Say Goodbye to Hollywood · Ronnie Spector · The E Street Band

[Donkees]

When Springsteen was legally prevented from recording, his band cut “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” with Ronnie Spector

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-ronnie-spector-and-the-e-street-band-cover-billy-joel-98225/

[Donkees]

1. Family Statement on the Passing of Ronnie Spector:

Family Statement on the Passing of Ronnie Spector:

Our beloved earth angel, Ronnie, peacefully left this world today after a brief battle with cancer. She was with family and in the arms of her husband, Jonathan.

Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude.

Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her.

In lieu of flowers, Ronnie requested that donations be made to your local women’s shelter or to the American Indian College Fund.

A celebration of Ronnie’s life and music will be announced in the future.

The family respectfully asks for privacy at this time.

[Deuxcents]

2. Ty..

What a voice! Was that Clarence on sax? His bday was just a couple of days ago...thankfully, we have recording but our losses still hurt.

[Donkees]

3. Yes, it was Jan 1977 ...

In January of 1977, Steve Van Zandt decided to take the entire E Street Band into CBS Studios in New York to help Ronnie Spector finally launch a solo career. “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” sounded like a Ronettes record, so he made the wise choice to have Ronnie herself cover it. “I didn’t do any shows for seven years and was so isolated,” she said in 2013. “So when I came back with ‘Say Goodbye to Hollywood,’ I was so shocked that anyone cared. When I went to play at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey in the Seventies, there’s Bruce up onstage and Billy Joel sitting next to me. These people idolized me and I was saying, ‘Me?'”

The single came out in the summer of 1977 with “Baby Please Don’t Go” on the flip side, marking the first time the E Street got credit on any official recording. (Springsteen wouldn’t credit them until his 1986 live box set.) It was Ronnie’s first time stepping out of Phil Spector’s shadow, albeit backed by a group that worshipped his production techniques. There was talk of a whole album, but Ronnie just couldn’t commit at the time.

“It came at a time that was really difficult for me,” she said in 1999. “I had to keep going back to Hollywood to visit the kids in foster homes while things were in a difficult state. Bruce would call and want me to come and finish a track, but I’d have to say I couldn’t. I couldn’t give 100 percent, so that’s one of the reasons that there wasn’t an album at that time. I’m pretty sure that Bruce would still have some other unreleased tracks. I can’t really remember exactly.”

The experience left a big mark on Steve Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen, and three years later they teamed up with Gary U.S. Bonds, another one of their heroes from the early 1960s, and cut two albums with him that produced actual radio hits. They talked about starting a label devoted entirely to resurrecting the careers of their childhood idols, but they both got caught up in the whirlwind of the 1980s and didn’t have the time.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-ronnie-spector-and-the-e-street-band-cover-billy-joel-98225/

[Deuxcents]

5. Ty for this n your post below

Reading about our music history n being so young at the time, I appreciate it so much more. To tell the truth, some of these facts even make me feel more connected. Never took music appreciation and just applied to myself at the time but behind the music and what inspired the music n the person writing n/or performing makes it more meaningful. Getting old but never too old for music n he music of my generation is one genre I love. Ty, again

[Donkees]

6. Ronnie credited John Lennon with pointing her in the direction of Asbury Park

Excerpt:

“Let me tell you (a) little story of how I got to Asbury Park in the first place,” said Spector to the USA Today Network New Jersey in 2017. “I am walking down the street in New York City, mid-'70s and I hear this voice yell out, 'Hey Ronnie, Ronnie Ronette,' so I turn around and it’s John Lennon. I actually met John the first night we landed in the U.K. in January '64. Anyway, John asked me how am I doing, and I tell him, 'Not good, I need to make music.' John said he was busy being a house husband taking care of his son, but introduced me to his engineer, Jimmy Iovine.”

Iovine was the engineer for “Born to Run.”

“That night, Jimmy invited me down to the Record Plant where he was working with a band from Jersey,” Spector said. “When I walked into the studio, I met Little Steven (Van Zandt), who was producing Southside Johnny and Springsteen was there, too, and right on spot Bruce re-wrote a song for me and Johnny to sing as a duet, “You Mean So Much to Me Baby.” They were all excited when I showed up, and more excited when I started to sing. I was surprised they knew me.

“After that I started hanging out in Asbury Park with the guys, doing shows at the Stone Pony and all over the place. The second part of my career really started in Asbury Park. Those guys treated me like a sister and really helped me get back to what I loved doing, rock 'n' roll. They always looked out for me, and would never let me get into any trouble!”

The Jersey connection continued for Spector until the end. Carteret native Dennis Diken, drummer for the Smithereens, kept the beat for Spector's live shows in recent years. Playing drums with her was a dream come true. I learned so much from listening to The Ronettes records when I was growing up so when it came time to play the intro to ‘Be My Baby’ I was like a racehorse waiting at the starting gate. I’ll always treasure the time I spent with Ronnie.”

https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/01/12/ronnie-spector-tribute-stone-pony-new-jersey-bruce-springsteen/9194393002/

[Donkees]

7. Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes with Ronnie Spector - You Mean So Much to Me

[Donkees]

4. Live from The Palladium New York 11/4/76 Ronnie Spector with The E Street Band

[Donkees]

8. Ronnie Spector - I'll Follow The Sun

vimeo.com/665360424