‘Try Some Buy Some’ made David Bowie “fall in love” with Ronnie Spector
Ronnie Spector and David Bowie are two of the greatest iconoclasts in pop culture, and both triumphed in the face of adversity to rise and deliver some of the most treasured musical moments. Both showed that tenacity is the key to success and that anything can be achieved when you set your mind to it.
Spector is often referred to as the “bad girl of rock and roll”, and although she passed away in January 2022, for a long time, her life has been characterised by her triumph over evil, which only augments the power of the iconic records she released.
Spector made her name as the lead in the New York girl group The Ronettes, who she founded in Spanish Harlem in 1957 alongside her sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley. Together, they became one of the most important acts of the day, espousing girl power and laughing in the face of the patriarchal society that had for so long maligned women, particularly those of colour. From ‘Be My Baby’ to ‘Baby, I Love You’, they released many a classic.
In 1968 Ronnie married the now convicted murderer and producer du jour Phil Spector, and in an instant, he became abusive, turning their mansion into a high-security prison that made it impossible to leave. Finally, in 1974, she successfully filed for divorce and continued with her life, fighting against the injustices women have to face daily. She also managed to resurrect her career and continue to dazzle us with her tremendous voice.
“When I was making records 50 years ago, you didn’t have a voice of any kind,” Spector said of the abusive patriarchal world of the past in a 2019 interview with The Guardian. “What the man wanted was what you did. You made his records, with his lyrics and men producers, everybody was a man back then. All women have power, we just couldn’t show it… that’s why I love #MeToo and Time’s Up – because men’s time is up.
This comment sums up Ronnie Spector. She was a true hero, and without her, the likes of Joey Ramone and Amy Winehouse may not have existed. Unsurprisingly, her attitude and stellar music profoundly impacted David Bowie, and as soon as she heard one of her tracks, he was transfixed.
Speaking to the BBC in 1979 for his Star Special, Bowie picked his favourite songs ever, and one was 1971’s ‘Try Some, Buy Some’. Originally written by former Beatle George Harrison, it was intended to be released as part of a Ronnie Spector album from the Liverpool band’s label, Apple Records, but the record never came to fruition. Harrison eventually recorded his version for his 1973 album Living in the Material World, and in 2003 Bowie released a rendition on 2003’s Reality. However, Spector’s version is the definitive one.
Of the track, Bowie revealed that it was the one that made him “fall in love” with the work of Ronnie Spector: “Here’s a song that made me fall in love with the singer. Absolutely incredible. My heart went straight out to her. It was produced by Phil Spector. I may be wrong, but I think it’s the last single that he ever made because he was so depressed that it didn’t do anything, that nobody bought it. Which is quite ironic really, because the title is ‘Try Some, Buy Some’. It’s by his ex wife, Ronnie Spector.”
