There’s just something about a chorus of women singing a catchy melody over a dense bed of sound that feels right.
Phil Spector was a murdering villain. That is now his legacy, and it will be forevermore. But that legacy shouldn’t taint the legacy of fantastic vocal groups like The Crystals, who provided a soundtrack for my youth and who, without me knowing it, influenced the music I’d later come to love.
For a time, I found the stuff by The Crystals, The Ronnettes, and others to be dated and quaint. It was my mom’s music, not mine. It’s music for old movies (and old PEOPLE), not for listening by someone modern and with it.
Time has proved me wrong. This stuff is classic for a reason. The blaring horns, driving beat and jangling bells in “Da Doo Ron Ron” pile atop one another until its just a blanket of sound, the perfect accompaniment to the fun, energetic vocals here. If this doesn’t get you moving, you are dead inside. Great songwriting and delivery, with a dense sound that laid the groundwork for acts like My Bloody Valentine, The Apples in Stereo, and many others. Seriously! When I listen to it now, I marvel at how ahead of its time it was.
Plus, come on, just admit it: This song is STILL a banger!
