The Ronettes discography explained

Artist:The Ronettes
Studio:1
Compilation:11
Singles:15
Option:8
Option Name:Other albums

This article is a discography for American singing group The Ronettes. The Ronettes began recording with Colpix Records in 1961 and recorded eleven songs for Colpix. In March 1963, the group moved to Phil Spector's Philles Records, where they achieved their biggest success.

Albums

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
US
R&B
[3]
JPN
Philles Records Presents Today's Hits[4]
  • Released: 1963
  • Label: Philles
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector
  • Released: 1963
  • Label: Philles
12[5] 5
The Ronettes Featuring Veronica[6]
The Best of the Ronettes
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Phil Spector/ABKCO
91
Be My Baby: The Very Best of the Ronettes[7]
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Phil Spector/Legacy
273
Everything You Wanted to Know About the Ronettes ...But Were Afraid to Ask
  • Released: 2017
  • Label: For Collectors Only
Stereo Singles Collection
  • Released: 2024
  • Label: Select-O-Hits
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationAlbum
US
[8]
US
R&B
[9]
BEL
(FL)

[10]
BEL
(WA)

[11]
CAN
RPM

[12]
FRA
[13]
GER
[14]
NOR
[15]
UK
[16]
"I Want a Boy"
"Sweet Sixteen"
1961The Ronettes Featuring Veronica
"I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead"
"I'm on the Wagon" or "My Guiding Angel"
1962
"Silhouettes"
"You Bet I Would"
"Good Girls"
"Memory"
"Be My Baby"
"Tedesco & Pitman" (Non-album track)
19632 44 15 193 60 9 4 Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
"Baby, I Love You"
"Miss Joan & Mr Sam" (Non-album track)
24 611
"(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up"
"Big Red" (Non-album track)
196439 43
"Do I Love You?"
"Bebe & Susu" (Non-album track)
34 1114 35
"Walking in the Rain"
"How Does it Feel?"
23 316
"Born to Be Together"
"Blues for Baby"
196552 29 Non-album tracks
"Is This What I Get for Loving You?"
"Oh, I Love You"
75
"I Can Hear Music"
"When I Saw You" (from Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes)
1966100
"You Came, You Saw, You Conquered"
"Oh, I Love You"
196973
"Lover Lover"
"Go Out and Get It"
1973
"I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine"
"I Wonder What He's Doing"
1974
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

Other charted and certified songs

TitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
US
AUS
[18]
CAN
Hot

[19]
FRA
GER
NL
[20]
NZ
[21]
SWE
[22]
SWI
[23]
UK
"Sleigh Ride"19638 29 15 122 39 11 22 50 15 20 A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector
"Frosty the Snowman"
  • RIAA: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

Unreleased music

Songs Produced by Phil Spector[25]

The Ronettes recorded many songs for producer Phil Spector that were not released until after the group disbanded in 1967. Today, some of their originally unreleased songs are just as critically applauded as their biggest hits. Below is an accurate chart of the unreleased songs the Ronettes recorded for Philles Records that did not see a release. These songs were first issued on later compilation albums, mentioned respectively. Four of the songs below—"The Twist", "Mashed Potato Time", "Hot Pastrami" and "The Wah-Watusi"—were released, and credited to, popular Philles contracted singing group The Crystals, on their 1963 Philles LP, The Crystals Sing The Greatest Hits.[25]

Title Date Recorded[26] Album Issued On Notes
"The Twist" 1963 The Crystals Sing
The Greatest Hits
Credited to The Crystals.
"Mashed Potato Time"
"Hot Pastrami"
"The Wah-Watusi" Credited to The Crystals. Features Nedra Talley on lead vocals.
"Keep on Dancing" 1964 Phil Spector Wall of Sound:
Rare Masters, Vol 2.
Features Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra singing lead in unison.
"Girls Can Tell" Phil Spector Wall of Sound:
Rare Masters, Vol 1.
Erroneously credited to The Crystals. A version sung by The Crystals, with Lala Brooks on lead vocals, does exist.
"Paradise" 1965 Covered by the Shangri-Las as well as the Supremes.
"Soldier Baby" Features Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra singing lead in unison.
"I'm a Woman in Love"
"Everything Under the Sun" Phil Spector Wall of Sound:
Rare Masters, Vol 2.
Features Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra singing lead in unison for most of the song, with Nedra and Estelle continuing the chorus while Ronnie gets solo lines.
"I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine" Rerecorded by Ronnie Spector in 1974 for Buddha Records, and for her 1999 solo EP She Talks to Rainbows.
"Here I Sit" Features male backing vocals.
"Lovers" The Ronettes Sing Their Greatest Hits, Vol 2. A Ronnie solo.
"Padre" Unknown Everything You Wanted To Know About The Ronettes ...But Were Afraid To Ask
"Close Your Eyes"
Someday (Baby)

Work with Jimi Hendrix

During the Summer of 1964, the Ronettes spent a lot of time hanging out at Odine's, an exclusive East Side club on Fifty-Ninth Street in Manhattan.[27] According to Ronnie, that is where the Ronettes were first introduced to Jimi Hendrix, who was an unknown guitarist there at the time. Ronnie used to get up and sing along with Hendrix as he played guitar.[27] After running into Hendrix again at a party in 1969, Estelle and Ronnie were invited into the studio to do backing vocals on Hendrix's "Earth Blues" song. Their work on the backing vocals earned The Ronettes a credit on Hendrix's posthumously released LP Rainbow Bridge, released in October 1971.[28]

Notes and References

  1. Billboard 200 chart positions:
  2. Web site: ロネッツのランキング. The Ronettes Ranking. August 13, 2021. Oricon News. ja.
  3. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart positions:
  4. Web site: Fitzmaurice. Larry. 2011-08-10. New Release: Various Artists: Phil Spector Presents the Philles Album Collection. 2021-08-13. Pitchfork. Condé Nast. en-US.
  5. Web site: 'A Christmas Gift For You' Hits New Chart Peak On Billboard 200 - The Official Phil Spector Site . 2022-06-19 . philspector.com.
  6. Web site: The Ronettes LP: The Ronettes Featuring Veronica (180g Vinyl). 2021-08-13. Bear Family Records. en.
  7. Web site: Junior. Chris M.. January 19, 2011. Long live the 'Wall of Sound'. August 13, 2021. Goldmine Magazine. en.
  8. The Ronettes Chart History (The Hot 100). December 19, 2023. Billboard.
  9. The Ronettes. 2022-01-20. Billboard. en-US.
  10. Web site: The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Ultratop Flanders. Dutch.
  11. Web site: The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Ultratop Wallonia. French.
  12. RPM magazine chart positions:
    • "Do I Love You?": July 27, 1964. RPM Top Singles. RPM. 1. 23. August 13, 2021.
    • "Walking in the Rain": November 30, 1964. RPM Top Singles. RPM. 2. 14. August 13, 2021.
    • "Born to Be Together": March 1, 1965. RPM Top Singles. RPM. 3. 1. August 13, 2021.
    • "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered": April 7, 1969. RPM Top Singles. RPM. 11. 6. August 13, 2021.
  13. Web site: Discographie The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Les Charts. Hung Medien. French.
  14. Web site: Discographie Von The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Offizielle Deutsche Charts. German.
  15. Web site: Discography The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien.
  16. Web site: Ronettes full Official Chart History. December 30, 2023. Official Charts.
  17. United Kingdom. Ronettes. 11 July 2022.
  18. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles for week of 30 December 2019. Australian Recording Industry Association. August 14, 2021.
  19. The Ronettes Chart History: Canadian Hot 100. December 19, 2023. Billboard.
  20. Web site: Discografie The Ronettes. August 14, 2021. Dutch Charts. Dutch.
  21. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. December 31, 2018. January 15, 2019. December 28, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181228083402/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles?chart=4578. live.
  22. Web site: Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52. Sverigetopplistan. December 30, 2020.
  23. Web site: Discographie The Ronettes. December 10, 2023. Swiss Hitparade. German.
  24. United States. The Ronettes. April 15, 2023.
  25. Book: Spector, Ronnie. Be my baby : how I survived mascara, miniskirts, and madness, or my life as a fabulous Ronette. 2004. New American Library. New York. 0-451-41153-6. 324–336.
  26. Book: 0-451-41153-6. 324–336. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life as a Fabulous Ronette. Spector. Ronnie. Waldron. Vince. 2004.
  27. Book: Spector, Ronnie. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, or My Life as a Fabulous Ronette. 2004. New American Library. New York. 0-451-41153-6. 99–100.
  28. Ronnie Spector, p. 336.