July, 2014 - Ellie Greenwich - Brass Monkey

Ellie Greenwich - 1940-2009

Ellie began her music career learning to play the accordion and while in high school began composing music and singing in a group called The Jivettes.  When the Manhattan School of Music rejected her because they didn't accept accordion players, she went to Queens College and recorded her first single.  Soon after she met her soon to be husband and writing partner, Jeff Barry, and they, in collaboration with Phil Spector, became one of the most prolific songwriting teams in the Grill Building.  In addition to writing for most of the popular pop groups at the time, she also often sang the demos and occasionally sang back up.  Though her marriage only lasted 3 years, they continued writing together partly due to Greewich's discovery of Neil Diamond.

The Drink:

Brass Monkey

1 measure rum
1 measure vodka
1 measure orange juice

Drinkability: 1
Drunkability: 5*
Taxic Diversity: 1
Accessibility: 5
Priority for Conservation: 1

Comments:  * if we can finish it - "this is the most challenging thing I'll do all week"; burning all over; "oh man - thre is a lot of stuff wrong with this next drink.  BQ might vomit, or pass out, you have to make that "meh-ck" noise in the back of your throat, small sips very important, nobody is happy, eyeballs are burning, but some of us are powering through."

From the "Women Songwriters" or "Bad Life Choices" or "That Hurt" theme hosted by BoilerMaker