IS THIS A LASTING TREASURE?

Roots y'all.

It Hurts to be in Love—Gene Pitney
An uncharacteristic rocker from a FOMAK (Friend of Mick and Keef)...

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow—The Shirelles
I like how they slip by the censors on a sweet melody and a shoop the question: If we fuck tonight, what happens when the sun comes up?

Hushabye—The Mystics
Maybe there’s something here to set this apart from other white-boy doo-wop, but I confess I’m not hearing it.

(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons—Sam Cooke
OK, I’m slow dancing with myself now. That voice… that phrasing… that use of leading parens in the song title…

Sheila—Tommy Roe
It’s fascinating in retrospect to hear these once commercially viable artists at the moment before they were about to be rendered obsolete by The Beatles. It’s like walking through Herculaneum with a spray bottle and a fine brush…

I’m Ready—Fat Domino
The fat man, on the other hand, will not be rendered obsolete by anyone...

Rag Doll—The Four Seasons
Part of their success in America was surely due to the fact that they plied some pretty reactionary territory. Billy Joel lifted their implicit smarm, trebled it, and rode “I love you just the way you are” straight from his ex-wife to Christie,,,

Nicely done. Grade: B+