Poni-Tails

Born Too Late Poni-Tails

Forever associated with their all-time classic of the Rock 'n' Roll era 'Born Too Late' (a US and UK Top 10 Pop hit that also made the US R&B charts), Lyndhurst, Ohio trio the Poni-Tails are usually thought of as being typical of music's many 'one-hit wonders' because they couldn't follow up their biggie with another of comparable magnitude. In fact the female trio had a number of other smaller hits on both sides of the Atlantic - all of which can be heard in this new Jasmine collection featuring their complete recordings from 1957 to 1960. Their time in the spotlight may have been relatively brief, but the Poni-Tails left a musical legacy that carried over into the next decade and the halcyon era of Girl Groups. Their music may not have been especially edgy or ground breaking but they were an undoubted template for many of the trios and quartets of young women who came through in their wake - and echoes of the teen angst of 'Born Too Late' can be heard in all manner of 1960s classics by the Shangri-Las, the Crystals and many more. This new Jasmine package presents the Poni-Tails A and B sides in chronological order of release - they never had an original album - for the first time on UK CD. Most of these songs did not gain release here when new, but their other UK Top 30 hit 'Early To Bed' (which bizarrely did not make the US chart!) is sure to be remembered by fans of pop music from the 1950s. More than 60 years may have passed since the lovelorn trio crooned their way into the UK Top 5 with their greatest hit, but 'Born Too Late' still sums up the music of the rock 'n' roll era with as much nostalgia as any hit by Elvis or his peers. The Poni-Tails may have stopped recording and retired to domesticity as the 1960s began, but their legacy lives anew in this very welcome addition to the Jasmine catalogue.