Street Corner Symphonies: The Complete Story of Doo Wop, Vol. 12: 1960

Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl.
Illustrators: Stefan Wriedt; Charlie Horner; R.A. Andreas; Pamela Horner; Victor Pearlin; Billy Vera.
Photographers: Stefan Wriedt; Charlie Horner; R.A. Andreas; Pamela Horner; Victor Pearlin; Billy Vera.
The fracturing of a signature vocal harmony sound so evident on the 11th volume of Bear Family's Street Corner Symphonies continues on Street Corner Symphonies, Vol. 12: 1960, whose 35 tracks boast nearly the same number of sounds and styles as its predecessor. There are a handful of sides that are recognizable as traditional doo wop harmonizing, but more and more, the records are heavily produced, a trend that suited not only the string-drenched heartbroken love songs of the Drifters ("There Goes My Baby" plays like a mini-symphony) but also the hard-rocking, funny "Big Boy Pete" from the Olympics. There are still a number of Coasters-styled novelties, burgeoning girl group harmonies (the Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"), coolly grooving pop tunes like Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs' "Stay," but there are some new wrinkles arriving via the testifying of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters ("Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go"), and, especially, Detroit's Four Tops and Miracles, the latter of whom contribute "Who's Lovin' You," a song that pushes doo wop toward what became known as soul. It was the birth of Motown and it's fascinating to hear that, along with uptown soul, surface among what in retrospect looks to be the twilight of doo wop, and hearing all the styles blend together makes this a rather wonderful volume in this excellent series. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine