Frankie Lymon
Frankie Lymon performing "Goody, Goody" on Toast of the Town circa 1958.
Background information
Birth name	Frank Joseph Lymon
Born	September 30, 1942(1942-09-30)
Origin	Harlem, New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	February 27, 1968 (aged 25), Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
Genre(s)	Rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)	Vocals
Years active	1955-1968
Label(s)	Gee, Roulette
Associated acts	The Teenagers

Frank Joseph "Frankie" Lymon (September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968) was an African-American rock and roll/Rhythm and blues singer, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of a New York City-based early rock and roll group called The Teenagers. The group included five boys, all in their early to mid teens. The original lineup of the Teenagers, an integrated group, included three African-American members, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant and Sherman Garnes, and two Puerto Rican members, Herman Santiago and Joe Negroni. Image File history File links Frankie-lymon-goody-goody. ... The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television variety show that ran from June 20, 1948, to June 6, 1971, and was hosted by Ed Sullivan. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Harlem (disambiguation). ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Rhythm and blues (disambiguation). ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Bold text For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Gee Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ... Roulette Records is a record label which was started late 1956 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, but the label was soon sold to Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. ... The Teenagers are an American doo wop group. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses, see Rhythm and blues (disambiguation). ... Treble (or Boy Soprano in slang) is a term applied in music to a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A musical ensemble is, by definition, a group of three or more musicians who gather to perform music. ... The Teenagers are an American doo wop group. ... Look up integration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Herman Santiago born (February 18, 1941 in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan, New York), is a songwriter who wrote the rock and roll hit Why Do Fools Fall In Love. Herman Santiago In the early 1950s Santiago and friends 2nd tenor Jimmy Merchant, fellow Puerto Rican and... Joe Negroni (September 9, 1940-September 5, 1978) born in New York City, was a founding member of the rock and roll group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. ...

The Teenagers' first single, 1956's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", was also their biggest. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and those of the Teenagers fell into decline. Lymon eventually fell into heroin addiction, and died in 1968 at the age of 25. Why Do Fools Fall in Love was originally a 1956 hit song by doo-wop group Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and later revived 25 years later by soul singer Diana Ross in 1981. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ...

Biography

Early years: joining the Teenagers

Frankie Lymon was born in Harlem, New York to a truck driver father and a domestic mother. Lymon's father, Howard Lymon, also sang in a gospel group known as the Harlemaires; Frankie Lymon and his brothers Louis and Howie sung with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth Lymon brother, Timmy, was also a singer, but not with the Harlemaire Juniors). The Lymon family struggled to make ends meet, and Lymon began working as a grocery boy at age ten, augmenting his legitimate income with proceeds gained from hustling prostitutes.^[1] For other uses, see Harlem (disambiguation). ... “NY” redirects here. ...

At the age of twelve, Lymon heard a local doo-wop group known as the Coupe De Villes at a school talent show. He befriended their lead singer, Herman Santiago, and eventually became a member of the group, now calling itself both The Ermines and The Premiers. Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Herman Santiago born (February 18, 1941 in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan, New York), is a songwriter who wrote the rock and roll hit Why Do Fools Fall In Love. Herman Santiago In the early 1950s Santiago and friends 2nd tenor Jimmy Merchant, fellow Puerto Rican and...

One day in 1955, a neighbor gave The Premiers several love letters that had been written to him by his girlfriend, with the hopes that he could give the boys inspiration to write their own songs. Merchant and Santiago adapted one of the letters into a song called "Why Do Birds Sing So Gay?" With Lymon's input, the song became "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". The Premiers, now calling themselves The Teenagers, got their first shot at fame after impressing Richard Barrett, a singer with The Valentines. Barrett in turn got the group an audition with record producer George Goldner. However, on the day of the group's audition, Santiago was sick, and Lymon led the Teenagers through "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".

"Why Do Fools Fall in Love": fame and success

Goldner signed the quintet to Gee Records, and "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" became their first single in January 1956. The single peaked at #6 on the Billboard pop singles chart, and topped the Billboard R&B singles chart for five weeks. Gee Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the main singles chart used by Billboard magazine. ... The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, formerly known as Top Soul Singles, Top Black Singles, and Top R&B Singles (before the hip-hop term was added in the late 1990s), lists the most popular songs, calculated weekly by airplay and sales, in traditionally African American venues...

Five other R&B top ten singles followed over the next year-plus: "I Want You To Be My Girl", "I Promise To Remember", "Who Can Explain?", "Out in the Cold Again", and "The ABC's of Love." "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" and "Baby Baby" were also popular Teenagers releases. "I Want You To Be My Girl" gave the band its second pop hit, reaching #13 on the national Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Goody Goody" was a #20 pop hit, but did not appear on the R&B chart. The Teenagers placed two other singles in the lower half of the pop chart.

With the release of "I Want You to Be My Girl", the group's second single, The Teenagers became Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. A long-playing album, The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon, was issued in December 1956.

The group's success made Frankie Lymon the first African-American teen idol. ^[2] In March 1956, the Teenagers began appearing with pioneering rock and roll DJ Alan Freed's rock-and-roll revues, performing alongside acts such as Little Richard, The Platters, and Bill Haley and His Comets. The group also appeared in two of Freed's early rock and roll films, Rock, Rock, Rock (1956) and Mister Rock and Roll (1957), and performed on Freed's radio and television programs. While touring with the Platters, Lymon befriended that group's sole female singer, Zola Taylor, whom he later began a romantic relationship with. For other uses, see Teen idol (disambiguation). ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is an African-American singer, songwriter, and pianist, who began performing in the 1940s and recording from 1951. ... The Platters were a successful vocal group of the early rock and roll era. ... The original members of Bill Haley and His Comets, c. ... Now widely considered Chuck Berrys first album [1], Rock, Rock, Rock (Chess LP-1425) was originally marketed as a soundtrack album for the motion picture of the same name, which was not true. ... Zola Taylor (born 1934 in Los Angeles, California) is an American singer. ...

Going solo

In early 1957, Lymon and the Teenagers split apart while on a tour of Europe. During an engagement at the London Palladium, Goldner began pushing Lymon as a solo act, giving him solo spots in the show. Lymon began performing with backing from pre-recorded tapes. The group's latest singles, "Out In The Cold Again" and "Goody Goody", retained the Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers credit, but were actually solo recordings (with backing on "Goody, Goody" and its b-side by session singers). Lymon had officially departed from the group by September 1957; an in-progress studio album called Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers at the London Pallladium was instead issued as a Lymon solo release. The London Palladium in 2004 The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ...

As a solo artist, Lymon was not a success. Beginning with his first solo release, "My Girl", Lymon was moved to Roulette Records. On a July 19, 1957 episode of Freed's live ABC TV show The Big Beat, Lymon began dancing with a white teenage girl while performing. His actions caused a scandal, particularly among Southern TV station owners, and The Big Beat was subsequently canceled.^[3] Roulette Records is a record label which was started late 1956 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, but the label was soon sold to Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ...

Lymon's slowly tapering sales fell sharply after his voice changed and he lost his signature soprano voice. Adopting a falsetto, Lymon carried on. His highest charting solo hit was a cover of Thurston Harris' "Little Bitty Pretty One", which peaked at number 58 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1960. Having been addicted to heroin since age 15, Lymon fell further into his habit, and his performing career went into decline. According to Lymon in an interview with Ebony in 1967, he said that he was first introduced to heroin by a woman twice his age, when he was 15. In 1961, Roulette, now run by Morris Levy, ended their contract with Lymon and the singer entered a drug rehabilitation program. Falsetto is a singing technique that produces sounds that are pitched higher than the singers normal range, in the treble range. ... Thurston Harris (born Thurston Theodore Harris [1], 11 July 1931, Indianapolis, Indiana [2] — died 14 April 1990, Pomona, California [3]) was an American male singer, briefly popular in the early to mid 1950s. ... Little Bitty Pretty One is a rock and roll song written and origenally recorded by Bobby Day, and popularized by Thurston Harris in 1957. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... Morris Levy (August 27, 1927 - May 21, 1990) was an American music industry executive, who is best known as the owner of the record label Roulette Records. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

After losing Lymon, the Teenagers went through a string of replacement singers, the first of whom was Lymon's immediate successor Billy Lobrano. By 1959, Howard Kenny Bobo was the lead singer of the Teenagers; a year later, Johnny Houston was on lead. The Teenagers, who had been moved by Morris Levy onto End Records, were released from their contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Lymon in 1965, without success.

Later years and death

Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals with 20th Century Fox Records and Columbia Records. Lymon began a relationship with Elizabeth Waters, who became his first wife in January 1964. Lymon's marriage to Ms. Waters was not legal in the beginning, due to her still being legally married to her first husband. However, they supposedly became married by way of common law marriage eventually. Lymon's marriage failed, and he moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, where he began a romantic relationship with Zola Taylor. He appeared at the Apollo as part of a revue, adding an extended tap dance number. His final television performance was on Hollywood a Go-Go in 1965, where the then twenty-two year old singer lip-synched to the recording of his thirteen-year-old self singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," which was a bold and courageous step toward revitalizing his career. Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965,^[4] although their relationship ended several months later because of Lymon's drug habits. Though, Lymon has been known to say that their marriage was a publicity stunt. Taylor could produce no legal documentation of their marriage. 20th Century Records, also known as 20th Century Fox Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... In many jurisdictions, common-law marriage is a legal provision whereby two people who are eligible to marry, but who do not obtain a legal marriage, are nevertheless considered married under certain conditions. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Zola Taylor (born 1934 in Los Angeles, California) is an American singer. ...

The same year, Lymon was drafted into the United States Army, and stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia near Augusta, Georgia for training. While in the Augusta area, Lymon met and fell in love with Elmira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary in Augusta. The two were wed in June 1967, and Lymon repeatedly went AWOL to secure club dates at small Southern clubs. Dishonorably discharged from the Army, Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically. The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Fort Gordon (formerly known as Camp Gordon) is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of The Provost Marshal General School (Military Police). ... Nickname: Motto: We feel Good Location of the consolidated areas of Augusta and Richmond County in the state of Georgia. ... AWOL (pronounced a-wall) is an acronym for the United States and other armed forces expression Absent WithOut Leave or Absence Without Official Leave. The United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy use the term Unauthorized Absence (UA) instead. ...

Traveling to New York in 1968, manager Sam Bray signed Lymon to his Big Apple label, and the singer returned to recording. Roulette Records expressed interest in releasing Lymon's records in conjunction with Big Apple and scheduled a recording session for February 28. Lymon, staying at his grandmother's house in Harlem where he had grown up, celebrated his good fortune by taking heroin -- he had remained clean ever since entering the Army three years prior. On February 27, 1968, Lymon was found dead from a heroin overdose. ^[5] He was twenty-five years old. He was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx in New York. "I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze", the two sides Lymon had recorded for Big Apple before his death, were released later in the year. "Seabreeze" showcased the beauty of his mature sound along with the vocal skills and techniques that made him famous. Roulette Records is a record label which was started late 1956 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, but the label was soon sold to Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term drug overdose (or simply overdose) describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced. ... Saint Raymonds Cemetery is a cemetery in The Bronx, New York City. ... Throgs Neck, shown in red, in the Bronx, New York City Throgs Neck (sometimes spelled Throggs Neck) is a narrow spit of land in the southeastern Bronx in New York City. ... For other uses, see The Bronx (disambiguation). ... “NY” redirects here. ...

Legal issues

Lymon's troubles did not end with his death. After R&B singer Diana Ross returned "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" to the Top Ten in 1981, a major controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Zola Taylor, Elizabeth Waters, and Elmira Eagle each approached Morris Levy, who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties, claiming to be Lymon's rightful widow - Lymon had neglected to divorce both Taylor and Waters. The complex issue resulted in lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, and in 1986, the first of several court cases concerning the ownership of Lymon's estate began. For the author-illustrator, see Diana Ross (author). ...

Trying to determine who was indeed the lawful Mrs. Frankie Lymon was complicated by more issues. Waters was already married when she married Lymon; she had separated from her first husband, but their divorce was finalized in 1965, after she had married Lymon.^[6] Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965, but could produce no acceptable evidence of their union.^[7] Lymon's marriage to Eagle, on the other hand, was properly documented as having taken place at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia in 1967; however, the singer was still apparently twice-married and never divorced when he married Eagle. The first decision was made in Waters' favor; Eagle appealed, and in 1990, the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Eagle Lymon's estate.^[8]

However, the details of the case brought about another issue: whether Morris Levy was deserving of the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although early vinyl single releases of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" credit Frankie Lymon, Herman Santiago, and Jimmy Merchant as co-writers of the song, later releases and cover versions were attributed to Lymon and George Goldner. When Goldner sold his music companies to Morris Levy in 1959, Levy's name began appearing as co-writer of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" in place of Goldner's. Lymon was never paid his songwriters' royalties during his lifetime; one result of Elmira Eagle's legal victory was that Lymon's estate would finally begin receiving monetary compensation from his hit song's success. In 1987, Herman Santiago and Jimmy Merchant, both then poor, sued Morris Levy for their songwriters' credits.

In December 1992, the United States federal courts ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on the basis of the statute of limitations: copyright cases must be brought before a court within three years of the alleged civil violation, and Merchant and Santiago's lawsuit was not filed until 30 years later. Authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains in the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.^[9] The United States federal courts are the system of courts organized under the Constitution and laws of the federal government of the United States. ... Court of Appeals or (outside the U.S. and in some American states) Court of Appeal is the title of a court which has the power to consider or hear an appeal. ... A statute of limitations is a statute in a common law legal system that sets forth the maximum period of time, after certain events, that legal proceedings based on those events may be initiated. ...

Legacy

Although their period of success was brief, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' string of hits were highly influential on the rock and R&B performers who followed them. Lymon's high-voiced sound is said to be a direct predecessor of the girl group sound, and the list of performers who name him as an influence include Ronnie Spector, The Chantels, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and Len Barry, among others.^{[10][11] [2]} The performers most inspired by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style are The Jackson 5 and its lead singer and future superstar Michael Jackson. Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jr. based much of the Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings, ^[2] and the Teenagers are believed to be the original model for many of the other Motown groups he cultivated.^[12] ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... Ronnie Spector (born Veronica Yvette Bennett, 10 August 1943, in New York City) was the lead singer of the girl group The Ronettes, and is known as the original bad girl of rock and roll. From a very young age, she took to singing and her large, close family encouraged... The Chantels were the first black female group to have nationwide success. ... “Temptations” redirects here. ... William Smokey Robinson, Jr. ... Len Barry (born Leonard Borisoff, 12 June 1942, in West Philadelphia) was an American musician. ... The Jackson 5 (also spelled The Jackson Five or The Jackson 5ive, abbreviated as J5, and later known as The Jacksons) was an American popular music quintet from Gary, Indiana. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (Motor City), where it achieved widespread international success. ... Berry Gordy, Jr. ...

Lymon's music and story were re-introduced to modern audiences with Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a 1998 biographical film directed by Gregory Nava, also the director of the Selena biopic. Why Do Fools Fall in Love tells a comedic, fictionalized version of Lymon's story from the points of view of his three wives as they battle in court for the rights to his estate. The film stars Larenz Tate as Frankie Lymon, Halle Berry as Zola Taylor, Vivica A. Fox as Elizabeth Waters, and Lela Rochon as Elmira Eagle. Why Do Fools Fall in Love was not a commercial success: it met with mixed reviews,^[13] the film grossed a total of $12,461,773 during its original theatrical run.^[14] Why Do Fools Fall in Love is a 1998 romantic drama, written by Tina Andrews and directed by Gregory Nava. ... Gregory Nava publicity photo Gregory Nava, a third generation Mexican-American (born April 10, 1949 in San Diego, California) is a film director, producer and screenplay writer, of Mexican and Basque heritage. ... Selena is a 1997 biopic about the life and career of Tejana singer Selena Quintanilla Perez (1971-1995). ... Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor. ... Halle Maria Berry (IPA: ) (born August 14, 1966[1]) is an Academy Award-winning American actress. ... Vivica Anjanetta Fox (born July 30, 1964 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a film and television actress. ... Lela Rochon (born on 17 April 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA) is an American actress best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale. ...

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at sunset. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor what they term the Greatest Vocal Groups in the World. The Hall of Fame is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography

Singles

Gee releases

• 1956-01: [Gee 1002] "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" / "Please Be Mine" ¹ (#1 on the R&B chart for 5 weeks)
• 1956-04: [Gee 1012] "I Want You To Be My Girl" / "I'm Not A Know It All" ² (#3 on R&B chart)
• 1956-07: [Gee 1018] "I Promise To Remember" / "Who Can Explain" (double-sided hit on R&B chart (#10 and #7))
• 1956-10: [Gee 1022] "The ABC's Of Love" / "Share" (#8 on R&B chart)
• 1957-02: [Gee 1026] "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" / "Baby, Baby"
• 1957-04: [Gee 1032] "Paper Castles" / "Teenage Love"
• 1957-05: [Gee 1035] "love Is A Crown / Am I Gooling Myself Again"
• 1957-06: [Gee 1036] "Out In The Cold Again" / "Miracle In The Rain" ¹ (#10 on R&B chart)
• 1957-07: [Gee 1039] "Goody Goody" / "Creation Of Love" ³
• 1957-12; [Gee 1046] "Everything To Me" / "Flip Flop"

Gee Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ... Why Do Fools Fall in Love was originally a 1956 hit song by doo-wop group Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and later revived 25 years later by soul singer Diana Ross in 1981. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

Notes

• ¹ Released as by "The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"
• ² Early copies released as by "The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"; billing on later pressings changed to "Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers"
• ³ Both sides of this release are actually Frankie Lymon solo recordings.

Album

• 1956: [Gee 701] The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon

Frankie Lymon solo discography

Singles

Roulette releases

• 1957: [Roulette 4026] "My Girl" / "So Goes My Love"
• 1957: [Roulette 4035] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again"
• 1958: [Roulette 4044] "Thumb Thumb" / "Footsteps"
• 1958: [Roulette 4068] "Portable On My Shoulder" / "Mama Don't Allow It" — 4/58
• 1958: [Roulette 4093] "Only Way To Love" / "Melinda"
• 1959: [Roulette 4128] "Up Jumped A Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done"
• 1959: [Roulette 4150] "What A Little Moonlight Can Do" /" Before I Fall Asleep"

Gee release

• 1959: [Gee 1052] "Goody Good Girl" / "I'm Not Too Young To Dream"

Roulette releases

• 1960: [Roulette 4257] "Little Bitty Pretty One" / "Creation Of Love"
• 1960: [Roulette 4283] "Buzz Buzz Buzz" / "Waitin' In School"
• 1961: [Roulette 4310] "Jailhouse Rock" / "Silhouettes"
• 1961: [Roulette 4348] "Change Partners" /" So Young (And So In Love)"
• 1961: [Roulette 4391] "Young" / "I Put The Bomp"

Later releases

• 1964: "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (20th Century Fox)
• 1964: "Somewhere" / "Sweet And Lovely" (Columbia)
• 1968: "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (Big Apple)

Little Bitty Pretty One is a rock and roll song written and origenally recorded by Bobby Day, and popularized by Thurston Harris in 1957. ... Jailhouse Rock is a song written by Leiber and Stoller that first became a hit for the American singer Elvis Presley. ... 20th Century Records, also known as 20th Century Fox Records, was a subsidiary of film studio 20th Century Fox. ...

Albums

• 1956: Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers - 1981 Re-issue Roulette Y2-116-RO (Japan) [Gee 701]
• 1957: Frankie Lymon at the London Palladium (Roulette)
• 1958: Rock & Roll with Frankie Lymon (Roulette)

The Teenagers discography (without Lymon)

• 1957: "Flip-Flop" / "Everything To Me" (Gee)
• 1958: "My Broken Heart" / "Momma Wanna Rock" (Roulette)
• 1960: "Crying" / "Tonight's The Night" (End)
• 1960: "Can You Tell Me?" / "A Little Wiser Now" (End)
• 1961: "What's On Your Mind?" / "The Draw" (Joey & the Teenagers, Columbia)

Gee Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ... Roulette Records is a record label which was started late 1956 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, but the label was soon sold to Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. ... End Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ... End Records was acquired by Morris Levy and incorporated into Roulette Records. ...

References

Michael Cub Koda (b. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Bennett, Joy (December 1998). "The Real Story of Why Do Fools Fall in Love - entertainer Frankie Lymon and his widow Emira Lymon". Ebony magazine. Electronic version retrieved from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_1998_Dec/ai_53331348/pg_1 on November 19, 2006.
• "Doo Wop: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers." The Entertainers We Love. Retrieved from http://tracy_prinze.tripod.com/theentertainerswelove/id32.html on November 19, 2006.
• Fotentot, Robert. "Profile: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers." About.com. Retrieved from http://oldies.about.com/od/doowo1/p/lymonteenagers.htm?once=true& on November 19, 2006.
• Goldberg, Marc (2001). "Marc Goldberg's R&B Notebook: The Teenagers". Retrieved from http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Teenagers/teenagers.html on November 19, 2006.
• Grossman, Wendy (Sept 3, 1998). "Widow of singer claims film phony." Augusta Chronicle. Electronic version retrieved from http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/090398/fea_124-1369.shtml on November 19, 2006.
• Nava, Gregory, Andrews, Tina, and Hall, Paul (1998). Audio commentary track from Why Do Fools Fall in Love [DVD release]. Los Angeles: Warner Bros.
• Peneny, D.K. (1998). "Frankie Lymon". History-of-rock.com. Retrieved from http://www.history-of-rock.com/lymon.htm on November 19, 2006.

is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Why Do Fools Fall in Love is a 1998 romantic drama, written by Tina Andrews and directed by Gregory Nava. ... “WB” redirects here. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Biography of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
• Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
• http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=146
• http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/frankielymon.txt
• http://history-of-rock.com/lymon.htm
• Frankie Lymon's Gravesite
• 'Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page