Ellie Greenwich was one of the most prolific and influential songwriters of the 1960s and beyond. Along with Jeff Barry, she discovered and signed a young Neil Diamond at the Brill Building, producing many of his breakthrough hits and helping launch his legendary career. Below is a comprehensive overview of her remarkable work as a writer, producer, performer, arranger, and background vocalist.
Songs Written by Ellie Greenwich
- Be My Baby – The Ronettes (and many others)
- Leader of the Pack – The Shangri-Las (and many others)
- Chapel of Love – The Dixie Cups (and many others)
- Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals (and many others)
- Then He Kissed Me – The Crystals (and many others)
- Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann (and many others)
- Hanky Panky – Tommy James & the Shondells (and many others)
- River Deep – Mountain High – Ike & Tina Turner (and many others)
- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love (and many others)
- Baby, I Love You – The Ronettes (and many others)
- I Can Hear Music – The Ronettes / The Beach Boys (and many others)
- Maybe I Know – Lesley Gore
- What a Guy – The Raindrops
- The Kind of Boy You Can’t Forget – The Raindrops
- Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts? – The Ronettes
- Not Too Young to Get Married – The Ronettes
- People Say – The Dixie Cups
- Look of Love – The Raindrops
- Today I Met the Boy I’m Gonna Marry – Darlene Love
- Out in the Streets – The Shangri-Las
Additional songs written by Ellie Greenwich (selected notable titles)
- A Fine Fine Boy, After the Twilight, All Grown Up, Another Boy Like Mine, B Boy Baby, Gee Baby Gee, Girls Can Tell, Goodnight Baby, He Ain’t No Angel, He’s Got the Power, Heartbreaker, Hold On Baby, I Have a Boyfriend, I Wanna Love Him So Bad, I Wonder, I’ll Never Need More Than This, I’ll Take You Where the Music’s Playing, Little Bell, The Train from Kansas City, Wait ’Til My Bobby Gets Home, and many more.
Songs Produced by Ellie Greenwich
- Chapel of Love – The Dixie Cups
- Leader of the Pack – The Shangri-Las
- Many early Neil Diamond hits including Cherry Cherry, Solitary Man, Kentucky Woman, and others
- The Raindrops recordings
Songs Recorded by Ellie Greenwich
- I Want You to Be My Baby (Top 40 hit)
- Let It Be Written, Let It Be Sung (solo album)
- The Raindrops (group recordings)
Vocal Arranging & Background Vocals
- Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin (vocal arrangement)
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper (vocal arrangement)
- Background vocals on numerous hits by Neil Diamond, Blondie, Dusty Springfield, The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, and many others.
- American Airlines – “You Get The Best of Everything”
- American Express – “Be My Baby”
- Arrowsmith Shoes (multiple spots)
- Beechnut – “Yum”
- Bravura Cologne
- Bright Side Shampoo
- Budweiser – “Pirates”
- Carrols Drive-In Restaurants
- Catawba Wine
- Cheerios – “Breakfast Together”
- Chunky Candy Bar – “Chunky’s Back”
- Clairol – “Born Blonde”, “Kindness”, Summer Blonde
- Clearasil – “Da Doo Ron Ron”
- Coca-Cola (multiple Neil Diamond spots)
- Diet Mountain Dew
- Dingo Boots
- Energizer – “It Do Run Run”
- First Union National Bank
- Ford – “Gives You Better Ideas”, “It’s The Going Thing”
- Hamm’s Beer
- Hanes Leggs
- Heavenly Body Shampoo
- Hebrew National – “What’s More American”
- Helene Curtis – “Everynight Shampoo”
- Hi-C Orange Drink
- Johnson & Johnson Band Aids
- Kentucky Fried Chicken – “Chicken Littles”
- Levi’s – “Be My Baby” (Europe)
- Lifesavers – “Lollipop”
- Lincoln/Mercury – “Nothing Moves You”
- Macy’s/Bamberger’s – “Macy’s Kids”
- McDonald’s – “Big Mac / Leader of the Pack”
- Mighty Marker
- Oreo Mini Cookies – “Be My Baby”
- Pacific Security National Bank
- Pepsi Cola – “Have a Pepsi Day”
- Pennsylvania – “Excitement”
- Peter Paul Caravelle
- Post Toasties Cereal
- Prince Albert Tobacco
- Sasson Activewear – “Oo-la-la-Sasson”
- Skippy Peanut Butter
- Sunkist – “Two-T-Fruits”
- Thom McCan – “We”
- TWA Airlines – “Up Up & Away”
- U.S. Navy Recruitment (14 spots)