Book Review: But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

The girl group sound, made famous and unforgettable by acts like The Ronettes, The Shirelles, The Supremes, and The Vandellas, took over the airwaves by capturing the mixture of innocence and rebellion emblematic of America in the 1960s. As songs like "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Then He Kissed Me," and "Be My Baby" rose to the top of the charts, girl groups cornered the burgeoning post-war market of teenage rock and roll fans, indelibly shaping the trajectory of pop music in the process. While the songs are essential to the American canon, many of the artists remain all but anonymous to most listeners.

With more than 100 subjects that made the music, from the singers to the songwriters, to their agents, managers, and sound engineers—and even to the present-day celebrities inspired by their lasting influence– But Will You Love Me Tomorrow: An Oral History of 60s Girl Groups tells a national coming-of-age story that gives particular insight into the experiences of the female singers and songwriters who created the movement.

Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz's book will be released on September 5, 2023. Hachette Books provided an early galley for review.

Even though I was barely forming my musical tastes as a child in the late 60's, the songs and harmonies of the girl groups were ever present on the radio. Their sounds take me back instantly to a time of simple, carefree fun. I just want to smile and sing along even all these decades later.

As I have seen with other music-related books in recent years, the authors weave their interview responses into a flowing narrative. This is what I liken very much to a "talking heads documentary" style of narration. For me, I find that it works very well for subject matters such as this one. I was also very pleased to see the wide variety of people who contributed to the discussions. While I expected, of course, the members of the groups themselves, I was also surprised by the other musicians, songwriters and more who added to the mosaic conversation.

The author covers all the ups and downs, the rise of stars and the falls of acts that broke up. It touches on the triumphs and the tragedies. And that is exactly what I want in a good music book - the covering of all the bases with no sugar-coating.