Ellie Greenwich was one of the most successful song writers of the sixties, but she also had a fairly successful career as a singer in her own write. Beginning as a solo recording artist, she later became a member of "dummy" recording groups like the Raindrops, the Popsicles, and the Butterflys. The latter group had a brief touch of hit status on the Red Bird label in late 1964.
Greenwich and husband Jeff Barry had been having great success as writers in the Brill Building, and after a highly successful stint writing with Phil Spector for his Philles label, they left to establish Leiber and Stoller’s Red Bird Records. The ninth release for the company was "Good Night Baby," released as by the Butterflys. It’s pretty clear that Ellie was singing back-up, but the other members of the group are unknown. Some believe a group called the Buttons who recorded for the Ember label were actually the remaining Butterflys, but nobody who knows has come forward. Mary Thomas of the Crystals probably sang lead on the Butterflys hits.
In late 1964 the group followed their labelmates the Dixie Cups, and the Jelly Beans into the Top 100 at number 51. The single was backed with the group’s version of "The Swim." Red Bird seemed very happy with the group’s debut, and it received quite a bit of promotion.
Greenwich and Barry decided to follow-up the big hit with a power-charged version of "I Wonder," a song which they recorded with both the Crystals and the Ronettes at Philles. The new version began which a hypnotic drum beat, which a vocal chorus harmonizing majestically, and all topped off with a huge echo. It should have been a monster song in January 1965, but it languished at the bottom of the charts, only bubbling under at number 117. Backed up with a fantastic bubblegum classic, "Gee Baby Gee," it would be the group’s final waxing on Red Bird. The group didn’t really fit in with the label’s other girl groups, whose vocals were much more gritty and untextured.
Although the group failed to be seen on the charts ever again, Ellie Greenwich recorded a new version of "Good Night Baby," for a solo album in the 70s.