Directed by Brent Wilson
Featuring Lance Bass, Brian Wilson and Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman
Running time: 1 hour and 23 minutes

by Ashley Jane

“Doo-Wop means… great music.”

The only thing I love as much as (or more than) movies is music. I love many different styles and eras of music, and I always have, but I’ll be totally honest - I favour older music very very very heavily. When I say older, I mean 60 years old, plus. Some folks love hearing the latest music, and I understand that, but I have accepted the fact that this is no longer me. Sure, I like lots of new music, but I am also truly lazy and hate the search for something good (I rely on my fiancee with very good taste in music to help me with that). Truth be told, one of my favourite thrills in life is finding an older song or artist who is new to me. When this happens - ohhh look out. I become immersed. It’s as if the outside music world doesn’t matter, I have a one-track mind, and if you are my close friend, you have no choice but to come along with me on the ride! (I want to formally apologize to my friends circa 2003 as they were forced to ride the Joni Mitchell train with me in my car, at all times. Well, not really - actually, you should be thanking me.) The point is - I love music. I love movies. So I love movies about music! Streetlight Harmonies is no different.

I must disclose, before watching this, I had a very basic bitch knowledge of Doo-Wop music. I knew what it was, I could list off important songs and artists, but I would not describe myself as a fan. I never really got into it because it’s peak was in an era that hit years before my own favourite music years. However, after having watched Streetlight Harmonies, I realized that Doo-Wop never really went away.

Doo-Wop had its roots in gospel music (side note: hearing a clip of The Soul Stirrers made me gasp because I l-o-v-e them), but was born in a time when the world needed to hear it. Times were more innocent in those post-war years and there was a whole culture of amazing singers who had nothing to perform with but their voices. They often couldn’t afford instruments, which were difficult to find in stores anyway, so they spent their nights gathered under streetlights in their neighbourhoods seeing how they could make their voices blend in unique ways. The thing that impressed me about Doo-Wop was how accessible it was. It wasn’t about technical prowess or musical literacy. There were “high parts” and “low parts”. But the harmonies in these recordings are still stunning to this day. 

Streetlight Harmonies was an entertaining and educational documentary with nonstop music, amazing archival material and new interviews by big names in the business, but it’s real success lies in it being a touching narrative film as well. It’s about the music, of course. But it’s also about the historical significance of the music. 

Much time is spent commenting on how these brave artists battled segregation from the front lines and used music as a way to connect people from all walks of life. I loved learning about the many mixed race groups and how music served as a great common denominator that melded races together, eventually leading to mixed crowds of fans enjoying music together. Of course, there are harsh realities laid bare as well. There are instances of white artists jumping on hits by black artists, hopping on bandwagons as a way to make money while eclipsing the more deserving original artists (gross). It was also upsetting to learn of how many of these artists were taken advantage of as innocent kids by greedy managers, many never seeing royalties for songs that earn others untold amounts of money still today. But most touching was the way these artists told their own stories. They are still here. They can see the impact their voices and music have made on people’s lives in a personal way, but also how they played a role socially in the Civil Rights movement as well. It’s really inspirational. The personal touches added throughout the film really made it work as a story, and not just a history lesson. 

For example, I loved hearing how The Crystals recorded “And Then He Kissed Me” with the innocence of not having their first kisses yet. I loved seeing the excitement in Brian McKnight’s face as he described finding this music that spoke to him as a seven-year-old child. I loved seeing how The Orioles are still performing to crowds who love their music. There is so much passion involved - in the music itself, but also clearly in the way this film was made to finally shine a spotlight on these deserving artists.

My favourite thing about this documentary is how all-encompassing it is. It’s about the singers. It’s about the songwriters. It’s about the DJs. It’s about the sub-genres. It’s about the producers. It’s about the audiences. It’s about the music they all inspired. I love learning about the people behind the scenes in music, particularly the songwriters, and this documentary did not disappoint.

Lance Bass comments near the end of this film, “Doo-Wop groups never go away, they just evolve.” He’s right! Doo-Wop led to surf, to RnB (and my favourite studio, Motown), to rock n roll, to hip hop, and beyond. As long as there is music, there will be groups focusing on vocal harmonies. What’s gonna be the next wave of vocal harmony groups? I don’t know. But whatever it is, they will undoubtedly be inspired by the countless artists and songwriters who started out on their local streets, singing together under the streetlights.

Available on demand March 31st.