The In-Between Years (or The Empire Strikes Back)

In the playlist below some of the genres that were popular during the so-called 'in-between years': Girl Groups, different kinds of Phil Spector produced records, the uptown RnB of Motown Records, Surf and Hot Rod combos and the different iterations of the folk revival.

As you listen consider the following records by two of the most popular of the Girl Groups:

The Ronettes, "Be My Baby"
The Crystals, "Then He Kissed Me"
The Crystals, "Da Doo Ron Ron"

These records were written by the same pair of songwriters, Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann and produced by Phil Spector as he was building his wall of sound.

Then compare these to Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" which is still a Weill/Mann song but was NOT produced by Phil Spector.

Finally consider these records with Spector's wall of sound in full-effect:

Ike & Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High"
The Righteous Brothers, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling"

Be ready to identify the characteristics of Spector's production style.

General In-Between The Years playlist here. Specific playlists linked below.

• Phil Spector Productions
• The Wrecking Crew! : Tracks Recorded by the Wrecking Crew
• Brill Building Songwriters: Goffin/King
• Brill Building Songwriters: Mann/Weill
• Brill Building Songwriters: Greewich/Barry
• Girl Groups Playlist
• Motown: Mainly Holland-Dozier-Holland

Readings:
Keightley, "Reconsidering Rock"

nb. We will discuss the issues and concepts raised in it after the exam. I do however urge you to read it as it offers a lot of points that would help your review and understanding of material tied to the 'in-between years'.

In Garofalo you should read up to and including Chapter 6.

Phil Spector