Wednesday January 12, 2022 “Walking in the Rain” Ronettes (Ronnie Spector)

So it’s a sad Song of the Day as Ronnie Spector, the voice of the Ronettes left the stage today.

Those of us of a certain age have grown accustomed to losing artists that we grew up with so you would think that one more would just be another name on the list.  But Ronnie Spector, she was special, an immediately identifiable, romantic voice singing songs that were in the first person and seductively directed at you and she was the object of so much teenage lust that she was the superstar before it became an overused term.

The Ronettes, sisters Veronica (aka Ronnie) and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley first started harmonizing together as teenagers in a group they called the Darling Sisters and won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater.  In a remarkable right place at the right time in 1961, they were standing in line to get into the Peppermint Lounge, the NYC home of the twist dance craze, when a manager mistook them for an act he'd booked. They performed to great response, were quickly hired as regulars and the odyssey began. 

Although the Ronettes never had the number one hits in the 60s that they deserved, Ronnie Spector kept them on the radio and in our hearts with her vocals and the wall of sound behind her.  She would return in 1986 with Eddie Money, a big fan of Ronnie, on his top ten hit  “Take Me Home Tonight”.

I had the opportunity to briefly meet Ronnie in the 80s when she was playing a small club in Hoboken NJ on a snowy Christmas week evening.  She sounded wonderful and was sweet and friendly.

Stay safe and well…and just like Ronnie said, be my little baby.

I want him, and I need him,

And someday someway woo I'll meet him

He'll be kind of shy, and real good lookin' too

And I'll be certain he's my guy by the things he'll like to do

 Like walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)

And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above

And being so in love

 When he's near me, I'll kiss him,

And when he leaves me woo I'll miss him

Though sometimes we'll fight, I won't really care

And I'll know it's gonna be alright 'cause we've got so much we share

 Like walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)

And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above

And being so in love

 (Johnny) no no he'll never do

(Bobby) no it isn't him too

They would never no they'd never never ever ever love

Walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)

And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above

And being so in love

 Oh oh oh where can he be oh oh