Girl Group Chronicles: The Raindrops

Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich wrote some of the best girl group material during that magical era, yet they were not only writers, producers, and arrangers, but also musicians themselves. Greenwich and Barry formed the popular dummy group the Raindrops which had quite a chart presence between 1963 - 64.

The two met at a family function (their two families were linked by marriage) and became fast friends. They went their separate ways for a time, Jeff was married, entered the army, and once out he decided to pursue his muscial dreams at City College in New York. Meanwhile, Ellie recorded a couple of singles, including her own composition "Cha Cha Charming" as by Ellie Gaye.  (She named herself afetr Barbie Gaye who had a local hit in New York with "My Boy Lollipop.")

By 1960 Jeff had written his first hit, "Tell Laura I Love Her" which was recorded by Ray Peterson, and over the next few years the pair each would write and dabble in singing, but never together. Greenwich wrote with several partners, and she made contacts with Leiber and Stoller who brought her work to several artists and other producers including the Exciters, the Shepard Sisters, and Phil Spector’s Blue Jeans, Darlene Love, and Jeff followed soon when he joined the Leiber and Stoller team. Greenwich/Barry was born!

Spector had the new couple write several hits for the Crystals, Ronettes, and Darlene Love during 1963, yet the dou still had time to write for other artists, including themselves. A demo, namely "What A Guy," recorded by Ellie and Jeff was brought to the publishing company for which they were working. Originally it was headed to a group called the Sensations, but the publishers felt the song was strong enough to be released as it was.

"What A Guy" by the Raindrops was a surprise hit at number 41 in the middle of 1963. The follow-up, "The Kind Of Boy You Can’t Forget," was even more commercial and when it climbed to a lofty number 17 later that summer an album was quickly put together to capitalize on the group’s current fame. The Raindrop’s self-titled album appeared with Jeff, Ellie and Ellie’s sister Laura on the cover. The cuts on the album itself were really just more old demos that Ellie and Jeff had recorded. After some extra backround singers were added, they were released as they were.

"That Boy John" looked to surpass the success of "The Kind Of Boy," but unfortunately JFK was assainated at the time of it’s released and after reaching number 64 it disappeared. Quickly retaliating, the group recorded the old Monotones’ hit "The Book Of Love." It wasn’t their best record, especially with Jeff reaching way down for the low notes at the start, yet it climbed to number 62 in early 1964. The much better "Let’s Go Together" seemed to be the group’s best chance, yet inexpliquably it failed to enter the Top 100. Other great songs like "Another Boy Like Mine," "Don’t Let Go," and "One More Tear," unfortunately couldn’t bring the Raindrops back into the limelight. The dummy group was dropped like most others when it failed to be a profitable venture.

Ellie Greenwich continued to record, including the brilliant "You Don’t Know" in 1965, and one album in 1968 and 1972 respectively. She and Barry divorced around 1966 and each went on to write and produce their own separate projects. Most recently Ellie’s musical autobiography Leader of the Pack, aka I Can Hear Music has become a cult favourite among oldies fans around the world, and Darlene Love and Ellie herself performed in the Broadway version.

The Raindrops received their own due when their complete recordings were issued on cd in 1994, including four tracks which had yet to see the light of day. One can only wonder if "Can’t Hide The Hurtin’" had been given a chance if it would not have been yet another Raindrops’ hit.