Great Ladies of Rock & Roll: The '50s - WCBS

Performer: Various Artists
Distributor: Gotham Distributing Corp.

Notes: This CD was packaged for and promoted by WJMK, Chicago, Illinois. Liner Note Author: Al Fichera. Including 25 tracks of the biggest female-fronted pop of the decade, Great Ladies of Rock & Roll: The '50s is a good compilation choice for fans attempting to fill in the gaps, as well as those who are simply historically curious. It must be granted that a gaping stylistic chasm separates some of the material here; after all, the same disc takes in Gogi Grant's faux-epic "The Wayward Wind," Brenda Lee's raucous "Sweet Nothin's," and Dinah Washington's refined "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes." Still, nearly every track is a classic in its respective field, from adult vocal (Julie London's "Cry Me a River") to teen pop (the Teen Queens' "Eddie My Love") to somewhere in between (Connie Francis' "Lipstick on Your Collar"). Especially intriguing for vocal fans are the obscurities, many of which point out how the '50s was, for female pop, a decade focused on regret and heartbreak: "The Big Hurt" by Miss Toni Fisher, "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" by the Shepherd Sisters, and "Lonely Nights" by the Hearts. ~ John Bush Including 25 tracks of the biggest female-fronted pop of the decade, Great Ladies of Rock & Roll: The '50s is a good compilation choice for fans attempting to fill in the gaps, as well as those who are simply historically curious. It must be granted that a gaping stylistic chasm separates some of the material here; after all, the same disc takes in Gogi Grant's faux-epic "Wayward Wind," Brenda Lee's raucous "Sweet Nothin's," and Dinah Washington's refined "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes." Still, nearly every track is a classic in its respective field, from adult vocal (Julie London's "Cry Me a River") to teen pop (the Teen Queens' "Eddie My Love") to somewhere inbetween (Connie Francis' "Lipstick on Your Collar"). Especially intriguing for vocal fans are the obscurities, many of which point out how the '50s was, for female pop, a decade focused on regret and heartbreak: "The Big Hurt" by Miss Toni Fisher, "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" by the Shepherd Sisters, and "Lonely Nights" by the Hearts. ~ John Bush WJMK: Great Ladies of Rock 'N' Roll 50's includes 25 pop and R&B tracks combining outstanding material from Dinah Washington, LaVern Baker, and Ruth Brown, along with one-hit wonders Gogi Grant ("The Wayward Wind"), Dodie Stevens ("Pink Shoe Laces"), and Bobbettes ("Mr. Lee"). While the packaging is horrible, the sound quality is decent, making this an affordable way to pick up these tunes on the Collectables label. ~ Al Campbell Including 25 tracks of the biggest female-fronted pop of the decade, Great Ladies of Rock & Roll: The '50s is a good compilation choice for fans attempting to fill in the gaps, as well as those who are simply historically curious. It must be granted that a gaping stylistic chasm separates some of the material here; after all, the same disc takes in Gogi Grant's faux-epic "Wayward Wind," Brenda Lee's raucous "Sweet Nothin's," and Dinah Washington's refined "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes." Still, nearly every track is a classic in its respective field, from adult vocal (Julie London's "Cry Me a River") to teen pop (the Teen Queens' "Eddie My Love") to somewhere inbetween (Connie Francis' "Lipstick on Your Collar"). Especially intriguing for vocal fans are the obscurities, many of which point out how the '50s was, for female pop, a decade focused on regret and heartbreak: "The Big Hurt" by Miss Toni Fisher, "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" by the Shepherd Sisters, and "Lonely Nights" by the Hearts. ~ John Bush

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