Who remembers Ellie Greenwich
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:21 am
Ellie Greenwich together with partner, Jeff Barry were one of the army of song writing teams working out of the hit factory that was the City of New York’s Brill Building during the early 1960s. Collectively, the output of the Brill Building was responsible for many of the most memorable and still to this day, recognizable hit records to come out of America during the period.
It’s been reported that at the age of 68, Ellie Greenwich died of a suspected heart attack on or about August 26th following admittance to a New York City hospital.
UK Online Guardian Obituary
Largely known for co-writing hit songs better suited to the dynamics of female groups such as ...
• The Dixie Cups (Chapel of Love)
• The Ronettes (Be My Baby)
• The Crystals (Do Doo Ron Ron)
• The Shangria Las (Leader of the Pack)
• Ike & Tina Turner (River Deep – Mountain High)
Ellie Greenwich also had a hand in writing notable but unintended hits for Manfred Mann (Do Wah Diddy) and The Beach Boys (I Can Hear Music). Originally recorded by American girl group, The Exciters, Manfred Mann’s then front-man, Paul Jones was responsible for bringing Do Wah Diddy to the attention of his fellow group members. While, I Can Hear Music was a 1966 Ronettes recording that Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys covered in 1969 on the 20/20 album.
Like Carole King, her one-time Brill Building colleague, Ellie Greenwich was an accomplished performer in her own right but what held her back from pursuing a Carole King type solo carrier was a lack of personal ambition that led to her becoming more comfortable in a recording studio environment churning out demo discs of her material and coaching others on how best to perform them than on the glare of a public stage. Listen to her studio version of I Can Hear Music …
Consequently she dropped off the record buying public’s radar very quickly and into relative obscurity following an emotionally traumatic breakdown of her marriage with song writing partner, Jeff Barry. Nevertheless, her services were still very much in demand as she continued to make a very good living from her ability to write a seemingly never ending stream of advertising jingles.
For a further appreciation listen to a 20-minute profile on Ellie Greenwich recently broadcasted on NPR that includes extracts of archived interview done with her back in 1986 at …
NPR Media Player
Now rarely ever remembered, for a period in the early 1960s Ellie Greenwich really was one of the most influential song writing talents of American popular music of the time.
It’s been reported that at the age of 68, Ellie Greenwich died of a suspected heart attack on or about August 26th following admittance to a New York City hospital.
UK Online Guardian Obituary
Largely known for co-writing hit songs better suited to the dynamics of female groups such as ...
• The Dixie Cups (Chapel of Love)
• The Ronettes (Be My Baby)
• The Crystals (Do Doo Ron Ron)
• The Shangria Las (Leader of the Pack)
• Ike & Tina Turner (River Deep – Mountain High)
Ellie Greenwich also had a hand in writing notable but unintended hits for Manfred Mann (Do Wah Diddy) and The Beach Boys (I Can Hear Music). Originally recorded by American girl group, The Exciters, Manfred Mann’s then front-man, Paul Jones was responsible for bringing Do Wah Diddy to the attention of his fellow group members. While, I Can Hear Music was a 1966 Ronettes recording that Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys covered in 1969 on the 20/20 album.
Like Carole King, her one-time Brill Building colleague, Ellie Greenwich was an accomplished performer in her own right but what held her back from pursuing a Carole King type solo carrier was a lack of personal ambition that led to her becoming more comfortable in a recording studio environment churning out demo discs of her material and coaching others on how best to perform them than on the glare of a public stage. Listen to her studio version of I Can Hear Music …
Consequently she dropped off the record buying public’s radar very quickly and into relative obscurity following an emotionally traumatic breakdown of her marriage with song writing partner, Jeff Barry. Nevertheless, her services were still very much in demand as she continued to make a very good living from her ability to write a seemingly never ending stream of advertising jingles.
For a further appreciation listen to a 20-minute profile on Ellie Greenwich recently broadcasted on NPR that includes extracts of archived interview done with her back in 1986 at …
NPR Media Player
Now rarely ever remembered, for a period in the early 1960s Ellie Greenwich really was one of the most influential song writing talents of American popular music of the time.