10 Greatest Phil Spector Songs (Part 2)

Continued from last post

(Phil was found guilty of second degree murder charges against the actress Lana Clarkson yesterday)

4) Born To Be With You- Dion

From late in his career, here's Phil working with Dion of Dion and the Belmonts, "Runaraound Sue" and "The Wanderer". Dion's a great singer and here he is right in the middle of the strange and full mid '70's Phil Spector sound. Phil produced almost the entire album that this song is off of and it's one of his very few full length productions. (Also great off of that album is a song called "Only You Know") A swelling fat arrangement and it's "Little girl, by your side...". A one minute and forty second intro to a nearly seven minute song. It doesn't feel that long though; but anyway you can't measure this kind of stuff.



5)Unchained Melody- The Righteous Brothers

Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers gives one of the greatest vocal performances ever, and Phil cues in the waves and stars to come and back up every line. It's in that movie Ghost where they're making pottery. It's been covered a million times, it's in the modern music vernacular, it's the definition of a standard, try to think about before this song existed; you can't go back that far in time.




6) My Heart Beat A Little Bit Faster- Darlene Love

This is an obscure song and it's extremely long at almost 5 minutes if measured by the other early 60's Phil Spector songs. It starts out on Monday and by Friday he's kissed her lips. A slow, slow song so that Darlene can catch her breath. And you can have mine honey, we've got more breath than we need when we're not young anymore, I have a little faith, you're all the magic in the night that's left.




continued next post