Saturday Hit Parade Celebrating the 2024 Birthday of Brill Building Songwriter Ellie Greenwich

by Robert Wilkinson

We begin our musical Saturday with pop classics written by an amazing Libra-Scorpio cuspal musical genius! Ellie Greenwich gave us some of the most loved music of the 60s, and we have major videos.

Ellie Greenwich (Oct 23, 1940-Aug 26, 2009) was half of a Brill Building writing team with Jeff Barry. They wrote some of the most memorable tunes in history, and today we have some of the best. Take a look at the entire list, and you’ll see why!

We begin with the Ronettes, who scored big with three tunes written by Jeff and Ellie! First, on Shindig in 1965, the smash #2 US, #4 UK 1963 hit “Be My Baby”

From Nov 1963, the studio version of a tune which went to #24 US, #11 UK! “Baby I Love You”

Here the Crystals lip-synch to the studio version on Shivaree, with the wailing sax of Steve Douglas front and center at the break! This went to #3 US, #5 UK in the Spring of 1963. “Da Do Ron Ron”

Here’s the studio version of the Crystals Top Ten hit which went to #6 US, #2 UK in 1963! “Then He Kissed Me”

From a long time ago, the studio version by the Crystals with Ms. Darlene Love on lead vocals! “(Today I Met) the Boy I’m Gonna Marry”

From 1963, the Raindrops (who were actually Ellie and Jeff!) in the studio giving us their tune which went to #17, “The Kind of Boy You Can’t Forget”

Here's an example of television from another era, with Steve Allen hosting The Shangri-Las, fronted by Mary Weiss, on I’ve Got A Secret with Robert Goulet mugging for the cameras on a motorcycle! Here's the Barry-Greenwich smash #1 hit “Leader of the Pack”

Manfred Mann took this one to the top in 1964! “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”

Even though it is most identified with Manfred Mann, the Exciters actually had a hit with it in 1963! Here's the original version of “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”

Here’s Ms Leslie Gore delivering up two Barry-Greenfield compositions! First, live at the legendary 1964 TAMI show in Santa Monica, her #14 US hit “Maybe I Know” and from The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1965 with a backing track, Lesley's great delivering “Look of Love” Here’s the original studio version, produced by Quincy Jones, of “Look of Love”

From 2009, Lesley cranking out an Ellie Greenwich tribute live! "Maybe I Know" and "Look of Love."

From 1966, the studio version of “I Can Hear Music,” and from a more recent live performance, a great offering by Ronnie of “I Can Hear Music,”

Brian Wilson was so taken by the tune, he had the Beach Boys doing their own great version! I also found this great live performance clip of Ronnie accompanied by Brian Wilson in 2000 doing “I Can Hear Music”

Here are the Beach Boys live in 1969 featuring the incredible voice of Carl Wilson doing Brian's arrangement of “I Can Hear Music” which went to #24 US (Top Ten in many major cities).

Tommy James and the Shondells hit the top of the charts with this one! Lip-synching to the studio version in a strange video from long ago, “Hanky Panky”

What most don’t know is Ellie and Jeff released a version as “The Raindrops” in November 1963 as the “B” side to their song “That Boy John,” and Jeff actually didn’t like the tune! “Hanky Panky.” At the same time as the Raindrops, a group called “The Summits” also released their version of “Hanky Panky”

From the television show Shivaree in April 1965, here are the Dixie Cups giving us their Spring 1964 #1 hit “Chapel of Love”

They also gave us this #12 hit! "People Say"

Here’s the Ike and Tina Turner version of “River Deep Mountain High” and here’s early Deep Purple’s 10+ minute classical rock version of “River Deep Mountain High”

We’ll close with the song voted the #1 rock and roll Christmas song of all time, performed by the one who brought it to us in 1963. As you know, Steve Douglas and Leon Russell put this song over the top! For your enjoyment, Ms. Darlene Love on the studio version of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”

For the encore, 3 appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman by Darlene across the years doing this song. Here’s her very first performance of the song on Letterman in 1986, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” We’ll follow it with her 1993 Christmas performance. Wow! “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”

Here’s our final Letterman live performance from his 2012 Christmas show. This woman’s voice is awesome! “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” An early Merry Christmas to everyone!

From the ever-remarkable Steve Taylor, here's a link to the 1986 recording Off the Record Interview with Ellie Greenwich

Thanks, Ms. Greenfield. You’re now writing in the ethers for the greatest rock and roll band in Devachan! Thanks for the memories and great dancing through the decades!

© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson

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