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.
Keep on dancing
The Ronettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tryin' hard to catch my baby's eye
Since the party started you've been after him
And I can see you wanna steal my guy
And it's kind of fun to watch you try
So keep on dancing little girl
Keep on dancing little girl
'Round and around now little girl
You're only wasting time he's all mine
He loves me keep on dancing little girl
You think you're gonna take his love away from me
Just because you dance the way you do
Don't you see he hasn't even looked your way
So you can try until the night is through
But baby he ain't going home with you
So keep on dancing little girl
Keep on dancing little girl
'Round and 'round now little girl
Keep on dancng little girl
You're only wasting time he's all mine
He loves me keep on dancing little girl
Keep on dancing (repeat and fade out)
In The Ronettes's song "Keep on Dancing," the singer is essentially taunting a young woman who is trying to catch the attention of her boyfriend. The singer has been watching the girl all night, and she can see that the girl is determined to "steal [her] guy." The singer finds the situation amusing, and encourages the girl to keep dancing and trying to win the singer's boyfriend over. However, the singer is quick to remind the girl that her efforts are in vain - he loves the singer, not her.
The lyrics are quite playful, and the upbeat music reinforces this lighthearted tone. It's interesting to consider the gender dynamics at play here, as the singer seems to view the other woman as a harmless distraction rather than a threat. The song could be read as a celebration of the singer's own desirability and her confidence in her relationship.
Overall, "Keep on Dancing" is a fun, catchy pop song with a cheeky edge. It's certainly a product of its time (it was released in 1963), but it remains a classic example of the girl group sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Little girl, you know that I've been watchin' you
I have been noticing you for a while now, even though I don't know you well.
Tryin' hard to catch my baby's eye
You are doing your best to get my partner's attention.
Since the party started you've been after him
Ever since this party began, you have been pursuing him.
And I can see you wanna steal my guy
I can see that you have a desire to take away my man from me.
And it's kind of fun to watch you try
I have to admit, it's entertaining to observe your futile attempts.
So keep on dancing little girl
Continue dancing, girl.
Keep on dancing little girl
Keep on moving to the beat, young lady.
'Round and around now little girl
Keep on going in circles, little one.
Keep on dancing little girl
Don't stop dancing, dear.
You're only wasting time he's all mine
However, you are just wasting your time because he is already mine.
He loves me keep on dancing little girl
He is in love with me, so continue dancing but know that he is not interested in you.
You think you're gonna take his love away from me
You believe you can steal his love from me.
Just because you dance the way you do
However, your way of dancing is not enough to win his heart over mine.
Don't you see he hasn't even looked your way
You have failed to recognize that he has not even glanced at you.
So you can try until the night is through
Thus, you can keep on trying until the night is over.
But baby he ain't going home with you
Yet, dear, he is not going home with you.
So keep on dancing little girl
Keep on dancing to the music, sweetheart.
Keep on dancing little girl
Don't stop moving your feet, darling.
'Round and 'round now little girl
Keep on rotating in circles, little one.
Keep on dancng little girl
You better keep on dancing, young lady.
You're only wasting time he's all mine
I'll repeat once more, you are only wasting your time because he belongs to me.
He loves me keep on dancing little girl
I'll reiterate that he loves me, so keep on dancing but be aware that he does not love you.
Keep on dancing (repeat and fade out)
Keep on dancing, and the song will continue to play until it fades out.
Contributed by Josiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@robinandthe7hoods507
I never tired of listening to this group...Every song is a classic!..Spector was a genius!
@rastasrosco1318
Keep on Dancing up in Heaven pretty little girl , both the pretty Bennett girls dancing away up there. Thank you for the memories Ronnie and Estelle.
@haroldsmith1213
the ronettes have never become outdated ,for me they are as real as the first time i ever heard them-they were a gift to us all .
@lordpicchio
RIP Ronnie. We’ll keep on dancing forever in this crazy but beautiful world.
@jamesstrutz4937
DAMN THEY WERE THE BEST GIRLS GROUP I'VE EVER HEARD!!! THERE WAS A NEW SONG OUT EVERY WEEK BACK IN THE 50'S & 60'S. SO MANY GREAT GROUPS 👍 !!!!!!!!!!!
@Medina.1014
One of the few songs I’ve cried to... gorgeous beyond perfection
@chrisns3239
This song is unique because it features Ronnie and Nedra singing in unison. Worked well. Agree should have been released.
@daverobertswales
A fantastic song, RIP Ronnie.
@annach7914
Ronnie and Estelle dancing away to this song in heaven❤❤️❤️
@davidfriedlander5261
I am and always have been mad keen for Nedra Talley!