Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers — Why Do Fools Fall In Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q96ylFiQK_I#t=135s

This song (which begins at 2:15) is fifty-seven years old right now; by the time I have oldies of my own, this'll be some kind of super-oldie, an oldie for my parents, pop music for perhaps my grandparents, although maybe a little after their time. And yet the chords and rhythms are recognizable; the horns and breaks and harmonies are nothing particular; it's rock, maybe, but it has swing horns and jazz bass; lindy hop rhythm and doo-wop vocals, a vocal group with big band backing. This was before records had genres; there was simply the music being made now and the music that was written before. It was all good music — you either followed or you didn't. It pleased everyone. And you hear echoes of it — particularly the Jackson 5, Diana Ross, and the Beach Boys, perhaps most of Motown.

No comments:

Post a Comment