“(The Best Part of) Breaking Up” (1973) – The Seashells * Written by Phil Spector, Pete Andreoli, and Vince Poncia * 45: “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” / “Play That Song” * Produced by Johnny Arthey and Phillip Swern * Label: Columbia
Johnny Arthey and Phillip Swern orchestrated and produced key late-sixties reggae singles by Desmond Dekker, The Pioneers, Bob and Marcia, and others. This 1973 single shares no musical similarities with any of those. It’s a version of a 1964 Ronettes hit that sounds, rather incredibly, like a lost vintage Abba track. The Seashells were a Liverpool girl group that included Vicki Brown and Mary Partington (who were sisters), along with Laura Lee. Brown, who is now deceased, was the wife of UK musican Joe Brown and the mother of vocalist Sam Brown, who had a US charting hit called “Stop” in 1989.