200OK

Category: 45s

  • Are You Still My Baby

    Are You Still My Baby

    Artist bio:

    Are You Still My Baby

    Artist: The Shirelles

    Vinyl 45

    It seems safe to say that The Shirelles are best known for their version of the Carol King /Gerry Goffin song “Will you still love me tomorrow”.

    As a single “Are You Still My Baby” holds true to their (almost) naive sounding voice, perfect harmonies and all set off against what are sometimes highly charged lyrics.

    This track is a rarity (in that it barely seems to register on their catalogue). It has a familiar doo-wop feel and lush string accompaniment. It is also feels as though it sits across genres. A little bit doo-wop, a little bit soul and dare I say a hint of country? It’s in my collection as a “girl vocal rarities”, overlooked and undervalued at the time it is a hidden gem apparently composed by Charlie Rich while he was at Sun.

    Performers: —
    Released by/ Catalogue number:SCEPTER : 1292
    Year: 1964
    Composer: Charlie Rich
    Arranged By: Ed Martin
    Producer: Stan Green, Steve Tyrell
    Engineer:Bob Arnold
    Published/ Record label: —
    Condition:Mint

    It seems safe to say that The Shirelles are best known for their version of the Carol King /Gerry Goffin song “Will you still love me tomorrow”.

    As a single “Are You Still My Baby” holds true to their (almost) naive sounding voice, perfect harmonies and all set off against what are sometimes highly charged lyrics.

    This track is a rarity (in that it barely seems to register on their catalogue). It has a familiar doo-wop feel and lush string accompaniment. It is also feels as though it sits across genres. A little bit doo-wop, a little bit soul and dare I say a hint of country? It’s in my collection as a “girl vocal rarities”, overlooked and undervalued at the time it is a hidden gem apparently composed by Charlie Rich while he was at Sun.

    Artist: The Shirelles

    Performers:

    ,

  • Be My Baby

    Be My Baby

    Artist bio:

    Footnote 1

    Phil Spector was certainly a despicable man whoes musical legacy can mask his cruelty to Ronnie and the fact that he was a murderer. Ultimately the music he produced is not his but the musicians and they deserve the recognition for what is some of histories greatest music.

    Footnote 2

    Look up the Wrecking Crew’s Carol Kaye she is one of the eras most incredible of characters. A guitarist, not a singer when the majority of women performing were singers.

    Footnote 3

    Only Ronnie sang on the record, Estelle Bennet and Nedra Talley don’t feature.

    Be My Baby

    Artist: The Chiffons

    Vinyl 45

    The opening to this song is timeless while the song itself is one of the greatest 3 minutes of pop ever. And it is the guilty pleasure that tells us that guilty pleasures are simply pleasures. Be My Baby is the first 45 I bought. It feels like a privilege to own such a part of musical history.

    The first time I heard this was sitting around a fire on a beach. At the time I was listening to Brit pop, drum and bass, Led Zeppelin and I lacked the confidence to ask what the song was. Later a friend played it again and declared it “our song”. I wasn’t sure, it wasn’t really me. Nearly 20 years later I took my partner to see Ronnie Ronnette. It is a song that I listen to regularly. Sometimes just to let it wash over me, sometimes to hear the production and nuances of Ronnie’s incredible vocals and the Wrecking Crews amazing musicality.

    The insistent, off canter beat at the heart of Be My Baby holds the listener, driving the song on. It’s the musical equivalent of a cliff hanger. The opening beats come deep from within, reverberating and echoing out. Perfectly mirroring Ronnie Ronettes yearning vocals.

    The wall of sound instrumentation is so complete it engulfs and lifts you up. Through out Ronnie is in complete control, ramping the emotions up.

    There is a recording of a performance given by the Ronettes. With perfect co-ordination and immaculate tailoring they look all powerful, completely in control. Towards the end Ronnie gives it the raw emotion that Spector never allowed; her “oh, oh, ohs” becoming a primal call. (The story is that after the show Spector was unhappy, physically attacking Ronnie.)

    Performers: Ronnie Ronette, The Wrecking Crew
    Released by/ Catalogue number:London American HL-U 9793
    Year: 1963
    Composer: Spector, Greenwhich, Barry
    Arranged By: —
    Producer: Spector
    Engineer:Larry Levine
    Published/ Record label: London American/ Decca
    Condition:Mint

  • You should have seen the way he looked at me

    You should have seen the way he looked at me

    The Dixie Cups were one of the original girl groups. Perhaps only remembered for their hits Chapel of Love and Iko Iko, this song is a reminder that it is always worth looking further at an artists catalogue.

    You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me is my favourite. It encompasses the joyful, uplifting feeling that perhaps shows the roots of soul and its singers in church and gospel music.

    Artist: Dixie Cups

    Performers: Joan Marie Johnson, Barbara Ann Hawkins, Rosa Lee Hawkins,

    • Vinyl 45
    • Released by/ Catalogue number:
    • Year: 1964
    • Composer: Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwhich
    • Arranged By:Artie Butler
    • Producer: Lieber – Stoller
    • Published/ Record label: Trio music co / BMI, Red Bird
    , , ,

  • (Sittin’ on) the dock of the bay

    (Sittin’ on) the dock of the bay

    Dock of the bay is an eternal classic by Redding and Cropper.

    A song of contradictions. It is time spent together and alone.

    It is a song full of the eternal optimism of a youthful summer.

    • Vinyl 45
    • Atlantic 10790, ITALY
    • Unknown
    • Arranged By – 
    • Producer – 
    • Atlantic
    • Mint
  • Broken hearted fool

    Broken hearted fool

    Inez and Charlie Foxx were a brother and sister duo.

    Their music is instantly recognisable to anyone who has ever heard Motown, Philly soul, Northern soul – even just in passing.

    Despite this they were not well known.

    Picked up by the Northern Soul scene this song (written by Charlie Foxx) is one of my all time favourites.