Be My Baby

Often cited as the ultimate embodiment of Spector's concept of the Wall of Sound, "Be My Baby" is one of the best-known and most enduring songs of its era, and arguably one of the most influential pop songs of all time. Critic Jason Ankeny writes, "No less an authority than Brian Wilson has declared 'Be My Baby' the greatest pop record ever made — no arguments here."^[2]

In her autobiography, lead vocalist Ronnie Spector relates that she was on tour with Joey Dee and the Starlighters when "Be My Baby" was introduced by Dick Clark on American Bandstand as the "Record of the Century."

[edit] Legacy and influence

The song has been covered many times by artists including Andy Kim (a 1970 chart hit produced by Jeff Barry), John Lennon, The Lightning Seeds, the Bay City Rollers, the Glitzzi Girls, The Baby Skins, Blue Öyster Cult, We Are Scientists, Psyched Up Janis, Maroon 5. Glasvegas Ivy and Travis.

Brian Wilson considers his song "Don't Worry Baby" (performed by The Beach Boys to be the 'male answer' to this song. In 1986, Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" included the lyrics "Just like Ronnie sang" and Ronnie Spector herself singing part of the chorus to "Be My Baby". Mutya Buena and Amy Winehouse recently recorded a derivative song "B Boy Baby" based around the chorus for Mutya's debut album Real Girl.

The song features a famous drum intro which has been replicated on many subsequent songs:

"What You're Doing" by The Beatles (1964)
"Only Yesterday" by The Carpenters (1975)
"Say Goodbye to Hollywood" by Billy Joel (1976)
"You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" by Meatloaf (1977)
"This Angry Silence" by Television Personalities (1981)
"The Way Life's Meant To Be" by Electric Light Orchestra (1981)
"Just Like Honey" by The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)
"Sowing Seeds" by The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)
"Cry Tough" by Poison (1986)
"Joey" by Concrete Blonde (1990)
"Radio Song" by R.E.M. (1991) — the drum riff enters the song around the 3-minute mark
"Millionaire Sweeper" by Kenickie (1996)
"Everything Must Go" by Manic Street Preachers (1996)
"I.P.C. Subeditors Dictate Our Youth" by Clinic (1997)
"Resurrection" by The Misfits (1997)
"Eighties Fan" by Camera Obscura (2001)
"You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve" by Johnny Boy (2004)
"New Idols" by The Long Blondes (2004)
"Homecoming" by Green Day (2004)
"Give Me Love" by Lucky Soul (2006)
"What's a Girl To Do?" by Bat for Lashes (2006)
"Sex" by The Pipettes (2006)
"Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse (2006)
"The Weight of the World" by Editors (2007)
"Butterfly" by Supergrass (2008)
"Kenya Dig It?" by The Ruby Suns (2008)
"Good Morning Baltimore" from Hairspray (2007 film)

[edit] Pop culture references

The song is featured in a memorable scene from the television series Moonlighting.
In Bret Easton Ellis' novel, American Psycho, Timothy Price offers to pay the cab driver five dollars if he will turn up the volume of the radio playing "Be My Baby".
The Naoki Urasawa manga Monster features the song, a prominent antagonist chooses the song as his "theme music."
The Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets also features a montage of street scenes and group photographs set against the Ronettes' soundtrack.
"Be My Baby" featured on the multi-million selling soundtrack album to the 1987 film Dirty Dancing.
The first few measures after the famous drums at the beginning of the song are looped as the theme song for the CBS sitcom The Class (2006).
The song was also used in the 1989 Levi's ad "Pick Up" directed by Paul Weiland.
In a radio interview Bob Seger said the "song from 1962" mentioned in his 1976 song "Night Moves" was "Be My Baby."^{[citation needed]}
"Be My Baby" by The Ronettes is featured on the soundtrack album to Quadrophenia (1979)