazine has ever done.
So we set out to make it even bigger, better and fresher. In 2021, we completely overhauled our 500 song list, with a whole new batch of voters from across the musical map. Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs takes a closer look at the entries on our list. Produced in partnership with iHeart, Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs finds Brittany and Rob discussing a new song each week, delving into its history and impact with the help of a special guest — including RS colleagues, producers and the artists themselves. It's our celebration of the best songs we've ever made — and a breakdown of what makes them so great.
Watch the latest episode above, at iHeartor wherever you get your podcasts and look for new episodes every Wednesday.
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