Doo Wop: The Music, the Times, the Era
When it comes to doo wop, a pop music style Morrow describes as vocal harmony + rock 'n' roll, the legendary DJ leaves no stone unturned as he traces the music back to its roots in early African-American slave songs. From there, he follows doo wop from its birth and its heyday in the '50s to its decline in the late '60s. As Morrow outlines the specific era of doo wop, he also gives sidebars on the groups—from superstars like the Platters to one-hit wonders like the Chords—that made it big during those years. As would be expected from a man who made his living behind the mike, Morrow displays a comfortable, conversational writing style that works well in this picture-heavy format (e.g., he writes of the romantic appeal of drive-ins: Funny how their popularity coincided with the Baby Boom, huh?). While the music history is the driving force behind this coffee-table tome, it's the cultural asides on topics as diverse as the era's people (Marilyn Monroe, Edward R. Murrow), places (diners, the Automat), sports (Jackie Robinson), politics (the red scare, JFK), kitsch (T-Birds, TV dinners) and entertainment (I Love Lucy,The Wild Ones) that will take readers back to America's golden age.(Nov.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.