Customer Reviews

Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous Ronette

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For many people in their 40's and 50's, like me, The Ronettes were, and still are, the best girl group ever. Some consider "Be My Baby" the best 45 of all time, but "Walking In The Rain" is still my favorite. Ronnie Spector has shared an amazing, fascinating, and touching story. This tape is, unfortunately, abridged and the book is out of print. Ronnie Spector is a far better singer than a reader. What you get here, however, is the person who lived this story, reading it. Reading the tragic and emotional parts, you can hear her voice crack, and you know there are tears running down her face. If read by a professional reader or actor, this emotion would be lost. The tradeoff is well worth it. To write this book and then read it herself, seems rather courageous. You won't soon forget this story, or the tears in her voice. Ronnie Spector is a whole lot more than eyeliner and big hair.

This book is even more timely to read now that Ronnie's ex-hubby Phil Spector was arrested the other day for the murder of a woman in his house. It gives great insight not only into Ronnie's life story and rise to stardom but also into Phil's personality and temperament. While there is absolutely no doubt of Phil's musical genius, the man was(and possibly still is)mentally unstable(he claims to be bipolar and does not like to take his meds). I first bought and read this book when it first came out years ago but it is still a great read, one of the very best rock-bios around. It is also a great companion piece to Darlene Love's autobiography. If you are a fan of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, both books are essential reading. Very highly recommended.

This book is all about the life of Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the popular 1960's group the Ronettes. Here she tells her story of her life growing up in New York to her early days as a singer and her tumultuous marriage to producer Phil Spector. This is a very interesting autobiography and Ronnie does a super job of describing the events and people that changed her life as well as what the music industry was like back in the 60's. And she tells her story without any bitterness or resentment. You can tell that Ronnie is a real classy lady with a kind heart and a winning personality. After reading this book, one really feels like they know who Ronnie Spector is, just like she was an old friend. You really see Ronnie as a human being and understand her instead of just thinking of her as a pretty face on a record cover or a fantastic voice on a record. Buy this book today and read for yourself. The foreword was written by Cher and the introduction was written by Billy Joel. Also included are a lot of nice pictures of Ronnie as well as the Ronettes, her family and some of the people she's met. Highly recommended!

They wore the highest hair, and heels, and the shortest, tightest skirts when the Ronettes, lead singer Ronnie Bennett, first burst upon the girl group scene in the early 1960's. And their dancing: well, nobody stepped as high. They were the only girl group ever to tour with the Rolling Stones. They signed with music producer Phil Spector: at his famed Los Angeles Gold Star studios, he invented the "wall of sound" technique, backing rock singers with full orchestral sound; he wrote several monster hits for them: "Be My Baby," "Walking in the Rain," and "Baby I Love You," and they achieved mega-stardom.

Then Ronnie, rock's original bad girl, half-American Indian, half Puerto Rican, and a proud product of New York's East Harlem barrio, as were the cousins who backed her, married New York's Bronx-born Spector. He became increasingly eccentric, reclusive, and violent. She became a solo star, when and if he would let her out of the house, or the castle, as the case might be, in a marriage that drove her literally to drink -- Manischevitz, the sweetest drink she could find. It was an epically bad marriage, as people might guess who are following Phil Spector's current Los Angeles trial for murdering a woman that wanted to leave the castle.

But Ronnie busted out, endured some tough times -- Phil, who had written her greatest hits, wouldn't allow her to sing them in performance. She beat the alcoholism, and finally found her way back to her career, and, perhaps more importantly to her, to creating the family she'd always wished for.

Ronnie has given us, and continues to give us, a lot. In his introduction to this autobiography, Long Island born Billy Joel tells us that as teenagers, he and his friends always knew they were going to get lucky with the girls when "Be My Baby" boomed out of the jukebox. I've been lucky enough to see her live, several times, once at an outdoor summer concert at New York's World Trade Center, no longer on the skyline, as we all know, and watched a thousand people singing -- "For every kiss you give me, I'll give you three--" and dancing along with her: including a man who appeared to be African by his dress, dancing, transfigured, on top of a big urn.

Her autobiography, written with Vince Waldron, with a Foreward by Cher, and the Introduction by Billy Joel, is honest, open, and informative about the good years, and the bad. It stands on its own, as a good read.

I've been in love with this woman and her music ever since I saw The Ronettes live at The Brooklyn Fox Theatre in 1964. I was only 15 years old at the time. If you love Ronnie Spector as much as I do, then do yourself a favor and buy this book. It isn't only about music. It is about courage, and the ability to overcome barriers. Very inspirational. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

For Ronnie Spector fans everywhere, this book has it all. Her early days in New York City, the beginning of the Ronettes, their spectacular number 1 hit BE MY BABY, her nightmare of booze and obsession while married to that creep Phil Spector, and her triumphant return to her first love of music and singing. If you want a fascinating look at the girl groups in Rock and Roll history, then you want to read this book. She writes in a down-to-earth way that makes you feel like a good friend is telling you a heart-wrenching story of pain and loss, of fear and courage. Good going, Ronnie! We love you.

Like so many other baby boomers I grew up listening to the likes of many girl groups, doo wop, early British and American rock as well as buble gum pop of both East and West coast origin. In high school I fell in love with the sound of one of these girl groups. The voice, the smooth moves and grooves of the greatest of these groups kept me longing for more. I couldn't buy enouph of anything relating to The Ronnets. When I stumbled on this book by accident, some 7 years ago, I thought hmmm, no accident, I am destined to read and know more about my musical Lady heroine.
In this read, I learned more about Ronnie than I ever dreamed I might. I took a trip back in time and found it difficult to put this book down. I felt her pains and gains, and I grew to know more about her than I probably wanted to, after all I had been in love with the likes of this Fabulous Ronnet for so long, that it was often cause for discomfort. I learned so much about other musicians and singers from that era as well, to think that Ronnie hung out with the likes of some of them.
This is a must read for someone who thought they knew a thing or two of a time gone by and its musical influence and the people who helped make it what it was. If ever Rock-101 were taught in any format, this book need-be included.

If you're interested in early Sixties pop music in general or Phil and Ronnie Spector in particular you'll enjoy this book. Ronnie's tale is a classic rags to riches to hell story. I first saw (and fell in love) with Ronnie when she toured with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes back in the 70's. I ended up touring England with her myself, playing guitar and keyboards, in 1991 - a real experience. It was quite a surreal trip reading this book and traveling with her at the same time. Ronnie told me there were many other stories about Phil, and many affairs she had, that could NOT be mentioned in the book. Too bad - that would have made it even juicier! I have not seen the updated version of this book, but heartily recommend it.

Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life As a Fabulous RonetteI wanted to read the original edition (availability online varies) so had my library get it. I remember buying the original 45 rpm of Be My Baby and wondering how three girls in the same group could be so gorgeous. Ronnie delivers in this delicious account of her life until 1990. The story of her alcoholism makes for a depressing read, so the latter part of the book slides. For a musical and photographic overview of these years, get the 4 CD set of Phil Spector productions Back to Mono (1958-1969). Also see the Ronettes' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame video online. The book is an essential piece of Rock history, but get it through your library (unless you want to possess forever the gorgeous photographs).

A must-read for anyone interested in the Ronettes, the early 60s girl groups and Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound". I couldn't put it down. Page after page of unbelievable stuff. Wish I'd gotten the version with the "new" update by Ronnie. A real survival story, she still plays concerts these days and still has that great voice that belted out the song title of this book and "Baby I Love You". Totally recommend this!