Phil Spector Series – Chapter 8 – Post-Philles Productions – Part 2
After the A&M productions, Phil Spector went to England to work with the Beatles and Apple Records. The Apple Productions will be discussed in the next segment of this series. This segment concentrates on the rest of Phil’s Post-Philles domestic label productions – including Warner Brothers, Warner-Spector, and Sire label releases covering the 1974 through 1980 time period.
Phil & Warner-Spector - A long time Spector admirer, Mo Ostin, of Warner Bros. Records negotiated a deal with Phil Spector to form a new label to be called Warner-Spector Records. The deal was perfect for Phil. He could produce all the records he wanted to and release only the ones he saw fit. For his first record, he decided to produce Cher. He produced two songs by Cher and a duet with Harry Nilsson & Cher. Sonny and Cher had recently divorced and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour had seen its final episode. Phil got a big kick out of the pun Nilsson(ny) & Cher. The first Warner-Spector release was Cher’s “A Woman’ Story” / “Baby I Love You” [Warner-Spector 0400]. “A Woman’s Story” was a haunting reflection of a prostitute’s life – a powerful record. Cher had sung backup on the original Ronettes version of “Baby I Love You.” It has often been reported that for that record the Ronettes were actually Ronnie, Cher and Darlene Love (without Estelle and Nedra). Cher’s version of “Baby I Love You” is dramatically slower and almost unrecognizable as a cover of the original. Cher’s manager, David Geffen – who despised Spector, reportedly used his considerable industry influence to get the record pulled from America’s most important radio stations’ play lists. The record flopped.
For the second Warner-Spector release Phil again returned to his classic Christmas Album and re-released Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” paired with her version of “Winter Wonderland.” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” / “Winter Wonderland” [Warner-Spector 0401] was identical to the 1964 Philles 125 X release.
The third Warner-Spector release was the Nilsson & Cher recording of “A Love Like Yours” paired with a non Spector production of “Just Enough To Keep Me Hanging On.” The background track for “A Love Like Yours” was originally going to be used for a John Lennon record. “A Love Like Yours” / “Just Enough To Keep Me Hanging On” [Warner-Spector 0402] never saw chart activity.
After the Cher sessions, Phil began working with Dion DiMucci in hopes of reviving both of their careers. A full album called Born To Be With You was planned. Phil planned to pull out all the stops for the album. The studio was packed with performers and well wishers including Hal Blaine, Klaus Voorman, Jeff Barry, Barry Mann, Sonny, Cher, Nino Tempo, Miami Steve Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen. It was at this session that Spector is quoted as saying to Bruce “If you wanted to steal my sound, you should have got me to do it,” referring to the obvious Spector sound imitation of “Born To Run.” The session produced a song called “Baby Let’s Stick Together.” Ultimately, the song never made it to the album because it just did not fit with the other songs. It did, however, see a brief British only single release in 1976. The songs actually included on the album were dark and gloomy, filled with introspection and gloom. Dion’s manager, Zach Glickman, hated it and wanted to stop the entire album. The songs on the album included “Born To Be With You,” “Make The Woman Love Me,” “Your Own Backyard,” “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands,” “Only You Know,” “New York City Song,” “In And Out Of Showers” and “Good Lovin’ Man.” “Your Own Backyard” and “New York City Song” were not produced by Spector.
The album has since become ranked among Spector’s triumphs and stands among his most influential 70s recordings. (Personally, I agree with Glickman. Sorry, Phi!)
Pete Townsend is credited with saying that is was one of the finest albums ever made. Still, since neither Dion nor Glickman were happy with the album, Spector took advantage of his contract and cancelled the album altogether – well, at least for release on Warner-Spector in the United States. It was finally released a year later in Britain only on the Phil Spector International label. One Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil composition was released as a single from the album. It was “Make The Woman Love Me” / “Running Close Behind You” [Warner-Spector 0403]. One other song was released from the album. It was “Born To Be With You” / “Running Close Behind You,” but it was not released on Warner-Spector but rather on Big Tree-Spector 16063.
The next artists signed to Warner-Spector were Danny Potter, Jerri Bo Keno and Calhoon, a disco group. Warner-Spector singles were released by Danny Potter and Calhoon, but none with Phil Spector producing credits. Jerri Bo Keno recorded a song written by Phil and Jeff Barry called “Here It Comes (And Here I Go).” It was a great Spector production (with an irritating vocal) that was released with a Phil Spector written flip “I Don’t Know Why.” “Here It Comes (And Here I Go)” / “I Don’t Know Why” [Warner-Spector 0406] never made the US charts. Some say it was never actually released in the US but withdrawn to be released in Britain only on the Phil Spector International label as its inaugural release.
Phil went back to the old Philles vault and pulled two Ronettes productions for a Warner-Spector single release. Credited only to Ronnie Spector, “Paradise” / “When I Saw You” [Warner-Spector 0409] was released. “Paradise” is another of those records one has to wonder why Phil did not release as a single on Philles. It is astounding and among his best productions ever – perfect song to follow up on “Walking In The Rain”. The song has since been covered by many other artists, but none of those come close to the glory of Ronnie’s version.
The next single released on Warner-Spector was a Darlene Love record. Phil bought Darlene’s contract from Gamble & Huff and produced a Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil composition with Darlene giving one of her most powerful vocals ever. The song was “Lord If You’re A Woman”. For the flip side, Phil again returned to the Philles vault and picked “Stumble And Fall,” the Philles 123 jewel that had been withdrawn in favor of “Walking In The Rain.” “Lord If You’re A Woman” / “Stumble And Fall” [Warner-Spector 0410] was the last single issued on the Warner-Spector label. Phil’s record release efforts were now fully directed towards his Phil Spector International label. He had had it with the U.S. music industry sharpies.
During the Warner-Spector period, there were three album releases. The first was an album recorded by Phil’s close friend Lenny Bruce called The Law The Language And Lenny Bruce [Warner-Spector 9101] along with a promotional EP [Warner-Spector PRO598] for the album. It was a posthumous Lenny Bruce release. The album was a reissue of the Philles 410 album Lenny Bruce Is Out Again.
The second planned release was the Dion album, but it went unreleased by Warner-Spector. The next Warner-Spector album released was a reissue of Phil Spector’s Christmas Album [Warner-Spector 9103]. There is also a British only release of Phil Spector’s Christmas Album on Warner Spector K 59010. Other than the original Philles version, this British only release is the most sought after version – released on blue vinyl and including a Poster of Phil dressed as Santa.
The next and last Warner-Spector album was a double album filled with previous Phil Spector productions called Phil Spector’s Greatest Hits [Warner-Spector 9104]. This is the gate fold album with the cartoon caricatures cover featuring the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Righteous Brothers, Darlene Love, Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans and Phil Spector. This same compilation was released on Warner Special Products-Lakeside Music [OP2508] titled simply Rock & Roll Forever. This version was made for sale through television and had only a single sleeve with pictures of various Spector produced 45s on the cover. Both versions had the following note from Phil: “With the release of this album, I would like to mention some of the great record makers whose innovations and creative genius influenced me and helped to make the music industry the great art form it is. They are: Archie Bleyer, Sam Phillips, George Goldner, Jerry Wexler, Ahmet Ertegun, Neshui Ertegun, Morty Croft, Dave Bartholomew, Norman Petty, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Hy Weiss, Morris Levy & Berry Gordy, Jr.”
Phil & Warner Bros. - By 1977, the Warner-Spector label had ceased to exist, but the Phil Spector relationship with Warner Bros. was not over yet. While Phil was working with Warner-Spector, his manager was Marty Machat. Marty had other clients as well including Canadian folk singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Machat introduced his two clients, and they started working together with Cohen supplying the lyrics and Spector composing the music. Together they composed more than fifteen songs for the album. The songs that appeared on the album were “True Love Leaves No Traces,” “Iodine,” “Paper Thin Hotel,” “Memories,” “I Left A Woman Waiting,” “Don’t Go Home With Your Hard On,” “Fingerprints” and “Death Of A Ladies Man.” The album was released as Death Of A Lady’s Man [Warner Bros 3125]. The previous summer, Cohen had toured with Bob Dylan in his Rolling Thunder Review. One evening during the recording of the album, Bob Dylan came in the studio with Allen Ginsberg. They joined in providing background vocals for the song “Don’t Go Home With Your Hard On.” The album did little but horrify Leonard’s disappointed folkie fans. A single was released from the album. It was “Iodine” / “True Love Leaves No Traces” [Warner Bros 8527] and featured Ronee Blakley, another Rolling Thunder Review member, on backing vocals.
Phil & The EEOC - Brian Wilson had long been a fan of Phil’s productions. There was a proposed version of the Beach Boys song “Don’t Hurt My Little Sister” for the Ronettes. Phil produced the backing track with Brian playing piano. The Ronettes song was never recorded, but Phil saved the backing track and used it for one of the most collectible of all of Spector related items. It was issued only as a radio promo for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to increase employment of minority youth. “Things Are Changing” [EEOCT4LM-8172] was recorded over the Spector saved backing track by three different groups – the Blossoms, the Supremes and Jay & The Americans. Jerry Riopelle, who produced “Home Of The Brave” by Bonnie & The Treasures, added the Blossoms vocals over the track. Motown did the same with the Supremes as did United Artists with Jay & The Americans. All copies of the record are highly collectible bringing $400+, but the Blossoms version is by far the best and the most collectible of the three.
Phil & The Ramones – In February of 1977, the Ramones were performing at the Whisky A-Go-Go in Los Angeles to a house packed with notable music personalities including Bruce Springsteen, Darlene Love and the Kessel brothers (Dan & David, sons of Barney Kessel). Dan and David had been support musicians on many sessions for Phil, and they were convinced that Phil needed to see the Ramones show. Phil went with the Kessles the following night to see the Ramones. Phil was convinced he should produce the Ramones and began working to make that happen. It was actually two years before the project started. As Joey Ramone said, “We’d just recorded ‘Needles And Pins’ written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono, and that was about as close as you could get to Phil Spector without actually going with him. So I said ‘What about it?’ and the others were ‘Okay’. So that is when Phil went to Seymour Stein [head of the band’s Sire label] and said he was going to do it.”
At a cost of nearly a quarter of a million dollars, the resulting album, End Of The Century [Sire 6077], took four months to complete. Songs contained on the album were “Do You Remember Rock N’ Roll Radio,” “I’m Affected,” “Danny Says,” “Chinese Rock,” The Return Of Jackie And Judy,” “Let’s Go,” “Baby I Love You,” “I Can’t Make It On Time,” “This Ain’t Havana,” “Rock N’ Roll High School,” “All The Way” and “High Risk Insurance.” The album was released in 1980 and became the Ramones’ biggest selling album.
Three singles were released as a result of Phil’s work with the Ramones, but none were chart hits. The first was “Rock N’ Roll High School” / “Do You Wanna Dance (Live Version)” [Sire 1051]. Phil got label credit for remixing the title song from the movie.
The second Spector-Ramones single was “Baby I Love You” / “High Risk Insurance” [Sire 49182]. Spector produced both sides of this release.
The third and final Spector-Ramones single was “Do You Remember Rock N’ Roll Radio” / “Let’s Go” [Sire 49261]. Spector produced both sides of this release.
Today’s songs:
A Woman’s Story – Cher
A Love Like Yours – Nilsson & Cher
Paradise – Ronnie Spector
Things Are Changing – Blossoms
Baby I Love You – Ramones
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