This coming week marks the anniversary of one of the greatest singles in music history.
It was never a big hit in this country, but money and artistic genius don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
“River Deep, Mountain High” is a 1966 single credited to Ike and Tina Turner. But it should be credited to Tina and producer Phil Spector because it is their record. Ike wasn’t even in the building when they created it.
By all accounts, Tina is enjoying retirement in Switzerland. Phil Spector is on trial for murder in Los Angeles.
In a way “River Deep, Mountain High” was a creative peak for Spector, as well as the beginning of the end.
The “Tycoon of Teen,” Spector had become a millionaire by 21 by writing, producing and playing on hit singles. They were songs of pure teen love, like “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes or “Da-Doo-Ron-Ron” by the Crystals.
Spector was born in the Bronx. His father committed suicide when Spector was 9, forcing the family to move to California. Short and slight with dark hair, Spector might have fit in in the Bronx. But he was definitely out of place in the land of the sun-bleached surf gods.
At 17, he formed a group called the Teddy Bears and they recorded a song Spector wrote, “To Know Him is to Love Him.” It is the epitaph on the gravestone of his father.
After selling a million singles, the Teddy Bears' career stalled and the band dissolved. Spector stayed around the studio and was soon producing.
His style became known as the Wall of Sound. One guitar wasn’t enough, Spector needed six guitarists and eight pianos while he was at it. A drummer wasn’t good enough, he needed a dozen percussionists. Some would play obscure instruments Spector had discovered in the Latin jazz clubs of Spanish Harlem.
He scored 20 hit singles in a row — an unheard-of feat. It made Spector very rich, which meant that when he started to act strange he was considered eccentric and not crazy.
Spector needed to control everything. He preferred mono to stereo, because stereo enabled the listener to change his mix on the record.
In 1965, Spector would produce the Righteous Brothers “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” It went to No. 1 and has become the most played song in radio history.
For “River Deep, Mountain High” Spector had it written into the contract that Ike could not be present during recording. There was only room for one control freak in the control room.
Spector used two dozen musicians and a choir of backup singers doing “doot doo-doot.” (His record was 300 musicians on one cut.) Over this Wall of Sound soars Tina’s impassioned vocals.
The sessions cost $22,000, an outlandish amount for the time.
Although the single went to No. 3 and was a hit in Europe, it barely cracked the Hot 100 in America. Just like his father, the fans had deserted him.
Spector married Ronnie Bennett of the Ronettes and retreated behind the walls of the castle-like home he had built. He emerged to work with the Beatles, produced solo albums by John Lennon and George Harrison and became a virtual recluse again.
When Ronnie fled the castle and filed for divorce, he punished her by keeping her embroiled in legal battles for almost 20 years.
Their son died of leukemia when he was 10, and with him, by Spector’s own admission, might have gone the last bit of his sanity.
Tales of Spector and his guns are legion. The Ramones visited Spector’s castle when he was producing their 1987 album, “End of the Century.” When they tried to leave, Spector pulled a gun on the punk rockers.
Just before dawn on Feb. 3, 2003, a shot rang out in the castle. Actress Lana Clarkson was found slumped in a chair by the back door. Her purse was over her shoulder as if she were leaving.
Prosecutors say that’s why Spector shot her. The producer claims she accidentally committed suicide.
In a rare interview that came out the day before, Spector said there were demons fighting inside of him.
In the wee, small hours of that morning maybe the demons finally won or maybe an out-of-work B movie actress was just one person too many leaving.
Perhaps it was just one of those accidents that happen when people play with guns.
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Bruce Lee Smith is the entertainment writer for the Valley Morning Star.
