Back to Mono (1958–1969)

Back to Mono (1958–1969) is a box set that compiles tracks produced by American record producer Phil Spector between 1958 and 1969. It was released in 1991 by ABKCO. 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.

Back to Mono (1958–1969)
Box set by
ReleasedNovember 12, 1991
Recorded1958–1969
GenreOrchestral pop, rhythm and blues
Length206:12
LabelABKCO
ProducerPhil Spector
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

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 Philles 105, withdrawn initially in 1962 owing to its controversial subject matter, has also been included.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, London HAU 8298 (unreleased Philles 4011). Spector created additional imprints for specific projects, such as the Phil Spector label to promote the solo career of Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett of the Ronettes, the future Mrs. Spector. Some of those items also appear on these discs.

The fourth disc contains the entirety of the Christmas 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 #64 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time (#65 on revised 2012 list and #489 on the revised 2020 list).[2][3][4] 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

TrackCatalogueRelease DateChart PeakSong TitleWriter(s)ArtistTime
1.Dore 503December 1958#1To Know Him Is to Love HimPhil SpectorThe Teddy Bears2:23
2.Dunes 2002January 1961#9Corrine, CorrinaMitchell Parish, Bo Chatman, J. Mayo WilliamsRay Peterson2:40
3.Atco 61851961#10Spanish HarlemJerry Leiber and Phil SpectorBen E. King2:51
4.Dunes 2007August 1961#7Pretty Little Angel EyesTommy Boyce and Curtis LeeCurtis Lee2:45
5.Musicor 1011September 1961#42Every Breath I TakeGerry Goffin and Carole KingGene Pitney2:43
6.Gregmark 6October 1961#5I Love How You Love MeBarry Mann and Larry KolberThe Paris Sisters2:06
7.Dunes 2008November 1961#46Under the Moon of LoveTommy Boyce and Curtis LeeCurtis Lee2:50
8.Philles 100January 1962#20There's No Other (Like My Baby)Phil Spector and Leroy BatesThe Crystals2:31
9.Philles 102May 1962#13UptownCynthia Weil and Barry MannThe Crystals2:19
10.Philles 105withdrawnHe Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)Gerry Goffin and Carole KingThe Crystals2:32
11.Philles 106August 1962#1He's a RebelGene PitneyThe Crystals2:25
12.Philles 107January 1963#8Zip-a-Dee-Doo-DahRay Gilbert and Allie WrubelBob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans2:49
13.Philles 108February 1963#43Puddin' n' TainGary Pipkin, Alonzo Willis, Brice CoefieldThe Alley Cats2:48
14.Philles 109February 1963#11He's Sure the Boy I LoveBarry Mann and Cynthia WeilThe Crystals2:44
15.Philles 110March 1963#38Why Do Lovers Break Each Others HeartsEllie Greenwich, Tony Powers, Phil SpectorBob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans2:48
16.Philles 111May 1963#39(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna MarryGreenwich, Powers, SpectorDarlene Love2:48
17.Philles 112June 1963#3Da Doo Ron RonEllie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil SpectorThe Crystals2:17
18.unreleasedHeartbreakerGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Crystals2:34
19.Phil Spector 2Why Don't They Let Us Fall in LoveGreenwich, Barry, SpectorVeronica2:39
20.unreleasedChapel of LoveGreenwich, Barry, SpectorDarlene Love2:24
21.Philles 113July 1963#63Not Too Young to Get MarriedGreenwich, Barry, SpectorBob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans2:27
22.Philles 114September 1963#26Wait ‘til My Bobby Gets HomeGreenwich, Barry, SpectorDarlene Love2:23
23.Philles 122August 1964#98All Grown UpGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Crystals2:49

Disc Two

TrackCatalogueRelease DateChart PeakSong TitleWriter(s)ArtistTime
1.Philles 116October 1963#2Be My BabyGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Ronettes2:40
2.Philles 115September 1963#6Then He Kissed MeGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Crystals2:37
3.Philles 117November 1963#53A Fine Fine BoyGreenwich, Barry, SpectorDarlene Love2:46
4.Philles 118February 1964#24Baby, I Love YouGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Ronettes2:50
5.Philles LP 40061964#96I WonderGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Ronettes2:51
6.unreleasedGirls Can TellGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Crystals2:36
7.Philles 119xFebruary 1964#92Little BoyGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Crystals2:59
8.Shirley 500Hold Me TightJohn Lennon and Paul McCartneyThe Treasures2:53
9.Philles 120May 1964#39The Best Part of Breakin' UpVini Poncia, Pete Andreoli, Phil SpectorThe Ronettes3:02
10.unreleasedSoldier Baby Of MinePoncia, Andreoli, SpectorThe Ronettes2:52
11.Philles 131Strange LovePoncia, Andreoli, SpectorDarlene Love3:00
12.Philles 1231964Stumble And FallPoncia, Andreoli, SpectorDarlene Love2:22
13.Philles 133b1966When I Saw YouSpectorThe Ronettes2:43
14.Phil Spector 1So YoungWilliam TyusVeronica2:36
15.Philles 121August 1964#34Do I Love You?Poncia, Andreoli, SpectorThe Ronettes2:50
16.unreleasedKeep On DancingGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Ronettes2:32
17.Philles LP 40061964#96You, BabyCynthia Weil, Barry Mann, Phil SpectorThe Ronettes2:56
18.unreleasedWoman in LoveWeil, Mann, SpectorThe Ronettes2:56
19.Philles 123December 1964#23Walking in the RainWeil, Mann, SpectorThe Ronettes3:16

Disc Three

TrackCatalogueRelease DateChart PeakSong TitleWriter(s)ArtistTime
1.Philles 124December 1964#1You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'Weil, Mann, SpectorThe Righteous Brothers3:46
2.Philles 126March 1965#52Born to Be TogetherWeil, Mann, SpectorThe Ronettes2:57
3.Philles 127May 1965#9Just Once in My LifeGoffin, King, SpectorThe Righteous Brothers3:56
4.Philles 129bJuly 1965#4Unchained MelodyHy Zaret and Alex NorthThe Righteous Brothers3:37
5.Philles 128June 1965#75Is This What I Get for Loving You?Goffin, King, SpectorThe Ronettes3:21
6.unreleasedLong Way to Be HappyGerry Goffin and Carole KingDarlene Love2:48
7.Philles 130bJanuary 1966(I Love You) For Sentimental ReasonsDeek Watson and William BestThe Righteous Brothers2:47
8.Philles 130January 1966#5Ebb TideCarl Sigman and Robert MaxwellThe Righteous Brothers2:48
9.unreleasedThis Could Be the NightHarry Nilsson and Phil SpectorThe Modern Folk Quartet2:39
10.unreleasedParadisePerry Botkin Jr., Gil Garfield, Nilsson, SpectorThe Ronettes3:37
11.Philles 131June 1966#88River Deep - Mountain HighGreenwich, Barry, SpectorIke & Tina Turner3:35
12.Philles 135February 1967 #114[5] I'll Never Need More Than ThisGreenwich, Barry, SpectorIke & Tina Turner3:27
13.Philles 136June 1967 #16 (UK)[6] A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knockin' Everyday)Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian HollandIke & Tina Turner2:57
14.Philles LP 4011 (unreleased)

London HAU 8298

September 1966#27 (UK)[6]Save the Last Dance for MeDoc Pomus and Mort ShumanIke & Tina Turner2:47
15.unreleasedI Wish I Never Saw the SunshineGreenwich, Barry, SpectorThe Ronettes3:49
16.A&M 1040You Came, You Saw, You ConqueredToni Wine, Irwin Levine, SpectorThe Ronettes2:49
17.A&M 1053July 1969#13Black PearlWine, Levine, SpectorSonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd.3:19
18.A&M 1039May 1969#65Love Is All I Have to GiveBobby Stephens and Phil SpectorThe Checkmates, Ltd.4:09

Disc Four: A Christmas Gift for You

Initially released as Philles 4005, November 22, 1963

TrackSong TitleWriter(s)ArtistTime
1.White ChristmasIrving BerlinDarlene Love2:52
2.Frosty the SnowmanSteve Nelson and Walter RollinsThe Ronettes2:16
3.The Bells of St. MaryA. Emmett Adams and Douglas FurberBob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans2:54
4.Santa Claus Is Coming to TownJ. Fred Coots and Haven GillespieThe Crystals3:24
5.Sleigh RideLeroy Anderson and Mitchell ParishThe Ronettes3:00
6.Marshmallow WorldCarl Sigman and Peter DeRoseDarlene Love2:23
7.I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa ClausTommie ConnorThe Ronettes2:37
8.Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerJohnny MarksThe Crystals2:30
9.Winter WonderlandFelix Bernard and Dick SmithDarlene Love2:25
10.Parade of the Wooden SoldiersLeon JesselThe Crystals2:55
11.Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry and Phil SpectorDarlene Love2:45
12.Here Comes Santa ClausGene Autry and Oakley HaldemanBob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans2:03
13.Silent NightJosef Mohr and Franz X. GruberPhil Spector and Artists2:08

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. Back to Mono at AllMusic
  2. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Times. Levy, Joe. (1st ed.). New York: Wenner Books. 2005. ISBN 1932958010. OCLC 60596234.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. May 31, 2012.
  4. "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  5. "Bubbling Under The Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. July 29, 1967.
  6. "Ike & Tina Turner". Official Charts.
  7. "American album certifications – Phil Spector – BACK TO MONO (1958 - 1969)". Recording Industry Association of America.
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