Free Phil Spector And The Wall Of Sound Essay Example

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During the 1960s Phil Spector was at the forefront of getting record producers recognized as creative artists. He became the youngest record label head when, in 1961, at the age of 21, he formed Philles Records with partner Lester Sill. Spector was very involved in the sound recording of the music produced by his label, supervising much of the recording process. The sound that emerged from Phillies Records became known as the “wall of sound” and characteristically included multiple instruments doubling the same parts and tremendous echo and reverberation. The track vocals were brought to the front of the recording through controlled sound balance. This method of recording was meant to create a thick sound and tracks often included horns and strings and records were referred to as “teenage symphonies”. The “wall of sound” recording technique aimed to optimize the sound of records on AM radio and jukeboxes.
- Phill Spector preferred the female voice and played a crucial role in the recording of a long line of girl groups including the Marvelettes, the Shirelles, and the Shangri-Las. These groups consisted of 3-5 members who worked to establish an image where all members dressed and styled their hair similarly as well as performed using similar movements and poses. The groups had an image that was easily associated with their music. This type of promotion and aesthetic was aimed at engaging teenagers who, at the time, were becoming a large part of the music market. It also made it easy for audience members to relate to individual group members and promoted a sense of camaraderie among teenage girls. .
The norm for girl groups under Spector’s supervision was that individuals varied but the group 'stays the same'. Oftentimes, a manager or a producer owned the group and the group members were not involved in the aesthetic of the group. They had little say in what music was recorded and the members were often interchangeable with little input from the group members themselves. Phil Spector owned the Crystals and, for example, the group that recorded the hits were not the same girls that toured and performed the hits at live performances. This type of management exploited the fact that the teenagers that were being recruited for these groups did not have much experience with contract negations and were easily coerced into music contracts that did not provided them with much job security or artistic freedom. This management model at the time did allow Spector the ability to test out new music and new groups with very little financial and professional risk.
Phill Spector was a master producer and he clearly was pivotal in redefining girl groups in the 60s. He reaped tremendous financial success and in many ways changed the way music on the radio sounded. However, there is no doubt that he took advantage of the artists that worked for him. Spector was known as controlling and authoritative in all aspects of his groups’ artistic output and financial decisions. Despite his poor treatment of his musicians, much of the music produced by Spector can be seen as empowering to women. An example of this is the classic wall of sound recording “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes. This track included pianos, a full string ensemble and an extensive background choir. The lyrics are about a woman trying to convince a man that they are meant to be together. “So won’t you please, Please be my little baby,” the lyrics state. In a 2013 article in the New York Times that reexamined the longevity of the songs popularity the author wrote, “At its heart, “Be My Baby” is as much about power and control as it is about romance. Lyrically it also marks a bold moment in pop music, when a woman makes a play for a man while infantilizing him. Usually the reverse was the norm.” (NY Time). While Spector may have only been thinking about selling records and producing an aesthetic product through the girl bands he produced, in the process, he also heavily influenced how girls and women were perceived and perhaps shifted the role of women in pop culture as well as in society.
- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/movies/be-my-baby-a-hit-single-with-staying-power.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0