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CD ReviewsThe Best of Darlene Love |
Click here for Book Reviews Featured CD Review A Cellarful of Motown |
The Best of the Teardrops (Saxony Records, July 2001) The unique formula-breaking style of the Teardrops comes out fully in this long-awaited CD. Their magic came from many elements. First, songwriter Paul Trefzger specifically wrote songs to show off their singing talents, not to fit a "girl group" mold. Second, all of the group members could sing lead, and truly had talent--some of the alto sequences and blended harmonies equal the perfect-pitch tones of the late Karen Carpenter. Third, they performed fast and slow songs equally well. Fourth, and perhaps most important to many fans, they are the queens of the minor-key melody. Of course, "Tears Come Tumbling," their biggest hit, is included here, with all its sweet vocals. The CD cover could say that if Linda Schroeder's lead doesn't give you delightful chills, your get your money back. Two versions of the previously-unreleased "Here Comes Loneliness" appear, and both are delightful. The fun and spunky "Bubblegummer" shines, as does the fast, man-hungry, doo-woppy "I'm Gonna Steal Your Boyfriend." My biggest surprise was finding, "You Won't Be There," a melody infused with minor keys that sounds akin to the Four Seasons' "Bermuda," which was a national hit at about the same time. The remaining tracks on the CD, "Call Me and I'll Be Happy," "Tonight I'm Gonna Fall in Love Again," "That's Why I'll Get By," and "Walking Down Main Street," make this a don't-skip-a-track CD. Like many girl-group tunes, these catchy songs are so classically constructed that they'll pleasantly burn themselves into your memory. But what's different is the great variety of the Teardrops' sound and their incredible musical diversity. Popular in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Boston and Philadelphia, the Teardrops never received the national recognition they deserved. Had they crossed paths with the Brill Building, they would have been as big as the Blossoms, Crystals or Dixie Cups. Maybe their latter-day recognition, through this CD, can show the world the true talents called the Teardrops. To order The Best of the Teardrops, $16.50 (which includes shipping) please e-mail your request to: Saxony Records, or call for more information: 1-415-861-5730. Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness or My Life as a Fabulous Ronette by Ronnie Spector with Vince Waldron While certainly not a new book (the hardcover was released in 1990), this is a girl-group treasure that some fans might have missed. The first half will be of most interest to general girl-group fans, though the second part--focusing on Ronnie's first few years after marrying Phil Spector and no longer being a Ronette--will please the hardcore Ronnie fan. Not all girl-group stars came to fame because their producers, usually middle-aged men, were trying to seduce them, but this is one case where the producer, Phil Spector, found the voice he wanted, fell in love with the girl, and helped provide the opening to fame. Not to be missed, however, is the story of the hard work that Ronnie and her sister and cousin put into becoming a group. Before they met Phil Spector, they were doing everything they can to establish their presence and get gigs. The "stage mother" element is interesting, too. Though Ronnie's mother didn't push them into a singing career, she was an essential part of the package--especially when it came time to haggle with Phil Spector over business matters. Available at: Be My Baby A TV Review... Click here!
Featured CD
 Girl Group Gems (Red Bird Entertainment, July 2001) Makers of girl-group CD compilations must have a dilemma. How to satisfy the new fan as well as the hard-core collector? Those of us who fall under the "hard-core" category have numerous copies of "Chapel of Love," "Leader of the Pack," and all the other songs that typically appear on compilations. This CD breaks the mold, offering 15 fab tracks that give the traditional girl-group sound for the new fan, but also aren't likely to be in the hands of the long-time collector. A few months ago, I saw a Donna Loren film clip from a 1960s beach movie on the AMC channel, and flipped when I saw her shaking, swinging and singing her wild tune, "Muscle Buscle." Imagine my delight to find this song on the CD, along with her song "Dream World." Annette adds to the mix with her "Better Be Ready" and "Perfect Boy," two more new tunes to my collection. Subtitled "Soul to Surf Rarities," there's no shortage in the soul department. Perhaps the number one track is "I Gotta Tell It," by the Blossoms. This tune has it all--the sassy chatter of black girls gossiping on the street corner, Darlene Love's voice romping through the melody and background girls ordering, "Girl, shut your mouth!" It also epitomizes this collection, being a perfect blend of "surf" via its bass line and rhythm guitar riffs, and soul because of the well-rendered vocals, hand-clapping, finger-snapping, and overall liveliness. Other tracks from this does-no-wrong collection are from Erlene and Her Girlfriends, Dorothy Berry, Kriss Anderson (with the lively "He's My Boyfriend," a rival to the Blossoms' "I Gotta Tell It"), Yvonne Carroll and Yvonne and the Violets. Thank goodness that CDs, unlike the vinyl of days past, don't wear out with repeated playings. To order Girl Group Gems online, go to Girl Group Gems To order by mail, send $14.99 plus $3.50 shipping (check or money order) to: Ed Engel, P.O. Box 620809, Little Neck, NY 11362. The Very Best of Donna Loren 
Get yer beach blankets out! Her hip-swingin' tunes of the 60s, including "Cycle Set," "Just a Little Girl" (a Goffin-King tune), and "It Only Hurts When I Cry" from the movie, "Beach Blanket Bingo." 19 songs total (all from 1964-1966), 10 of them from the movie! The icing on the cake: the CD includes
an 8-page booklet with never-before-seen photos of Donna from her 60's career as a singer, actress and model. Available at: Donna Loren
Diane Renay Sings Some Things Old & Some Things New 
Diane Renay goes well beyond "Navy Blue" and this CD proves it. Sure, there are 60s-sounding tunes like "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" and the fabulous "Dynamite" (the only girl-group song using a marimba?), but this CD spans the decades. Don't miss Diane singing classics like "Yesterday," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart" and Phoebe Snow's great "Teach Me Tonight." A special, surprising treat is Diane's disco-style song, "City Girl" and a remix, fast-paced version of "Navy Blue." Available at Official Diane Renay website. TV Review... Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Pop Music (A&E Channel, originally aired Aug. 27, 2001) Focusing on producers and songwriters, this episode of "Biography" covered the great teams of Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry (though Barry barely received coverage). Phil Spector was ignored. Obviously, this TV program was designed for the general audience, who likely remembers only the songs and not the groups nor the talent behind them. Much of the interview material consisted of the themes we know: the rapid rise and fall of the sound, the Brill Building massive song output, and the surprising success of some of the songs. There were some interesting tidbits we didn't know, and it was fascinating to see the icons of the girl-group sound as they are today. The title was a bit of a misnomer, however, as the "teens who stole pop music" were really the artists, and this wasn't much about them. The producers and songwriters were in their 20s or older. Best of all were the home movies of the Shangri-Las, the rare Dionne Warwick and other TV performances, and the hard-fought-for (I'm sure) interview with Mary Weiss-Stokes, who was lead singer of the Shangri-Las. Unfortunately, Ellie Greenwich was under-interviewed, and her contributions were slighted. More information at: The Biography Channel 
About your reviewer...Chuck Mallory is a former book reviewer for the Kansas City Star and has been published in several magazines. He lives in Chicago. Don't see your favorite girl-group CD here? Want to hear about a book? Send your review suggestions: Please review... Back to top © 2001-2008 |
The fab classics of the lady with the inimitable voice. The entire CD price is worth "He's Sure the Boy I Love" by Mann and Weil, but of course you get the whole enchilada--"Today I Met the Boy I'm Gonna Marry," her cover of the Raindrops' "Not Too Young to Get Married," her slower, interesting version of "Chapel of Love," the spunky, funky "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah," the classic hit, "He's a Rebel," and more--15 hits in all. If CDs can wear out, this one will put it to the test. Available at: 
Sure, you can buy cheap CDs with a dozen Lesley hits, but don't miss these rare album tracks you won't find anywhere else. The big hits are here--"It's My Party," "Judy's Turn to Cry," "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows," etc. but there is a total of 25 tracks, all of two total albums. A bonus is different versions (single, album, mono) of "You Don't Own Me."
Even better than the previously-mentioned CD, because here are the 24 tracks you've probably never heard before. Want to hear Lesley singing "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"? How about "To Know Him is to Love Him"? One that should have been a number one hit is the good-as-It's-My-Party tune, "You Didn't Look 'Round." You won't want to skip a single song. Available at: 
Packed with 24 songs! None are very famous, but some you will never find anywhere else: aging Doris Day's attempt at the girl-group sound, "Oo-Wee Baby," Dolly Parton's only girl-group record, "Don't Drop Out," Joey Heatherton's "Live and Learn," the odd "Condition Red" by the Goodees.
Whoa! A whopping 30 girl-group rarities. The unreleased gem, "Bye Bye Baby," written by Mary Wells, is sung by Goldie & the Gingerbreads, perhaps the only girl group who played their own instruments. Another exquisite track is the contemporary-sounding "Sweet & Lovely" by Candy & the Kisses. Don't miss the Shangri-Las' sweet first release (but not a hit), "Wishing Well." Other beauts: "A Groovy Kind of Love" (1965!) by Diana & Annita; "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" (Shirelles); "Let Me Down Easy" (Toys); "You Won't Be There" (Teardrops); the funny "He's a Fink" (Silky & the Shantungs) and more. Available at:
The girls sing on in the next volume of this fabulous set. This one digs even deeper into the vaults, with 26 juicy tracks. Among the sweet sounds are: "My Baby's Real" by the Clickettes; "Jing Jing a Ling" (Honey & the Bees); "Just How Much" (Kolettes); "Don't 'Cha Know" (Lockets); "You're Changing" (Mary & the Desirables) and more. Solo artists include Tammy Montgomery, Jean Dushan, Carol Vega, Mitty Collier, and others. Available at: 
A great place to start a collection of girl-group sounds. This has the classic songs you know and love: "Leader of the Pack" (Shangri-Las), "He's So Fine" (Chiffons), "Chapel of Love" (Dixie Cups), "Boy from New York City" (Ad-Libs) and more. Available at: 
A fantastic collection of 17 songs, featuring the unforgettable "Wounded" (Cookies), "Doctor of Hearts" (Chiffons), and "He's a Doll" (Honeys), plus rare tracks from the Dolls, Royalettes, Apollas, Blossoms, Pearls and Revlons. Available at: 
Two key figures of the girl-group era, songwriters/ producers Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, joined with studio singers as this group. Their hits, "What a Guy" and "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget" chime on with a classic pop beat. The 20 total tracks include great covers of "Hanky Panky" and "Da Doo Ron Ron," as well as many cool girl-group songs you've never heard! Two lesser-known, but fantastic, songs are "One More Tear" and "Let's Go Together." Available at: 
The only tragedy of the girl-group era is that these gals didn't get as famous as the Supremes. This CD includes their biggest hit, "Needle in a Haystack," as well as jumpy rockin' tunes like "He Was Really Sayin' Something" and "A Bird in the Hand." Among the 15 total tracks are four previously-unreleased songs. All, though, are gems. Available at: 
They didn't call 'em "Marvelettes" for nothin'. These girls are marvelous. Irresistible tunes like "Please Mr. Postman," "Beechwood 4-5789," "Don't Mess with Bill," (written by Smokey Robinson) and "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" are included in this collection of 11 songs. Their classic, "Too Many Fish in the Sea" is the epitome of up-tempo girl-group songs. Available at: 
Their big hit, "Easier Said Than Done," is here, plus 23 other great songs, including "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." Their rendition of "Conga Laya" is bouncy enough to be a contemporary hit. Anita Humes' strong voice backed with boy-bass doo-wop never sounded better. Unlike many mixed-gender bands with the girl-group sounds, these background guys didn't just add the occasional "sh-bop," they actually sang along. Available at: 
A great CD, even in summer. The Ronettes, Darlene Love, and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans sing classics, along with a girl-group original, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)." Leon Russell played piano, Sonny Bono played percussion, and Phil Spector produced. Available at: 
This CD has their hits, "Sweet Talking Guy," others, and of course, "One Fine Day." It includes covers of other girl-group hits, "The Locomotion," "It's My Party," and "My Boyfriend's Back." It's a fun romp through the unforgettable innocence of the early 1960s. Available at: 
31 songs for 10 bucks! I'm a collector of tough-to-find girl-group tracks, so I delighted in these hits by the Chic-Lets, Jet Set, Parlettes, Boyd Sisters, Barry Sisters, Tammys, Jewels, Bobbettes and Barbara English and the Fashions, and more. Better-known girl-group stars are included with their less-heard songs: the Essex ("I'll Let the Boys Know"), Diane Renay ("The Company You Keep"), Jessica James and the Outlaws (Peggy Santaglia of the Angels) singing "Give Her Up (Baby)." Available at: 
The Cookies are truly one of the unheralded girl groups. Sure, they had "Chains" and "Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby." But until you get this CD, you haven't heard some of their lesser-known gems. "Only to Other People" and Earl-Jean's alto-dipping "They're Jealous Of Me" are rare, beautiful girl-group songs. The most overlooked release, "I Never Dreamed" is here. This rarity is their best-ever song: dramatic, yearning, conclusive.
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This gem collection took off like a Motown runaway 60s hit. Originally released in the U.K., Motown wasn't sure about releasing it in the U.S. When they did so, it was modest. After all, most of these are nearly 40-year-old songs, and Motown is certainly not some "forgotten" label like Stax or Verve.
John Clemente chose a clever structure to make this book a great companion to the first classic girl-group book, Alan Betrock's Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound. Where Betrock's text was a straight narrative history of the genre, this book is a collection of group and singer bios. This gives more depth of information per group, while making it the first book of this type in the girl-group oeuvre.
John Clemente is a knowledgeable author. Besides being a record collector for 30 years, he has appeared on radio shows talking about the girl groups in the New York area. He is also a vocalist and has performed with vocal groups such as the Echelons, the Cliftonaires and the Infernos. Currently he performs with an a capella group, Remembrance.
A popular oeuvre of girl-group music is the "beach" sound, found in music by the Honeys, Donna Loren, and many others. It was also a popular theme for a slew of teenage beach movies (many starring Annette) such as Beach Blanket Bingo, and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.