By SoDak
The Ronettes exist among some of my earliest musical memories. As a child, every time “Be My Baby” or “Baby, I Love You” were played on the radio, I was captured by the melodies. I also felt calm. Ronnie Spector’s voice was warm and provided comfort. I loved how she sang “woah oh oh.” I still get shivers hearing these parts. The music made me joyful. In the summer, I would lay in the grass in the backyard, listening to a green, handheld transistor radio, hoping to hear gems by the Ronettes and others. Many years later, in 1986, Ronnie resurfaced in my musical world, via Eddie Money. Try as I may to resist liking the song “Take Me Home Tonight,” I fully surrendered, in part due to Ronnie’s captivating voice. Eddie new the power here. At the end of the chorus, he leads, “just like Ronnie sang,” and then magic happens, as she sings “be my little baby” adding her classic “woah oh oh.” I melt every time. I wish Ronnie had recorded more as a solo artist, as there are only a handful of records. Her 1999 EP, She Talks to Rainbows, produced by Joey Ramone, is an overlooked album. Ronnie’s voice is a bit worn, but it is still tender, rich, and powerful. My favorite track on this record is the title song, written by Joey. The clean guitar and Ronnie’s voice merge in a mesmerizing way, resulting in a beautifully haunting version of this song.
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