MYRMIDONS OF MELODRAMA

I think if you want to rear musically enlightened daughters, you should introduce them to The Shangri-Las before they discover MTV, High School Musical, and Chris Brown (whoever the hell he is). Their emotional, dramatic style is so easily relatable for young girls, hence their huge successes in the sixties. However, when you listen to them, it isn't like listening to girl bands of today, it's not safe, you don't feel your Mother would approve entirely of their message. They share secrets normally reserved for year 11 girl's bathrooms, in a style which jumps from whispering conversation about bad boys, to wailing affirmations of forbidden love. 

The combination of intensity, humor, and rebellion can be seen mimicked in later acts like Blondie, The Runaways, and Hole, and is a winning formula. The Shangri-Las have recently had some renewed popularity with acts like Amy Winehouse and Duffy sighting them as influences for their hugely popular albums, 'Back To Black' and 'Rockferry'. I would suggest bypassing these altogether though, and opting for the originals. Go here for a torrent of their Greatest Hits or even better here to buy it for yourself. Be transported back to whatever year you were 16 in, lie on your bed listening to this record, and allow yourself to dream of boys in leather jackets, with bad reputations... 

'What colour are his eyes?'

'I don't know, he's always wearing shades'