Back to Mono (1958–1969)
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| Allmusic |  [1] |
Back to Mono (1958–1969) is a box set four-disc compilation of the recorded work of record producer Phil Spector, through the 1960s, released in 1991 by ABKCO as #7118-2. The first track, "To Know Him Is to Love Him," released in 1958, features Spector performing as part of the group The Teddy Bears. Initially a vinyl album-sized package, the box contained a booklet with photographs, complete song lyrics, discographical information, and a reproduction of the essay on Spector by Tom Wolfe, "The First Tycoon of Teen." The package also contained a small, round, red "Back to Mono" pin.
Content
Back to Mono surveys recordings leading up to and featuring the Wall of Sound, Spector's famed production trademark. Starting with "He's A Rebel" on disc one, through "I'll Never Need More Than This" and including disc four, all of the musical arrangements are by Jack Nitzsche. The list of musicians contributing to the tracks number in the hundreds, but prominent among them are Brian Wilson, Hal Blaine, Sonny Bono, Red Callender, Glen Campbell, Al DeLory, Steve Douglas, Jim Gordon, Jim Horn, Carol Kaye, Barney Kessel, Larry Knechtel, Jay Migliori, Ray Pohlman, Don Randi, Lyle Ritz, Billy Strange, Tommy Tedesco, Bill Pitman, and Nino Tempo.
The set collects every single produced by Spector and issued on the Philles label, with the exception of Philles 132, "White Cliffs of Dover" by The Righteous Brothers, which did not chart. Of the catalogue items Philles 100 through 136, the set omits: Philles 101, 103, and 104, produced by Spector's early business partner and label namesake, Lester Sill; Philles 133, produced by Jeff Barry, although its b-side produced by Spector, "When I Saw You," does appear; and Philles 134, produced by Bob Crewe. Philles 105, withdrawn initially in 1962 owing to its controversial subject matter, has also been included. Both "Walking in the Rain" by The Ronettes and "Stumble and Fall" by Darlene Love are listed in most discographies, including the box booklet, as Philles 123. The single "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," initially released in 1963 as Philles 119, was re-released the following year as Philles 125 with a different b-side, and did not chart either year. Philles 134 through 136 were not released in the United States; however, there are DJ promo pressings of 136.
In addition to the Philles singles catalogue, the first three discs present Spector productions for other labels, various unreleased material, and two album tracks from Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica, Philles 4006, and one from River Deep - Mountain High, Philles 4011. Spector created additional imprints for specific projects, such as the Phil Spector label to promote the solo career of Veronica, the future Mrs. Spector, Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett of The Ronettes. Some of those items also appear on these discs.
The fourth disc contains the entirety of the holiday album released on the same day as the JFK assassination, A Christmas Gift for You, purportedly the only long-playing album from his Philles heyday that Spector worked on with the same intensity that he generally lavished on the singles. It peaked at #13 on the Christmas Albums chart in 1963, although a reissue in 1972 went to #6.
In 2003, the album was ranked number 64 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. With the exception of an anthology of his productions for the girl group The Paris Sisters, Back to Mono represents the totality of Spector's singles from this period in print, as of Spring, 2007.
Track listing
All selections produced by Phil Spector, except "Spanish Harlem" produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Disc One
| Track | Catalogue | Release Date | Chart Peak | Song Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Dore 503 | December 1958 | #1 | To Know Him Is To Love Him | Phil Spector | The Teddy Bears | 2:23 |
| 2. | Dunes 2002 | January 1961 | #9 | Corrina, Corrina | Mitchell Parish, Bo Chatman, J. Mayo Williams | Ray Peterson | 2:40 |
| 3. | Atco 6185 | 1961 | #10 | Spanish Harlem | Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector | Ben E. King | 2:51 |
| 4. | Dunes 2007 | August 1961 | #7 | Pretty Little Angel Eyes | Tommy Boyce and Curtis Lee | Curtis Lee | 2:45 |
| 5. | Musicor 1011 | September 1961 | #42 | Every Breath I Take | Gerry Goffin and Carole King | Gene Pitney | 2:43 |
| 6. | Gregmark 6 | October 1961 | #5 | I Love How You Love Me | Barry Mann and Larry Kolber | The Paris Sisters | 2:06 |
| 7. | Dunes 2008 | November 1961 | #46 | Under the Moon of Love | Tommy Boyce and Curtis Lee | Curtis Lee | 2:50 |
| 8. | Philles 100 | January 1962 | #20 | There's No Other (Like My Baby) | Phil Spector and Leroy Bates | The Crystals | 2:31 |
| 9. | Philles 102 | May 1962 | #13 | Uptown | Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann | The Crystals | 2:19 |
| 10. | Philles 105 | withdrawn | He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss) | Gerry Goffin and Carole King | The Crystals | 2:32 | |
| 11. | Philles 106 | August 1962 | #1 | He's a Rebel | Gene Pitney | The Crystals | 2:25 |
| 12. | Philles 107 | January 1963 | #8 | Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah | Ray Gilbert and Allie Wrubel | Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans | 2:49 |
| 13. | Philles 108 | February 1963 | #43 | Puddin' N' Tain | Gary Pipkin, Alonzo Willis, Brice Coefield | The Alley Cats | 2:48 |
| 14. | Philles 109 | February 1963 | #11 | He's Sure The Boy I Love | Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil | The Crystals | 2:44 |
| 15. | Philles 110 | March 1963 | #38 | Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts | Ellie Greenwich, Tony Powers, Phil Spector | Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans | 2:48 |
| 16. | Philles 111 | May 1963 | #39 | (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry | Greenwich, Powers, Spector | Darlene Love | 2:48 |
| 17. | Philles 112 | June 1963 | #3 | Da Doo Ron Ron | Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector | The Crystals | 2:17 |
| 18. | unreleased | Heartbreaker | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Crystals | 2:34 | ||
| 19. | Phil Spector 2 | Why Don't They Let Us Fall in Love | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | Veronica | 2:39 | ||
| 20. | unreleased | Chapel of Love | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | Darlene Love | 2:24 | ||
| 21. | Philles 113 | July 1963 | #63 | Not Too Young To Get Married | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans | 2:27 |
| 22. | Philles 114 | September 1963 | #26 | Wait Til My Bobby Gets Home | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | Darlene Love | 2:23 |
| 23. | Philles 122 | August 1964 | #98 | All Grown Up | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Crystals | 2:49 |
Disc Two
| Track | Catalogue | Release Date | Chart Peak | Song Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Philles 116 | October 1963 | #2 | Be My Baby | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:40 |
| 2. | Philles 115 | September 1963 | #6 | Then He Kissed Me | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Crystals | 2:37 |
| 3. | Philles 117 | November 1963 | #53 | A Fine Fine Boy | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | Darlene Love | 2:46 |
| 4. | Philles 118 | February 1964 | #24 | Baby, I Love You | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:50 |
| 5. | Philles LP 4006 | 1964 | #96 | I Wonder | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:51 |
| 6. | unreleased | Girls Can Tell | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Crystals | 2:36 | ||
| 7. | Philles 119x | February 1964 | #92 | Little Boy | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Crystals | 2:59 |
| 8. | Shirley 500 | Hold Me Tight | John Lennon and Paul McCartney | The Treasures | 2:53 | ||
| 9. | Philles 120 | May 1964 | #39 | The Best Part of Breakin' Up | Vini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil Spector | The Ronettes | 3:02 |
| 10. | unreleased | Soldier Baby Of Mine | Poncia, Andreoli, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:52 | ||
| 11. | Philles 131 | Strange Love | Poncia, Andreoli, Spector | Darlene Love | 3:00 | ||
| 12. | Philles 123 | 1964 | Stumble And Fall | Poncia, Andreoli, Spector | Darlene Love | 2:22 | |
| 13. | Philles 133b | 1966 | When I saw you | Spector | The Ronettes | 2:43 | |
| 14. | Phil Spector 1 | So Young | William Tyus | Veronica | 2:36 | ||
| 15. | Philles 121 | August 1964 | #34 | Do I Love You? | Poncia, Andreoli, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:50 |
| 16. | unreleased | Keep On Dancing | Greenwich, Barry, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:32 | ||
| 17. | Philles LP 4006 | 1964 | #96 | You, baby | Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann, Phil Spector | The Ronettes | 2:56 |
| 18. | unreleased | Woman in love | Weil, Mann, Spector | The Ronettes | 2:56 | ||
| 19. | Philles 123 | December 1964 | #23 | Walking in the Rain | Weil, Mann, Spector | The Ronettes | 3:16 |
Disc Three
Disc Four: A Christmas Gift for You
Initially released as Philles 4005, November 22, 1963
