Various Teenage Heaven - The Fifties Girl Group Phenomenon (CD)

(2009/Cherry Red-El) 33 tracks (78:59) with informative 12 page booklet
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It may seem fanciful at first sight to draw any kind of parallel between the explosion of American girl groups in the late Fifties and the eruption of punk in the mid-Seventies. Certainly, the on purveyed by outfits like The Blossoms, The Poni-Tails and The Bobettes contained little in the way of calls to overthrow the government or expressed views on the fascistic tendencies of the British monarchy. Rather they focused on the mysteries of boy-girl relationships, with special emphasis on boys who are unattainable, faithless or unable to take no for an answer. But the early girl groups played an important part in storming the ramparts of a Music world that alter the initial energising jolt provided by rock 'n' roll, was already starting to ossify.
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In fact there had been girl groups long before the Fifties, Tight-harmony groups like the Andrews Sisters and (in the UK) the Beverley Sisters had been a staple, of music hall, vaudeville and big band jazz since the Thirties. But with the arrival of Rock'n'Roll, such groups were rendered obsolete - at least for a young audience - virtually overnight.

(excerpts from the linernotes by Christopher Evans)