Be My Baby

A 1963 song by the Ronettes, produced by Phil Spector and written by Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich. Its dense studio arrangement became a landmark of the Wall of Sound.

Wall of Sound: A record-production approach that layers instruments and performances into a dense, reverberant sound. The song is one of the best-known demonstrations of this production approach.
Ronettes: An American girl group whose best-known recordings were made in the early 1960s. The group’s performance made the song their signature hit.
Brian Wilson: An American songwriter, producer, and musician best known for his work with the Beach Boys. Wilson called the song his favorite record and drew inspiration from its production.
Be My Baby drum intro: The opening drum pattern of the Ronettes’ 1963 recording, played by Hal Blaine. Its repeated figure establishes the song before the vocals begin.
Phil Spector: An American record producer and songwriter known for developing the Wall of Sound. He produced the recording and shaped its orchestration and studio sound.
Jeff Barry: An American songwriter and record producer who co-wrote many 1960s pop hits. He co-wrote the song with Phil Spector and Ellie Greenwich.
Pet Sounds: The Beach Boys’ 1966 album, noted for its detailed arrangements and studio experimentation. Brian Wilson’s response to the song helped inform his ambitions for this album.
Ronnie Spector: An American singer who performed as lead vocalist of the Ronettes. Her lead vocal anchors the original recording and its expressive delivery.
Hal Blaine: An American session drummer associated with the Wrecking Crew and many hit recordings. His opening drum figure gives the song one of pop’s most recognizable introductions.
Ellie Greenwich: An American songwriter and singer known for her collaborations with Jeff Barry and Phil Spector. Her songwriting partnership with Barry helped create the song’s melody and lyrics.

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Vanessa ParadisBroader topic: The song marked her return to music with an English-language sound.