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.
Walkin' In The Rain
The Ronettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
The Ronettes' song Walking in the Rain speaks to a universal desire for companionship and love. The lyrics describe the singer's longing for a man who is kind, good-looking, and shares her interests. The song suggests that love can manifest in the small moments, like walking in the rain, wishing on stars, and being wrapped up in the happiness that comes with being in love with someone special. The lyric "and I'll be certain he's my guy by the things he'll like to do" emphasizes that the singer is not just looking for someone who looks good on paper, but someone whose interests align with hers, and who she can share moments with.
Furthermore, the lyrics also suggest that although there will be arguments and disagreements, in the end, they will not matter much because of the strong foundation of their love. The final lines "Oh oh oh where can he be oh oh" leave the song with a sense of longing for love that has not yet arrived.
Overall, Walking in the Rain is a timeless anthem about the yearning for love, companionship, and the feeling of being wrapped up in someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
I want him, and I need him,
I desire and require this person in my life
And someday someway woo I'll meet him
At some point, and in some way, I will encounter him
He'll be kind of shy, and real good lookin' too
He will have a bashful personality but be very attractive as well
And I'll be certain he's my guy by the things he'll like to do
Through shared interests, I will know that he is the one for me
Like walking in the rain (like walking in the rain)
Engaging in simple yet romantic activities, like strolling through the rain
And wishing on the stars (and wishing on the stars) up above
Hoping and dreaming, wishing upon the celestial bodies in the sky
And being so in love
Experiencing the intense feeling of love for one another
When he's near me, I'll kiss him,
When he is in my presence, I will show him affection with a kiss
And when he leaves me woo I'll miss him
When we are apart, I will feel a strong longing for his return
Though sometimes we'll fight, I won't really care
Even if we have disagreements, they will not outweigh my love for him
And I'll know it's gonna be alright 'cause we've got so much we share
Knowing that we have many commonalities, I will have faith that everything will be okay
(Johnny) no no he'll never do
The person named Johnny is not the right one for me
(Bobby) no it isn't him too
The person named Bobby is also not the right one for me
They would never no they'd never never ever ever love
Johnny and Bobby are incapable of loving me in the way that I desire
Oh oh oh where can he be oh oh
Expressing a sense of longing and searching for the person who fits the description of my perfect match
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRY MANN, PHIL SPECTOR, CYNTHIA WEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J.C
I can’t really explain quite how much I love this song, it brings me to tears and transports me to a better place with it’s sheer majestic beauty, the earnestness, the huge galloping chorus, Ronnie’s voice, Spector’s production, the arrangement, the musicianship. Genius.
Jacquie Tellalian
RIP Ronnie!! Sweetest voice of a generation!
opentrunks
Oh I didn't know, what a bummer, and I never got to see her.
Nilcea Almeida
Uma letra linda.
Admiral37
RIP, Ronnie Spector 😥"Waking In The Rain" was the fifth of the group's eight songs that appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. It was released in October 1964 and peaked at #23 on the Hot 100. The single included sound effects of thunder and lightning which earned audio engineer Larry Levine a Grammy nomination.
Mark Pacho
I got to meet Larry Levine at Gold Star before they tore it down.
J.C
The pinnacle of popular music history.
Stephanie Ein
Recorded in one take. Rest in power, Queen.
David Burckhard
From someone who remembers when this was on the charts, I'll miss you and the Ronettes.
Dee Wojciechowski
I remember