She Sang the #1 Hit. Another Group Got the Credit. Nobody Knew for 20 Years. | More Music Por Favor Presents episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 4, 2026 · 13 MIN

She Sang the #1 Hit. Another Group Got the Credit. Nobody Knew for 20 Years. | More Music Por Favor Presents

from More Music Por Favor Presents: The Stories Streaming Can't Tell

She sang the number one hit. Someone else got the credit. For decades, one of the most powerful voices in American music history cleaned houses for a living — because the contract she signed left her with nothing.In Episode 2 of More Music Por Favor Presents, host Marcus Reed tells the true story of Darlene Love: the session singer whose voice defined some of the most beloved records of the 1960s, whose name Phil Spector buried under other artists' credits, and whose journey from scrubbing floors to standing on the Academy Awards stage represents one of music history's most extraordinary — and overdue — acts of justice. Marcus explores the economics of session singing, the work-for-hire contracts that extracted the labor of Black women at industrial scale, and what Darlene Love's story reveals about how the music industry was truly built. From Merry Clayton's midnight session for the Rolling Stones to the groundbreaking documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, this is the hidden architecture of pop.Listen to the sounds:Find a curated Spotify Playlist of song's mention this this week's podcast: More Music Por Favor Presents: Episode 2"He's A Rebel" — Credited to The Crystals (1962) - Lead vocals: Darlene Love, with Edna Wright on co-lead during the chorus. Backing vocals: The Blossoms — Fanita James, Gracia Nitzsche, Gloria Jones — plus Bobby Sheen on high tenor harmony."Gimme Shelter" — The Rolling Stones (1969) - Merry Clayton was summoned from bed around midnight by producer Jack Nitzsche. Her name was misspelled "Mary" on the original release — her actual name is "Merry" because she was born on Christmas Day. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" — The Righteous Brothers (1964) - The Blossoms — featuring Darlene Love — provided backing vocals throughout, with Cher joining in at the song's climax. "Be My Baby" — The Ronettes (1963) - Darlene Love, Bobby Sheen, Sonny Bono, Nino Tempo, and a teenage Cher all sang backup. Critically, It was her first professional recording. She was 17 and completely uncredited.And More Music Por Favor Drops:Afro Groove Nexus - "The Groove Already Knows" - Deep Afro House / Amapiano Soul FusionChill Jazz Drift |- "Make the Darkness Gold" - lo-fi jazzhop fusionHallelujah Haven - "Held in the Quiet" - Contemporary Christian worshipClub Immersion - "Between the Noise and Nothing"- Progressive TranceFind your new favorite track! Check out More Music Por Artists and Upcoming Releases

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Mar 4, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

She Sang the #1 Hit. Another Group Got the Credit. Nobody Knew for 20 Years. | More Music Por Favor Presents

0:00 13:40

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of More Music Por Favor Presents: The Stories Streaming Can't Tell?

This episode is 13 minutes long.

When was this More Music Por Favor Presents: The Stories Streaming Can't Tell episode published?

This episode was published on March 4, 2026.

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this More Music Por Favor Presents: The Stories Streaming Can't Tell episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!