Phil Spector  

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Phil Spector (1939 – 2021) was an American record producer, musician, and songwriter who developed the Wall of Sound, a music production formula he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll, featured on records such as "Da Doo Ron Ron" "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You", all released in 1963.

Of note is also "River Deep – Mountain High " (1966).

Overview

Spector is regarded to be among the most influential figures in pop music history and as the first auteur of the music industry for the unprecedented control he had over every phase of the recording process.

Born in the Bronx, Spector began his career in 1958 as co-founder, guitarist, and vocalist of the Teddy Bears, penning their US number-one single "To Know Him Is to Love Him". In 1960, he co-founded Philles Records, and at the age of 21, became the youngest ever US label owner to that point. Throughout the 1960s, he wrote, co-wrote, or produced records for acts such as the Ronettes, the Crystals, and Ike & Tina Turner. He typically collaborated with arranger Jack Nitzsche, engineer Larry Levine, and a de facto house band that later became known as "the Wrecking Crew". Spector initially retired from the music industry in 1966.

In 1969, Spector returned to his career and subsequently produced the Beatles' album Let It Be (1970), as well as several solo records by the band's John Lennon and George Harrison. By the mid-1970s, Spector had produced eighteen US Top 10 singles for various artists, but following work with Leonard Cohen, Dion DiMucci, and the Ramones, he remained largely inactive and affected by personal struggles. His chart-toppers included "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (co-written and produced for the Righteous Brothers, 1964), "The Long and Winding Road" (produced for the Beatles, 1970), and "My Sweet Lord" (produced for Harrison, 1970). According to BMI, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is the song that received the most US airplay in the 20th century.

Spector's records helped engender the role of the studio as an instrument, the integration of pop art aesthetics into music (art pop), and the art rock genre. His multi-artist compilation album A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (1963) is widely considered to be the finest Christmas record of all time.

Discography

Albums

• 1959: The Teddy Bears Sing – The Teddy Bears
• 1962: Twist Uptown – The Crystals
• 1963: He's a Rebel – The Crystals
• 1963: Zip-A Dee-Doo-Dah – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans
• 1963: A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records – Various Artists
• 1964: Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica – The Ronettes
• 1966: River Deep – Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner
• 1969: Love Is All We Have to Give – Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd.
• 1970: Let It Be – The Beatles
• 1970: All Things Must Pass (co-producer) – George Harrison
• 1970: Plastic Ono Band (co-producer) – John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band
• 1971: Imagine (co-producer) – John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band with the Flux Fiddlers
• 1971: The Concert for Bangladesh (co-producer) – George Harrison and friends
• 1972: Some Time in New York City (co-producer) – John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Elephant's Memory plus Invisible Strings
• 1973: Living in the Material World (co-producer) – George Harrison
• 1975: Rock 'n' Roll (co-producer) – John Lennon
• 1975: Born to Be with You – Dion
• 1977: Death of a Ladies' Man – Leonard Cohen
• 1980: End of the Century – Ramones
• 1981: Season of Glass (co-producer) – Yoko Ono
• 1986: Menlove Ave. (co-producer) – John Lennon
• 1991: Back to Mono (1958–1969) (box set compilation) – Various Artists
• 2003: Silence Is Easy (co-producer) – Starsailor}}

Singles

• "To Know Him Is to Love Him" – The Teddy Bears (12/1/1958, #1)
• "Corrine, Corrina" – Ray Peterson (11/21/1960, #9)
• "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" – Curtis Lee (7/3/1961, #7)
• "Every Breath I Take" – Gene Pitney (9/11/1961, #42)
• "I Love How You Love Me" – The Paris Sisters (10/30/1961, #5)
• "Under the Moon of Love" – Curtis Lee (11/27/1961, #46)
• "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" – The Crystals (1/22/1962, #20)
• "I Could Have Loved You So Well" – Ray Peterson (1/27/1962, #57)
• "Uptown" – The Crystals (3/3/1962, #13)
• "He Knows I Love Him Too Much" – The Paris Sisters (3/10/1962, #34)
• "Let Me Be the One" – The Paris Sisters (5/26/1962, #87)
• "Second Hand Love" – Connie Francis (6/9/1962, #7)
• "He's a Rebel" – The Crystals (11/3/1962, #1)
• "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" – Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans (1/12/1963, #8)
• "He's Sure the Boy I Love" – The Crystals (1/19/1963, #11)
• "Puddin' n' Tain (Ask Me Again, I'll Tell You the Same)" – The Alley Cats (2/16/1963, #43)
• "Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart" – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans (3/30/1963, #38)
• "(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" – Darlene Love (5/11/1963, #39)
• "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" – The Crystals (6/8/1963, #3)
• "Not Too Young to Get Married" – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans (7/13/1963, #63)
• "Then He Kissed Me" – The Crystals (8/17/1963, #6)
• "Wait 'til My Bobby Gets Home" – Darlene Love (9/7/1963, #26)
• "Be My Baby" – The Ronettes (10/12/1963, #2)
• "A Fine, Fine Boy" – Darlene Love (11/23/1963, #53)
• "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" – Darlene Love
• "Baby, I Love You" – The Ronettes (11/1963, #24)
• "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up" – The Ronettes (5/16/1964, #39)
• "Do I Love You?" – The Ronettes (8/1/1964, #34)
• "Walking in the Rain" – The Ronettes (12/5/1964, #23)
• "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" – The Righteous Brothers (2/6/1965 #1, UK #1)
• "Just Once in My Life" – The Righteous Brothers (5/15/1965, #9)
• "Unchained Melody" – The Righteous Brothers (8/28/1965, #4)
• "Ebb Tide" – The Righteous Brothers (1/8/1966, #5)
• "River Deep – Mountain High" – Ike & Tina Turner (6/18/1966, #88 UK #3)
• "Love Is All I Have to Give" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (5/3/1969, #65)
• "Black Pearl" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (7/5/1969, #13)
• "Proud Mary" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (11/1/1969, #69)
• "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" – John Lennon (3/28/1970, #3)
• "The Long and Winding Road"/"For You Blue" – The Beatles (6/13/1970, #1)
• "My Sweet Lord" – George Harrison (12/26/1970, #1)
• "What Is Life" – George Harrison (3/27/1971, #10)
• "Power to the People" – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (5/15/1971, #11)
• "Try Some, Buy Some" – Ronnie Spector (5/22/1971, #77)
• "Bangla Desh" – George Harrison (9/11/1971, #23)
• "Imagine" – John Lennon (11/13/1971, #3)
• "Rock 'n' Roll High School" – Ramones (8/4/1979, UK #67)
• "Baby, I Love You" – Ramones (2/4/1980, UK #8)
• "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" – Ramones (5/16/1980, #54)
• "Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (10/20/1990 Reissue, #13)
• "Silence Is Easy" – Starsailor (1/9/2003, UK #8)