VA - Do-Wah-Diddy (Words And Music By Ellie Greenwich And Jeff Barry) (2008)

Three husband and wife songwriting teams ruled the airwaves of the Kennedy era: Gerry Goffin & Carole King, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry.

Ace paid tribute to Goffin & King in 2007 with a big selling collection of their compositions, and a compendium of songs by Mann & Weil is scheduled for later this year, but first it's the turn of top Brill Building hitmakers Greenwich & Barry.

Although they wrote together for just three or four years, you'd need a box set to contain all the hit songs of Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. Until such a pipedream becomes a reality, this single disc compilation of hits, rarities and other gems can't be beaten as a representation of their work.

The collection contains famous tracks by the Shangri-Las, the Jelly Beans, the Dixie Cups, the Butterflys, Lesley Gore, the Chiffons, the Drifters and the Beach Boys; the first released versions of Do-Wah-Diddy and Hanky Panky (from before the Manfreds and Tommy James got their hands on the songs); plus new-to-CD collectables from the Darlettes, Karen Verros, the Fleetwoods, the Majors and Tony Pass. And that's just for starters...