The Ronettes took their name from the featured vocalist, Veronica Bennett, who soon became Ronnie Spector after marrying the famed producer Phil Spector in 1968. She was joined by her sister and cousin to round out the group. The Ronettes scored their biggest hit right out of the box in 1963 when "Be My Baby" peaked at #2 for three weeks. The classic refrain saw Ronnie Spector being invited to contribute to Eddie Money's comeback hit, "Take Me Home Tonight," which went to #4 in 1986. The Ronettes never saw that sort of success again, but managed to land several other Top 40 hits through the 60s like "Baby, I Love You" (#24), "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up" (#39), "Do I Love You?" (#34), and "Walking In The Rain" (#23). 1970 saw Ronnie Spector leaving the group to start a solo career. "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" seemed like a hit in the making but it bubbled under the chart in 1969 as the group ran out of gas. The Ronettes would reappear on the chart decades later in 2018 thanks to their rendition of "Sleigh Ride" during the holiday season.
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Edward Mahoney left the police force to pursue a recording career as Eddie Money. Turns out to have been a wise decision. He nearly broke into the top 10 with his chart debut in 1978 when "Baby Hold On" soared to #11. Money would manage to creep into the top 10 twice in his career with "Take Me Home Tonight" (which featured Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes singing the signature line, "Be My Baby") and "Walk On Water." These songs hit #4 and #9, respectively. Some of Money's other "hits" that everyone knows might not have done as well on the charts as you might expect. "Two Tickets To Paradise" only reached #22 and "Shakin'" topped out at #63. One of his lesser known songs, 1989's "Peace In Our Time" almost put Money in the top 10 again, but it halted at #11. Money was starting to write checks his songs couldn't cash by the early 90s, his last chart appearance being "Fall In Love Again" in 1992 (the song went to #54). "Maureen" is a gem buried on Money's 1978 record, "Life For The Taking." The tune has a Bruce Springsteen vibe and just puts you in a good mood.
