"He's a Rebel" | ||||
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Single by the Crystals | ||||
from the album He's a Rebel | ||||
B-side | "I Love You Eddie" | |||
Released | August 1962 | |||
Genre | Pop [1] | |||
Length | 2:31 | |||
Label | Philles 106 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Gene Pitney | |||
Producer(s) | Phil Spector | |||
The Crystals singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
He's a Rebel |
"He's a Rebel" is a song written by Gene Pitney that was originally recorded by Vikki Carr and by the girl group the Blossoms. Produced by Phil Spector, the Blossoms' version was issued as a single credited to the Crystals, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1962. It was Spector's second chart-topper after "To Know Him Is to Love Him" (1958).
In 2004, "He's a Rebel" was ranked No. 263 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [2] Billboard named the song No. 31 on its list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. [3]
Also in 2004, the 1962 release of "He's a Rebel" on Philles Records by The Crystals was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. [4]
The song is about a girl in love with a young man who spurns society's conventions. Despite his being misunderstood by others, the singer claims he is sweet and faithful and vows to be the same towards him. Steve Douglas performs a saxophone solo during the song's bridge. The piano riff at the beginning was contributed by Al DeLory.
Pitney wrote "He's a Rebel" for the Shirelles, but they declined. Spector learned Vikki Carr was to record it for Liberty Records as her debut, and wanted his own version on sale first. [5] The Crystals were touring on the east coast of the US at the time, so Spector had the Blossoms, a Los Angeles group, record the track with the agreement that the record would still be credited to the Crystals. [6] Mary Thomas of the Crystals recalled that "our mouths fell open" when she and her groupmates heard a disc jockey announce "the new Crystals song." [7] The quintet was then obliged to add "He's a Rebel" to their live repertoire, even though lead singer Barbara Alston could not mimic Blossoms lead singer Darlene Love. For that reason, 15-year-old Dolores "LaLa" Brooks became the lead singer the following year with the follow-up "Then He Kissed Me".
"He's a Rebel" was released in late August 1962, with the B-side "I Love You Eddie." On November 3, "He's a Rebel" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [8] The number two song was Pitney's "Only Love Can Break a Heart", giving him (as a songwriter or performer) the two top-selling singles in the U.S. [8] In the United Kingdom, "He's a Rebel" peaked at No. 19. [9]
The song and its recording was featured in a fictionalized recreation in the 2018 movie Bad Times at the El Royale . The character of Darleen Sweet was based on singer Darlene Love and the character Buddy Sunday was meant to represent producer Phil Spector.
Vikki Carr's version was performed with a band that included sometime Wrecking Crew drummer Earl Palmer. [19] Because Spector preempted the release with his version, her version reached No. 115 in the US, but in Australia her version reached No. 5 in 1962. [20]
A version by Alisha's Attic was part of the Bean: The Movie soundtrack in 1997.
Gene Francis Alan Pitney was an American singer, songwriter and musician.
The Crystals are an American vocal group that originated in New York City. Considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era in the first half of the 1960s, their 1961–1964 chart hits – including "There's No Other ", "Uptown", "He's Sure the Boy I Love", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me"– featured three different female lead singers and were all produced by Phil Spector. The latter three songs were originally ranked number 263, number 114, and number 493, respectively, on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. However, two songs were omitted from the magazine's 2010 update, leaving only "He's a Rebel" at number 267. In the 2021 update, "Da Doo Ron Ron" was added back to the list at number 366.
Darlene Wright ,[a] better known by the stage name Darlene Love, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress. She was the lead singer of the girl group the Blossoms and she also recorded as a solo artist.
Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona, known by her stage name Vikki Carr, is an American vocalist. She has a singing career that spans more than five decades.
"River Deep – Mountain High" is a song by Ike & Tina Turner released on Philles Records as the title track to their 1966 studio album. Produced by Phil Spector and written by Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Rolling Stone ranked "River Deep – Mountain High" No. 33 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. NME ranked it No. 37 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
"Be My Baby" is a song by American girl group the Ronettes that was released as a single on Philles Records in August 1963. Written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector, the song was the Ronettes' biggest hit, reaching number 2 in the U.S. and number 4 in the UK. It is often ranked as among the best songs of the 1960s, and has been regarded by some publications as one of the greatest songs of all time.
"Baby, I Love You" is a song originally recorded by the Ronettes in 1963 and released on their debut album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes (1964). The song was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector, and produced by Spector.
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. In 2003, it was ranked number 64 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
"Chapel of Love" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, and made famous by The Dixie Cups in 1964, spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song tells of the happiness and excitement the narrator feels on her wedding day, for she and her love are going to the "chapel of love", and "[they'll] never be lonely anymore." Many other artists have recorded the song.
"It's My Party" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lesley Gore from her debut studio album I'll Cry If I Want To (1963). It was released as the lead single from the album on April 5, 1963, by Mercury Records. The song was collectively written by Herb Wiener, John Gluck Jr., and Wally Gold, while production was helmed by Quincy Jones.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a pop song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album, A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (later renamed A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector). The song was written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector.
"Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" is a song written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. It first became a popular top five hit single for the American girl group the Crystals in 1963. American teen idol Shaun Cassidy recorded the song in 1977 and his version hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. There have also been many other cover versions of this song, including one by the songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich themselves, performing as the Raindrops.
"Then He Kissed Me" is a song written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. The song, produced by Spector, was initially released as a single on Philles Records (#115) in July 1963 by The Crystals. The lyrics are a narrative of a young woman's encounter, romance, and eventual engagement with a young man.
The Blossoms were an American girl group that originated from California. During their height of success in the 1960s, the group's lineup consisted of Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King.
"(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" is a song by American pop duo the Righteous Brothers. It was the group's first hit after leaving their long-time producer Phil Spector. The song was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who also wrote the group's first hit "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" along with Phil Spector. It is the title track of their album. The single peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 3 single for 1966.
"Only Love Can Break a Heart" is a popular song from 1962, performed by the American singer-songwriter Gene Pitney. The song was written by Hal David (words) and Burt Bacharach (music) and appears on Pitney's second album Only Love Can Break a Heart.
"(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up" is a song written by Phil Spector, Pete Andreoli and Vince Poncia. It was first recorded by the Ronettes, produced by Phil Spector and arranged by Jack Nitzsche with Ronnie Spector on lead vocals and with backing vocals by Nedra Talley and Estelle Bennett, ably abetted by Darlene Love and the Blossoms, Bobby Sheen, and Sonny & Cher. The song was released in April 1964, the year widely recognized as the group's most successful year, and proved to be the group's third consecutive top forty hit in the US. The single peaked at number 39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 43 on the UK Singles Chart.
He's a Rebel is the second album issued by girl group The Crystals in 1963, and also the second LP in the Philles catalogue. This was an effort to take an advantage of the monster hit "He's a Rebel" which went to #1 US in 1962, written by Gene Pitney. The song was actually recorded by The Blossoms with Darlene Love on lead vocals and attributed to The Crystals. Notably on the LP is "He Hit Me ," a withdrawn single by the "real" Crystals group.
"He's Sure the Boy I Love" is a 1962 single by The Crystals. It was originally recorded by The Blossoms but credited to The Crystals. On the Billboard charts in 1963, "He's Sure the Boy I Love" peaked at No.11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.18 on the Hot R&B Singles.
"Not Too Young to Get Married" is a song written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry. It was recorded at the Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles in April 1963, by Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. The lead vocalists were Bobby Sheen and Darlene Love. The song was arranged by Jack Nitzsche, while Larry Levine was the engineer and Spector's Wall of Sound was played by The Wrecking Crew.
It's a minor pop-music miracle, and so many more would follow.
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