The group's career:
Sisters Estelle (born 1941) and Veronica Bennett (born 1943), and their cousin Nedra Talley (born 1946), began singing together as teenagers in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Encouraged by their grandmother, they entered and won a talent show at the Apollo Theatre in 1959, as The Darling Sisters. Phillip Halikus saw their potential, became their manager, and promoted their early appearances at hops and charity shows.
In 1961, while standing in line at the Peppermint Lounge, they were mistaken for a singing trio that had not arrived and were ushered on stage. After performing Ray Charles' "What'd I Say", they were signed to appear regularly there and in Miami. Later that year, they danced in shows staged by disc jockey Murray the K, but, contrary to many sources, did not appear in the 1961 film Twist Around the Clock. They did get a record deal with the Colpix label, and, as Ronnie & the Relatives, released their first single "I Want a Boy". They also worked as backing singers for Bobby Rydell, Del Shannon, and Joey Dee & The Starliters. Renamed as The Ronettes, they issued several more singles with Colpix and recorded an album, unissued at the time, but had little early commercial success.
In 1963 they came to the attention of producer Phil Spector, who was looking for a new girl group to assume The Crystals' mantle. He was taken with Ronnie's voice and style, and signed The Ronettes to his Philles label. As Spector's new protégées, they were given a strong image as "bad girls", with beehive hairdos, heavy eyeliner, and tight skirts. Their first Philles single was "Be My Baby", co-written by Spector with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, and arranged and produced by Spector. It became a worldwide hit, reaching # 2 on the U.S. pop chart, # 4 on the R&B chart, and # 4 on the UK chart. The follow-up, "Baby, I Love You", had an even denser arrangement, featuring Leon Russell on piano, and backing vocals from Darlene Love and Cher, among others. It was slightly less successful, reaching # 24 in the United States and # 11 in the United Kingdom. The Ronettes also featured on Spector's album "A Christmas Gift for You".
Early in 1964 The Ronettes toured England with The Rolling Stones and met The Beatles. They continued to have hits with "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up" (# 39 U.S., # 43 UK), "Do I Love You?" (# 34 U.S., # 35 UK), and "Walking in the Rain" (# 24 U.S.), which won a Grammy for Best Sound Effects, the only one Spector ever received. However, their LP, "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica", only reached # 96 and other singles were less successful; musical tastes had moved beyond the girl group sound, and the Ronettes were unable to maintain their relevance. After criss-crossing the United States and Canada as one of the opening acts for the final concert tour of The Beatles, they disbanded at the end of 1966.
Later events:
Estelle Bennett and Nedra Talley each married and, in 1968, Ronnie Bennett married Phil Spector and retired from performance for several years. In 1971, under Spector's direction, Ronnie recorded "Try Some, Buy Some" for the Beatles' Apple label. This was her last charting record, reaching # 77 in the spring of 1971.
In 1973, as she and Spector were about to divorce, she returned to performing at Richard Nader's "Rock and Roll Revival" show at Madison Square Garden. Her new version of The Ronettes at that time included Denise Edwards and Chip Fields, and they issued two singles on the Buddah label.
In 1988, the original Ronettes sued Spector for nonpayment of royalties. In 2001, a New York court announced a verdict in favor of the Ronettes, ordering Spector to pay nearly three million dollars in back royalties; however, the judgment was later overturned on appeal. On February 11, 2009 Estelle Bennett was found dead at her home in Englewood, New Jersey. She was 67.
Awards and recognition:
The Ronettes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.
It was believed that Phil Spector, in his capacity as a member of the Board of Governors, deliberately prevented the Ronettes (and Darlene Love) from being nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although they had been eligible for a considerable period. The alleged reasons included the acrimonious divorce of Ronnie and Spector, in addition to the group having (unsuccessfully) sued Spector for back royalties. While Spector was awaiting trial on a murder charge and out on $1 million bail, the Ronettes were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the March 12, 2007, induction ceremony held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Keith Richards, a self-confessed longtime fan, inducted the trio. Ronnie Bennett (Spector) and Nedra Talley performed "Baby, I Love You," "Walking In the Rain" and "Be My Baby." Estelle Bennett was present to accept her award but did not perform.
Breaking Up
The Ronettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't wait to have you back and hold you, oh, so tight
Tell me why (tell me why), I want to know (I want to know), oh oh
Tell me why (tell me why) is it so (is it so), oh oh
That the best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
Best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
But, after breakin' up
Every time you leave, I get those teardrops in my eyes
But they seem to go away when you apologize
Tell me why (tell me why), I want to know (I want to know), oh oh
Tell me why (tell me why) is it so (is it so), oh oh
That the best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
Best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
But, after breakin' up
Be sure you're making up with me
C'mon, baby, c'mon baby
Don't say, "Maybe"
Well, it makes no difference who was wrong
Just as long as I'll be with you
Baby, I'll be lonely till you're back where you should be
But, baby, I belong to you and you belong to me
Tell me why (tell me why), I want to know (I want to know), oh oh
Tell me why (tell me why) is it so (is it so), oh oh
That the best part of breakin' up is when you're making up (tell me why)
Best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
But, after breakin' up
Be sure you're making up with
The best part of breakin' up is when you know
That you're making up with me
C'mon, baby, c'mon baby
Don't say, "maybe"
C'mon, baby
Ooh-eee, maybe
C'mon, baby
Don't say, "maybe"
The Ronettes' "The Best Part of Breakin' Up" is a song about the ups and downs of a relationship, specifically the moments before and after a break-up. The lyrics convey the idea that while breaking up may be painful, the act of reconciling can bring about a sense of closeness and intimacy that heightens the connection between two people. The singer expresses that the "best part of breakin' up" is when she and her partner make up and reaffirm their commitment to each other. The lyrics stress the importance of communication to repair the damages that occur in a relationship and move forward together.
Throughout the song, the singer conveys a sense of vulnerability and insecurity, indicating how difficult it is for her to imagine a life without her partner. She sings about the tears she sheds when he leaves, but these tears disappear when he apologizes or comes back to her. The song, therefore, shows both the emotional complexity of relationships and the hope of reconciliation that exists at their core.
In conclusion, the song is a classic example of the girl-group sound of the '60s, featuring soulful vocals and a catchy, upbeat melody. Its themes of love, loss, and reconciliation have resonated with audiences for decades, and it remains a testament to the enduring power of the Ronettes' music.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, when we break up from a quarrel or a fight
When we have an argument and break up, I can't wait to have you back and hold you tight.
Tell me why (tell me why), I want to know (I want to know), oh oh
I need to know why the best part of breakin' up is when we're making up.
That the best part of breakin' up is when you're making up
The highlight of breaking up is the reconciliation afterward.
But, after breakin' up
Be sure you're making up with me
If we break up, make sure you reconcile with me and not someone else.
Every time you leave, I get those teardrops in my eyes
But they seem to go away when you apologize
When you leave, I cry, but I forgive you when you say sorry.
C'mon, baby, c'mon baby
Don't say, "Maybe"
Please come back to me and don't hesitate.
Well, it makes no difference who was wrong
Just as long as I'll be with you
It doesn't matter who's to blame, as long as we're together.
Baby, I'll be lonely till you're back where you should be
But, baby, I belong to you and you belong to me
I'll feel lonely until you return, but we belong to each other.
That the best part of breakin' up is when you're making up (tell me why)
I still don't understand why reconciling after a breakup is the best part.
C'mon, baby
Ooh-eee, maybe
Please come back to me, even though you may be hesitant.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PHIL SPECTOR, VINCENT JR PONCIA, PETER ANDREOLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeff Barley
What a production, what a song! How this kind of music never grows old, shame is, it is never played enough on today's radio. Perhaps it's just too good for today!
Jeff Barley
Fran Labosco
I absolutely agree
Zoe the French girl
I agree........it is so otherworldly, so very beautiful this music......
Peter Halstead
Well said😑
Moka LARE
Today’s people have artists of their era. Lol
krzysztof Wszechświat
@Moka LARE Dzisiejsza muzyka jest, z plastiku miksery za artystów grają i śpiewają
Tom Lord
Still gives me goosebumps after all these years. Phil was weird, but damn! he was good!
Peter Halstead
Yupper..you said it.
ALPHA
Bro I’m partially here for the Black vs Mixed race comments. Plus, how nobody talks about how much of a psycho Phil is considering today’s climate of toxicity😆
D Glynn
@ALPHA Phil was a musical genius but a miserable person. He ruined the Ronettes career to have sole possession of it's main songbird.