• Track Listing

Teenage parties of the late 1950s and early '60s had a soundtrack all their own, full of sweet and happy songs about teenage love, innocent good times, breaking-up and well... teenage parties. Bear Family's 34-song CD compilation 'The Precious Years' would have been perfect listening for those attending high school dances, sock hops, college parties, record hops, pyjama parties, and senior proms, loaded with wonderful ditties celebrating the joys of being young by some of the leading teen idols of the day-Rick Nelson, The Everly Brothers, Paul Anka, Tommy Sands, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette (his brother Dorsey's here too), and Pat Boone, just for starters. But here's more. Even though we have names like Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins, Jimmy Donley, Marvin Rainwater and Glenn Reeves (to name a few) not directly associated with teenage music, these artists have delivered a number of highly acclaimed contributions to this genre. Nothing too wild or raucous here, just lighthearted toe-tapping and up-tempo rock and roll and a few dreamy ballads from the golden teenage era by young singers who knew how to carry a tune. This is the kind of great pop music you could hear at the parties of those years. We will take you on a journey through time to the milkshakes, ice cream sundaes, pizza parlors, malt shops and drive-in cinemas.