Album covers and promo pics depict them as a trio, but
the Raindrops were contractually a duo comprised of the songwriting couple Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. A crew of session singers accompanied the pair in the studio. This early best-of album features 20 songs mostly written by the pair, including their hits and songs they wrote that hit for others, like "Da Doo Ron Ron," on which they jam better than
the Crystals. They even knock off Jesse Stone's "Don't Let Go." The Raindrops are easy to listen to and are prime examples of the simplistic brilliance of early-'60s Brill Building material and teen pop. If not for their songwriting successes and preference to stay behind the scenes, they would have had a string of hits. The camera-shy duo seldom made personal appearances or had write-ups in teen magazines. A later CD with 23 tracks competes with this collection, which is now available on CD as well. ~ Andrew Hamilton