MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze Be My Baby (1963) The Ronettes LISTEN FOR • Wall of sound texture • Chromatic chords in Verse • Change of rhythmic momentum from Verse to Chorus • Backing voices’ melodic dissonance in Chorus CREATION Songwriters Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector Label, Record Philles 116 Musicians Ronnie Spector (voice); Cher and others (voice), Hal Blaine (drums), other members of the Wrecking Crew, strings Arranger Jack Nitzsche Producer Phil Spector Engineer Larry Levine Recording Gold Star Studio (Los Angeles); July 1963; mono Charts Pop 2, R&B 4 MUSIC Genre Pop Form Contrasting verse-chorus Key E major Meter 4/4 MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “Be My Baby” (The Ronettes, 1963) LISTENING GUIDE Time Form Lyric Cue Listen For 0:00 Intro (4) • Drums introduce groove with exaggerated reverb; backbeat falls on beat four only. 0:04 • The rest of the instruments enter, blending with the drum reverb to create a hazy texture pulsing with eighth-notes. Castanets sharpen the fourth-beat accents. 0:08 Verse 1 (16) “The night we met” • Voice stands out in relief against the textural haze. 0:23 “So won’t you” • Begin sequence of chromatic chords; texture thickens with low saxophone notes and backing voices (“ooh”). 0:35 • Groove releases with drum fill. 0:37 Chorus 1 (8) “Be my, be my baby” • Momentum increases as backbeat doubles up (accents on beats 2 and 4). • Standard doo-wop chord progression (I-vi-IV- V) • Backing voices sing main melody; persistent melodic dissonance; lead voice and backing voices sing call-and-response. 0:52 Verse 2 (16) “I’ll make you happy” • Thicker texture than Verse 1 opening; backing voices sing new part on “ooh.” 1:07 “Oh since the day” • Begin sequence of chromatic chords; backing voices open up (“ah”). 1:20 • Drum fill. 1:22 Chorus 2 (8) “Be my, be my baby” • Like Chorus 1 with strings. 1:37 Instrumental • Texture as in Verse 2; strings play first two Break (8) phrases of lead vocal melody. 1:52 Chorus (8) “Be my, be my baby” • Like Chorus 2. 2:07 Intro Reprise (2) • Drums and reverb solo. 2:11 Chorus (8 + fade) “Be my, be my baby” • Like Chorus 2. 2 MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “Be My Baby” (The Ronettes, 1963) LYRICS The night we met I knew I needed you so Be my little. baby my one and only baby And if I had the chance I’d never let you go. Say you’ll be my darlin’, be my be my baby So won’t you say you love me, Be my baby now, my one and only baby I’ll make you so proud of me. Wha-oh-oh-oh. We’ll make ’em turn their heads every place So come on and, please, be my be my baby we go. Be my little baby my one and only baby So won’t you, please, be my be my baby Say you’ll be my darlin’, be my be my baby Be my little. baby my one and only baby Be my baby now, my one and only baby Say you’ll be my darlin’, be my be my baby Wha-oh-oh-oh. Be my baby now, my one and only baby Be my be my baby be my little baby. Wha-oh-oh-oh. My one and only baby oh oh, I’ll make you happy, baby, just wait and see. Be my be my baby oh, For every kiss you give me I’ll give you three. My one and only baby wha-oh-oh-oh-oh. Oh, since the day I saw you Be my be my baby oh, I have been waiting for you. My one and only baby You know I will adore you ‘til eternity. Be my be my baby oh, So won’t you, please, be my be my baby Be my baby now SOURCES • Albin Zak, Course Pak for A MUS-398 at the University of Albany. • http://www.metrolyrics.com/be-my-baby-lyrics-the-ronettes.html’ 3 .