Am I Fooling Myself Again Morris Levy Frankie Lymon the Teenagers

The Teenagers

By Marv Goldberg

Based on interviews with Jimmy Merchant

© 2001, 2009 past Marv Goldberg

Eighteen months. Many things that we somehow feel lasted a lot longer, only lasted eighteen months. The pony express was only in operation for xviii months. The rabbit test was only used for eighteen months (and the poor rabbit always died). The Empire State Edifice was put up in merely 18 months. And the Teenagers merely lasted for virtually eighteen months.

Why exercise nosotros feel that it was so much longer? Considering of the profound influence that they had on Rhythm & Dejection and Rock & Roll. There were simply five vocal grouping leads, prior to the Sixties, who had that degree of influence: Bill Kenny of the Ink Spots started it all; Sonny Til of the Orioles made every guy desire to showtime a song grouping; Jimmy Ricks of the Ravens influenced an entire generation of bass singers; Clyde McPhatter of the Dominoes influenced the same generation of tenors; and Frankie Lymon of the Teenagers, with his child-similar tenor/soprano vox caused the spawning of an uncountable number of groups that tried to capture the same "kid sound." Yes, the Teenagers were influential, and their influence was felt for almost a decade after they formed in 1955.

At that place were v of them: Frankie Lymon (atomic number 82 tenor), Jimmy Merchant (kickoff tenor), Herman Santiago (second tenor), Joe Negroni (baritone), and Sherman Garnes (bass). They were not the first group to accept a immature pb: Frankie was 13 when he started recording; both Ray Wooten of the Mello-Moods and George Grant of the Castelles had been 16 when their groups had first recorded several years earlier, although they both sounded much younger. (In spite of their ages, withal, both the Mello-Moods and the Castelles sang sophisticated, adult songs for an adult audition.) But the Teenagers were "in the correct place at the right time" (to coin a phrase), and rode straight to the top of the nascent Stone and Scroll craze. The fashion to the top was remarkably easy; the mode down wasn't.

Frankie subsequently told Art Peters (for an article in the January 1967 issue of Ebony): "I never was a child, although I was billed in every theater and auditorium where I appeared equally a child star, I was a man when I was 11 years old, doing everything that most men practice. In the neighborhood where I lived, there was no time to exist a kid. There were five children in my family and my folks had to scuffle to brand ends come across. My male parent was a truck driver and my mother worked as a domestic in white folks' homes. While kids my age were playing stickball and marbles, I was working in the corner grocery store carrying orders to aid pay the rent."

Jimmy Merchant grew up in the Bronx, New York. There was enough singing going on there for him to offset learning almost information technology, non but contributing his voice, but learning how pop music was structured and bundled. In 1954, his family moved to the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, where he met bass Sherman Garnes at Edward W. Stitt Junior High Schoolhouse at 164th Street and Edgecombe Artery.

They became part of a group (what else?) that was called the Earth Angels, after the Penguins' monster hit of the same name. Then Sherman hooked upwards with a Hispanic neighborhood friend, Joe Negroni (who was in the process of forming a group, to be called the Ermines, with his friend Herman Santiago). Joe asked Sherman to sing bass and to bring his friend Jimmy along. History was about to happen.

They practiced in the hallway of Sherman's house (on the corner of 165th Street and Edgecombe), or in Herman'southward house (165th, between Amsterdam and Edgecombe). Herman lived directly across from Frankie Lymon's house (you know, Howard and Jeanette'southward little kid who worked in the grocery). Jimmy was at 156th (betwixt Amsterdam and Broadway), and Joe was at 153rd (almost Amsterdam). You didn't have to arrive, just a half-mile or so, and you could go along someone's neighbors up half the night by practicing in the hallways. (Actually, practice wasn't all that like shooting fish in a barrel. Jimmy and Joe were always at that place, merely yous had to chase up Sherman on some basketball court and Herman on some baseball diamond before y'all could start.)

Ane day the Ermines did a talent testify at PS 143. The Cadillacs were guests on the show (Earl Carroll, Earl Wade, and Bobby Phillips had gone to PS 143 themselves). Information technology was memorable because it was the commencement time that the Ermines were asked to sign autographs. After the prove, in honour of the Cadillacs, they decided to change their name to the "Coupe de Villes." This simply lasted a brusque time notwithstanding, and then a new, more eloquent name: the "Premiers."

One nighttime, practicing in Sherman'due south hallway, one of the tenants told them that he'd give them some letters that his girlfriend had sent him, and so that they could possibly write some original cloth based on the contents. (This was actually washed in self-defense, to get them to sing something unlike for a change; listening to a grouping practicing the same songs over and over and over could really get on your nerves.) These weren't poems that could be set to music, equally much equally love letters with some romantic, poetic interludes. One of them featured the words "Why do birds sing so gay?," which fit in with lyrics that Jimmy had been writing. (He had a notebook full of songs that he wrote in a 1-6-ii-5 chord pattern. When he got the letters, he was reluctant to use whatsoever of the material, but the Premiers figured it wouldn't hurt to exist nice to the guy.) And so Jimmy worked with information technology, creating a song (substantially a ballad) for Herman to lead. Forth the way, Herman changed some of the lyrics.

They did neighborhood talent shows and finally made information technology to the big fourth dimension: a talent prove at Stitt JHS itself. On the same beak was a young mambo group, featuring 12-twelvemonth-former Frankie Joseph Lymon on bongos and his older brother Howie, Inferior on congas. (Frankie had 2 more than brothers at dwelling: Lewis and Timmy. it was a musical family unit: male parent Howard, Senior, a truck driver, belonged to an amateur gospel grouping.) At a rehearsal, Frankie approached the Premiers, telling them how skilful they sounded. They started jamming together and the guys were impressed with the sound of Frankie's loftier tenor/soprano voice and showmanship [read "ham"] qualities. (Richard Barrett said of Frankie that "he was born to the stage.") They agreed to practice it over again sometime. Well, they did. The talent show came and went, just Frankie didn't; he stayed. Nothing formal, heed you lot, he merely stayed.

I nighttime they were heard past Richard Barrett, atomic number 82 of the Valentines. Actually, he actually couldn't help hearing them, since they'd sometimes do on the corner near the grocery store in which Frankie worked; Barrett lived higher up the store. He later on came to one of their rehearsals at Stitt (the Valentines sometimes skilful there too) and said he'd meet what he could do about bringing them to audition for George Goldner (owner of the Valentines' characterization, Rama). At this fourth dimension, Herman was the usual lead of the group, just sometimes he and Frankie did a duet lead, and sometimes Joe would front.

Finally, Barrett talked George Goldner into hearing the Premiers. Goldner didn't really want to hear them, but Barrett conned him into it by telling him that two of the guys were Spanish. (Goldner, who also owned Tico Records and was married to a Puerto Rican adult female, was big into Latin music. This was the selling point that Barrett used.) They auditioned (on a day that the Cleftones were in that location rehearsing for a recording session), past singing songs they'd hear on the radio: "You Painted Pictures" (led by Joe), "That'due south What You lot're Doing To Me" (led past Herman), and "Why Don't You Write Me" (another Herman pb).

Although Frankie was in the groundwork, he wasn't the type to stay there for long. He was very energetic, bold, and cute; small he was, but also mature. Also, his vocalism stood out. Goldner ended up request Frankie if he ever fronted the group. His respond was "I tin sing anything."

So Goldner asked them if they had whatever original songs. There were simply 2 that they were comfy with at this point, although neither was consummate: "Come On Baby" (the future "I Want You To Be My Girl") and "Please Be Mine". Frankie sang atomic number 82 on these for Goldner (although they were just partial songs). The other two originals were "Why Do Birds Sing And then Gay" and "Am I Fooling Myself Once more," but Jimmy says that they didn't sing either that day, regardless of what's been written before.

After hearing Frankie do "Come On Baby," Goldner said "From now on, kid, y'all're singing the lead. Come up dorsum with the original material with you singing lead." (You really can't say as well much near George Goldner's ability to choice talent.) Frankie instinctively knew how of import the audience was for the group. Goldner asked Barrett to sit in on their rehearsals and guide them along. Since both "Why Exercise Birds Sing So Gay?" and "Come On Baby" were deemed besides short in their speeded up versions, Barrett helped them to add intros.

Contracts were produced (for their parents to sign) as they prepared for the recording session. Naturally, they would exist managed by Goldner. (Really it was Goldner and his partner Joe Kolsky. Together they owned Rama, Tico, and the new one, Gee. In 1957, they'd besides start Roulette Records. Kolsky was the brother of Phil Kahl, who was Morris Levy's partner, and Levy managed Alan Freed - this gave Freed a keen incentive to play Goldner's records).

So, in November 1955, the Premiers walked into Manhattan'due south famed Bell Sound Studios (at 237 West 54th Street) and recorded two songs: "Why Practise Birds Sing So Gay?" (now re-titled "Why Do Fools Fall In Love") and "Delight Be Mine." They were backed by tenor sax man Jimmy Wright, leader of one of the hottest studio bands around. Of course they had no music or atomic number 82 sheets, but that never stopped Jimmy Wright from putting together superb arrangements. They worked on these two tunes all twenty-four hour period and far into the night, doing around 25 takes of "Why Do Fools Fall In Dear". According to Jimmy, "Why Exercise Fools Autumn In Dearest" became the classic it is because Goldner kept pushing Frankie to go every bit far as he could with it.

Non only was their all-time song re-titled, the Premiers besides were re-titled. When the tape was released (equally Gee 1002, in the last calendar week of December 1955), the "Premiers" had go the "Teenagers, Featuring Frankie Lymon." Jimmy Merchant says that Goldner didn't like the proper name "Premiers," and that Jimmy Wright suggested "Teenagers."

THE MANY FACES OF "WHY Practice FOOLS Autumn IN LOVE"

Teenagers, featuring Frankie Lymon - 3 writers	Early on Westward Coast pressing - Only Teenagers mentioned on the label - 3 writers	Later Due west Coast pressing - Teenagers, featuring Frankie Lymon - 3 writers	Teenagers, featuring Frankie Lymon - 3 writers - promo	Teenagers, featuring Frankie Lymon - 2 writers	Frankie Lymon & Teenagers - 2 writers	Teenagers, featuring Frankie Lymon - ii writers - custom pressing

"Why Do Fools Autumn In Love" got an incredible corporeality of local airplay, and entered the Billboard charts on February 28, 1956 (ascent to #1 on the R&B charts and #6 in Pop). Now this isn't bad for a first record! (It was then big that it was covered past three of the outstanding Rhythm and Blues acts of the day: Gale Tempest, Gloria Mann, and the Diamonds from Canada.) Alan Freed pushed the vocal (naturally) and on the strength of it, the Teenagers were booked on Freed's show at Hartford Connecticut's Land Theater. They shared the bill with the Valentines (which was fitting), the Cadillacs, the Bonnie Sisters, the Turbans, the Harptones, and Fats Domino. It was here that the Teenagers picked up their offset dance steps, from Cadillac Earl Wade (who suggested that they enhance their dancing repertoire past contacting choreographer Cholly Atkins).

"Why Practise Fools Fall In Dearest" deserved the fame it received; it was a very practiced tape. From Sherman's opening "EH DOOM AH DI DOOM AH DI DOOM AH TI DO DO," through Frankie's high-energy functioning, with Jimmy Wright's corybantic wailing thrown in, it was different and it was exciting. And it was just the outset. Really it was such a great vocal that information technology completely eclipsed "Please Be Mine," a beautiful ballad that unfortunately still gets no recognition. (Annotation that the liner notes on their first anthology mixed upwardly Jimmy's and Herman's parts; only on "Please Be Mine" was Herman the first tenor and Jimmy the 2d tenor. However, whoever was taking notes that day happened to inquire who sang what parts on "Please Be Mine," not "Why Exercise Fools Fall In Dear").

In late February, they played the Motor City - Detroit'south Riviera Theater with local WKMH DJ, Robin Seymour. The show besides featured the Jewels, the Teen Queens, the v Keys, Ivory Joe Hunter and the Bonnie Sisters.

Even before "Why Do Fools Autumn In Dear" had entered the charts, the Teenagers were at the studio once again (February 4, 1956), recording 3 songs: "Love Is A Clown," "Am I Fooling Myself Again?," and "I Want You To Exist My Girl" (originally titled "Come up On Baby"). The get-go two songs were kept in the tin for almost a year, and the third (loosely based on the Clovers' "Hey Miss Fannie") was never released at all. A few days afterward (February xvi) they were back in the studio doing 2 more tunes: a 2d version of "I Want You To Be My Girl" (with inspired sax piece of work from Jimmy Wright), and a ballad, "I'1000 Not A Know-It-All." These sides were released in March 1956 every bit their second record (Gee 1012). Again, it was upward the charts, as "I Desire You To Be My Girl" hit at the end of Apr, peaking at #three (R&B) and #13 (Pop).

Also in April, they appeared at the Brooklyn Paramount in Alan Freed's "Easter Jubilee of Stars." Other acts were: the Platters, the Flamingos, the Royaltones, Ruth McFadden, the Cleftones, the Valentines, the Willows, Cindy and Lindy, Dori Anne Gray, the Jodimars, and the Rover Boys. (The Platters and the Teenagers would get the biggest ovations.) On April 12, they made their kickoff TV appearance, on Chrysler's "Shower of Stars" diverseness testify, hosted by William Lundigan. The guest host that calendar week was Frankie Laine, who claimed that "Why Practice Fools Autumn In Love" was at present the #one tape in the state, simply three weeks later it had been recorded. Someone on the evidence needed to accept remedial math; the vocal hadn't even been released three weeks after it had been recorded!

In May, there were ii more recording sessions. May 2 produced "Who Can Explain?"; May 15, "I Promise To Remember" and an initial attempt at "The ABC's Of Honey" (which was never released). The first two of these were released every bit their tertiary tape (Gee 1018) in June, hitting the charts in late July ("I Promise To Call up" peaked at #ten on the R&B charts [#33 on Popular] and "Who Tin can Explain?" went to #7). "I Promise To Remember" (with one of Sherman's signature bass intros: "HOOLIE BOP A Cow BOP A COW BOP A COW Moo-cow") was written by a friend of theirs, Jimmy Castor, who also recorded it with his group, the Juniors. (In 1972, the Jimmy Castor Bunch would zoom to the top of the charts with "Troglodyte.")

In May, they became part of "The Biggest Rock 'n' Gyre Show of 1956," along with Bill Haley and his Comets, Clyde McPhatter, Lavern Baker, Joe Turner, Bo Diddley, the Drifters, the Flamingos, the Teen Queens, and the Colts. This was a 45-mean solar day junket effectually the East Declension, the Midwest, Texas, and Canada.

In June, the big time: the Apollo Theater. On the 8th they began a week with the Cleftones, the Valentines, Clyde McPhatter, the Pretenders, and Sil Austin.

In July, some formal recognition: Cash Box's annual Disk Jockey Poll named the Teenagers "The All-time Up-And-Coming Male Group."

"The Biggest Rock 'northward' Whorl Show of 1956" was then popular, that they were sent out again in early July with the "Superlative Tape Stars of 1956" tour (that went to substantially the same places). This fourth dimension they shared billing with Al Hibbler, Shirley & Lee, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, the Spaniels, the Cleftones, and Illinois Jacquet. Sometime in the summer, they also did a tour of the British Isles.

On August 23, they recorded the sides for their quaternary tape (Gee 1022): "The ABC'due south Of Love" (the terminal accept) and the pretty ballad, "Share." Released in August, "The ABC'southward Of Love" (with Sherman doing "DOO BOP SHE DOO, DUM BEE UM BUM BUM") only struggled upward to #42 on the Pop charts.

The Teenagers were featured in Alan Freed'south 10-24-hour interval Labor Day show at the Brooklyn Paramount, running from Baronial 28 to September six. Sharing the phase were: Fats Domino, the Cleftones, the Harptones, Mabel King, Joe Turner, the Penguins, Cirino & the Bow Ties, the Business firm Rockers, and Jean Chappel.

The calendar week subsequently the Freed bear witness concluded, the Teenagers were back at the Apollo Theater. Boot off on September xiv, the show was an All-Rama/Gee spectacular, with the Cleftones, the Valentines, the Harptones, the Joytones, Mabel King, Bob Kornegay, and the Jimmy Wright Orchestra. Right later this, most of the acts appeared at the State Theater in Hartford.

In late September, they started a series of xl one-nighters, as function of the "Biggest In-Person Show Of 1956." The Teenagers were on the pecker with the Platters (these were the two hottest groups in the country at the moment), the Clovers, the Flamingos, the Ermines, and Carl Perkins. The tour played 36 cities in 17 states, plus four cities in Canada. This was grueling piece of work, but the exposure was needed. It didn't hurt that they too made more money from shows then they'd ever brand from tape sales. However, with all the records the Teenagers sold, they merely got small allowances, starting with $24 a week (the residual went into trust funds).

In early October (during a lull in the tour), more than recording, which produced four sides. The first two, "I'm Non A Juvenile Delinquent" and "Infant Baby" were recorded to be included in the Alan Freed flick Rock, Stone, Stone. Released in November (as Gee 1026), the sides pre-dated the pic by a month, and gave it some advance publicity. Although both sides got plenty of airplay (by guess which New York DJ who merely happened to feature it in his upcoming film), information technology became their start endeavour not to chart (although it did go almost to the top in England). When Rock, Rock, Rock was finally released (in December), teens all over the state could come across the Teenagers, the Moonglows, the Flamingos, Chuck Berry, Lavern Baker, Teddy Randazzo and the 3 Chuckles, Jimmy Wright, and several other musical acts, woven into a hopelessly inept plot. Of course the Teenagers dreamed of going to Hollywood, but their segment was filmed in a New York warehouse and intercut into the "existent" motion-picture show done on the West Coast (look for a very young Valerie Harper as ane of the kids "watching" the Teenagers perform in the sequence). Were we impressed with Frankie and the guys in the movie? Y'all bet nosotros were! Darn it, the kid was cute, and he had amazing phase presence for a someone who had just turned 14 (on September xxx).

In Dec of 1956, George Goldner issued the showtime album on the Gee label: GLP-701 was just called The Teenagers: Featuring Frankie Lymon, and independent every vocal that had been released to engagement. It besides included "Love Is A Clown" and "Am I Fooling Myself Once more?," recorded back in February 1956, just not yet released as a single. At the fourth dimension of the album's release, the liner notes claimed, Frankie was 14, Sherman fifteen, Joe 16, Herman 16, and Jimmy 15.

Actually, listening to "Love Is A Clown" you can run into why Goldner held it back: it'due south definitely not in the same league with the great Teenagers' recordings. Information technology isn't inspired, and Frankie isn't holding the notes too well. The saving grace is Jimmy Wright's sax solo. It should exist noted that Jimmy did the arranging for all the Teenagers' material, every bit well as providing Sherman with virtually of his opening bass lines.

The other two sides that had been recorded in October were the ballad "Paper Castles" and "Teenage Dearest" (which gave usa Sherman's "Coma LADDIE SAY LAY Blast"). These were released in Jan 1957 as Gee 1032, and also failed to chart (although Alan Freed gave "Teenage Love" enough of airplay).

In that location were ii sessions in February 1957. On the 4th, they recorded "Together," "You," and "It Would Be So Nice"; all were unreleased. (A fourth song, "I Was Alone," only got as far as having the instrumental tracks laid down, not the vocals.) "Together" has kind of a calypso beat; "You" is bouncy, but not upwards to par for the Teenagers; and "Information technology Would Exist So Nice" has a somewhat Latin beat, and is also below their standard.

On February 13th, they recorded three more songs: "Out In The Cold Once again," "Petty White Lies," and "Miracle In The Rain." Wait a minute! "Out In The Cold Once more"? "Little White Lies"? The old was written by Ted Koehler ("Stormy Weather condition," "I've Got The World On A String") and Rube Flower ("Fools Blitz In," "Maybe You'll Be In that location"); the latter was written for Guy Lombardo in 1930. What'southward going on here? Well, at that place's proficient news and there's bad news. The good news is that the Teenagers took "Out In The Cold Once again" and made it into (in my stance) their finest ballad; the bad news is that "Little White Lies," while a decent up-tempo tune, isn't heady, isn't what the Teenagers are all about (and in that location'southward a hint that Frankie'south voice is lowering a bit). "Little White Lies" was never put on a single, only on the Pajama Party album released in October 1957.

Besides in February, they appeared at Alan Freed's Washington's Birthday bear witness. This one was at the New York Paramount, and featured the Platters, the Cleftones, the Cadillacs, Nappy Brown, Ruth Brownish, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Robin Robinson, Maureen Cannon, and Bobby Charles, and an obscure local group called the Duponts (whose atomic number 82 vocaliser, in a "child-audio" vein, would soon get "Little Anthony"). These shows were grueling, and i morning time Sherman overslept and had to be replaced, for the first show, by Warren Corbin, bass of the Cleftones.

In March 1957, Gee released "Love Is A Clown," backed with "Am I Fooling Myself Again?" as Gee 1035. Neither side charted. Also in March, "Out In The Common cold Once again" and "Phenomenon In The Rain" were paired as Gee 1036.

The odd thing nearly Gee 1036 is that the group was missing on "Miracle In The Rain." That's right, although the characterization said "Teenagers" in that location was only a single vocalism to be heard. The song was given to the group at the last moment (really at the recording session). Since it was easy for the lead singer to learn it, without anyone having to devise intricate groundwork harmonies, Frankie was told to tape it and "the group would put in the rest later." The cracks were starting to appear. Likewise, wait what kind of material the Teenagers are recording. Hither's one of the tiptop v Stone and Roll groups in the country, and they're being given most exclusively pop standard fabric. Now it's true that Fats Domino had had hits in 1956 with the standards "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" and "Blueberry Colina," but it seems like the Teenagers are now recording naught but popular!

An unusual tour for a Stone and Roll group: in the Leap of 1957, the Teenagers did some performances in Panama City and Colón, in Panama. When they got back, at the end of March, it was off on another tour of England (their starting time had been the previous summer), which lasted for 12 weeks. This time, they got to play the London Palladium, mayhap the nearly prestigious theater in the world. They not just impressed the crowds at the theater, they impressed the management of their London hotel (by making a mess of the place and more often than not acting similar the feared "Ugly Americans" - try to picture this precocious 14-year-old smoking the biggest cigar he could detect). Frankie also shocked the world by admitting that his favorite music was progressive jazz.

While there, Frankie did 3 sessions by himself. Rudy Traylor had been sent forth as musical manager, and it had been announced that the Teenagers would release an anthology called Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers at the London Palladium. The residue of the guys figured that when they came back to u.s.a., they'd do their background parts. They were once more told that "the time was already booked and the lead part was the easiest to learn and tape." Rudy told them that back in New York they'd go to overdub all the sides. But things didn't work out quite that way. Here are the sessions:

On May 23, 1957, Frankie recorded "Love Is The Affair," "Glow Worm," "Y'all Can't Be True," "Begin The Beguine," "Goody Goody," and "Yours."

On June three, 1957, he did "Fools Blitz In," "You Were Merely Fooling," "Also Young," "Guilty," "As Time Goes By," "Don't Accept Your Love," "Blueish Moon," "These Foolish Things," "Over The Rainbow," and "Ghost Of A Chance."

On June 19, 1957, it was "Goody Goody" (second version), "Creation Of Love," "Fortunate Fellow," and "Love Put Me Out Of My Head."

Annotation what kind of songs these are: they're mostly sometime popular standards; Frankie was being pushed into a pop career. Gone is the frenetic audio of the Jimmy Wright Band, at present there's Rudy Traylor'southward Orchestra, with lush strings!

They knew. The Teenagers had been tight and Goldner couldn't surprise them with a breakup. How was it handled? "It was awful," says Jimmy. "The grouping was divided past management while we were in Europe."

And so what happened to all these songs? For the most office they were unreleased! The exceptions were: "Yours," "Fools Rush In," "You Were Only Fooling," "Besides Young," "Goody Goody" (the second take), and "Cosmos Of Dearest," all of which turned upwards on a Roulette album in September 1957 called Frankie Lymon at the London Palladium. (Roulette was another Goldner label, merely by then Goldner had sold out to Morris Levy).

As soon as they returned from England (in late June), the Teenagers were rushed into the studio to dub in backgrounds to 3 of the tunes: "Begin The Beguine," "Fortunate Swain," and "Beloved Put Me Out Of My Caput."

"Begin The Beguine" is, without a doubt, the oddest Teenagers tape, it mostly features the bass lead of Sherman Garnes, in a tribute to Jimmy Ricks. Frankie is but heard at the stop, when he sings the concluding stanza. Aside from being over-orchestrated, with a weak performance from Jimmy, Herman, and Joe, it's quite a good endeavor by Sherman and Frankie. However, information technology, as well, was unreleased. This was to exist function of the "standards" to exist included on the Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers at the London Palladium album. Says Jimmy, "Nosotros were finally going to have a shot at others doing the lead."

The Teenagers were almost history; at that place remained only ii more than appearances: the first was the Alan Freed "Summer Festival" show at the New York Paramount, get-go on July 3 (with Chuck Berry, Johnny and Joe, the Dubs, the Moonglows, Lavern Baker, Joe Turner, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Clyde McPhatter, the Everly Brothers, Paul Anka, Teddy Randazzo, Jodie Sands, and piffling brother Lewis Lymon and the Teenchords). Most as before long as the week was over, they were rushed into the studio to moving picture their performances in the upcoming Freed movie, Mr. Rock and Coil. (Jimmy believes that it was done at the same Bronx warehouse in which they had done their Rock, Rock, Rock filming.)

"Fortunate Fellow" and "Love Put Me Out Of My Caput," while never released on any unmarried or album, were nevertheless incorporated into Mr. Rock And Gyre. (This opus, released in October 1957, as well featured Chuck Drupe, Little Richard, Lavern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, Brook Benton, and the Moonglows.) The Teenagers' human activity was nowhere near as frenetic as their performance in Rock, Rock, Stone. Jimmy says that it was like a spousal relationship gone sour, like ii spouses facing each other in a divorce court; this isn't conducive to a memorable performance. Note that the two tunes aren't very adept either; it barely sounds like the Teenagers at all and Jimmy Wright's band has been replaced by an orchestra total of excellent musicians, who haven't a clue every bit to what they should exist playing (muted trumpets don't really vest in a Teenagers recording, do they?). Co-ordinate to Jimmy, the songs aren't up to par because the Teenagers didn't work on them "as a grouping; so it didn't sound exciting-it was similar a bullheaded date; uncomfortable."

The only single to emerge from all of Frankie's British recording sessions, in June 1957, was Gee 1039, "Goody Goody" and "Cosmos Of Love." While "Goody Goody" sounds like the Teenagers, it's really Frankie with a chorus (in all probability the Ray Charles Singers, doing a creditable job of imitating a Rock and Curlicue group). The Teenagers were supposed to back him on the record (they had been practicing information technology), just co-ordinate to Jimmy, it isn't them. To make information technology more disruptive, Gee advertised "Goody Goody" equally being by the whole grouping. Teenagers or not, the song made it to #20 on the Pop charts. The chorus is also nowadays on "Creation Of Love," but you lot'd never confuse them with the Teenagers on that i! Actually "Creation Of Love" is proficient in spite of the chorus; it would take been a great recording had the Teenagers been on information technology.

And that was it. In that location were but 22 sides recorded by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: 15 were released on singles; 1 was simply on an album ("Trivial White Lies"); ii were done for a movie, simply never appeared on disk ("Fortunate Beau" and "Love Put Me Out Of My Head"); and 4 were hidden from the public altogether ("Together," "You," "It Would Be And so Nice," and "Begin The Beguine").

"They had Frankie convinced that this was it. He didn't seem to take any sorrow." Jimmy says that Frankie, in effect, never looked back. In fact, Jimmy but saw him twice more than, and both times Frankie was somewhat "aloof."

On July xix, Frankie did a solo spot (probably his showtime) on the week-erstwhile "Large Vanquish" TV testify, hosted past Alan Freed. The whole grouping had originally been booked, merely that was over now. (Some other performer on that testify was an unknown Bobby Darin.) At the end of the bear witness, Freed invited the audition to come downwardly and trip the light fantastic as the credits were rolling. What Freed probably didn't see, but the TV audiences did, was Frankie choosing a white girl to dance with. With stations all throughout the South cancelling the prove, it was off the air in two more weeks.

In early August, the break-upwards was officially appear; on August 14 Frankie did another session for Roulette. This fourth dimension he was backed past Hugo Peretti's Orchestra (he'south half of Hugo and Luigi, who were operation every bit Roulette'south A&R men) and another chorus. The articulate winner from this session was "My Girl," which failed to chart. Other tunes were "Then Goes My Love," "It's Christmas One time Once more," "My Babe Simply Cares For Me," and "Somebody Loves Me." He'south however being pushed in a Pop direction. Soon after, in early September, he did another session which waxed "Silent Dark," "Little Daughter," and "Let's Autumn In Love." More than and more and more Pop!

September'south "Biggest Show of Stars for 1957" featured Frankie Lymon, Fats Domino, Clyde McPhatter, Lavern Baker, Chuck Drupe, the Spaniels, the Bobbettes, the Drifters, and Johnnie & Joe. Subsequently that month, Frankie was in Los Angeles, doing a prove with Lavern Bakery, Richard Drupe and the Pharaohs, Young Jessie, and the Flips.

And while all this was going on, what were the Teenagers doing? Well, sadly, nothing for a while. They did a show with "Jocko" Henderson in Newark in September (with Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Doctor Bagby, Lee Andrews and the Hearts, the Channels, the Shells, and the Chantels). They were also listed as being part of the "80 Days" bout (presumably named subsequently the striking movie Around The World In lxxx Days), with the Spaniels, Fats Domino, the Drifters, and Chuck Berry, but when the curtain went upwards, at that place were no Teenagers.

It took them until Nov 12 to become back into the studio with a new lead vocaliser. Some girls that they knew had told them about a white child named Baton Lubrano (although he usually spelled it "Lobrano"), who attended Forest Hills High Schoolhouse in Queens, and who could sing all their songs. Talk nigh integration: now the grouping had two blacks, 2 Hispanics, and a white lead! What they didn't have was a sound that anyone wanted. Jimmy said that Billy "sounded like Liz Taylor'southward hubby" (a reference to Eddie Fisher). Was this a bad thing? At the time, information technology didn't seem so. "We didn't have any guidance," said Jimmy. "Nosotros didn't want the same sound as we had with Frankie."

The session produced Nov's Gee 1046, "Flip Flop" (which got some airplay and so flopped) and "Everything To Me" (the flip, which also flopped). They did a tour with Roy Hamilton, but other, more than lucrative gigs that had been lined up previously, faded away. The last appearance of any annotation was the Alan Freed Christmas Show at the New York Paramount in December 1957. The show starred Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lee Andrews and the Hearts, Trivial Joe and the Thrillers, Thurston Harris, Paul Anka, Jo-Ann Campbell, the Dubs, the Everly Brothers, Danny and the Juniors, Terry Noland, the Rays, the Shepherd Sisters, the Twintones, and Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

Billy Lobrano recorded 1 more session with them (late March 1958), out of which came "Good Lovin'," "Mama Wanna Stone," and "My Cleaved Middle." The first was never released, and the others were paired, on Roulette (a characterization allied with Gee), in June.

On May ii, 1958, they began a week at the Apollo, this time with Ruth Dark-brown, Cootie Williams, Wini Brown, Nipsey Russell, the Cha Cha Taps, the 2 Kit Kats, and Juanita Moore. As far as Jimmy can remember, Billy Lobrano lasted until the end of 1958. (Although, since Jimmy said that Billy wanted to go off to college to study medicine, it'south possible that he remained through the spring of 1959.) "That was the error that changed the grade of the Teenagers", said Jimmy. "We should take gotten another Frankie Lymon."

Meanwhile, Frankie was singing his heart out for Roulette. December 20, 1957 saw him do "Thumb Pollex" (a pretty good Stone and Roll piece), "Portable On My Shoulder" (before the age of boom boxes), "Footsteps," and "That'southward The Way Dearest Goes." The year 1958 was prolific for Frankie; he recorded 25 tunes. Twelve of them, recorded on March 24 and 25, were covers of other acts' Rock and Roll material, and wound up on a Roulette album called Frankie Lymon: Rock'n Roll released in July. They were: "Wake Upward Little Susie," "Short Fat Fannie," "Waitin' In School," "Next Time You See Me," "Jailhouse Rock," "Buzz Buzz Buzz," "Searchin'," "Silhouettes," "It Hurts To Be In Love," "Diana," "Piddling Bitty Pretty One," and "Send For Me." A few days later on (March 31) he recorded "Mama Don't Allow It" and "Girls Were Made For Boys." In June he did "Man Nature," "Now Or Never," "Campus Queen," and "Little Orangish Annie." July saw "Just Way To Love," "No Thing What You lot've Done," and "Melinda." In September it was "Ain't She Sweet," and "Rockin' Tambourine."

Some of these made it to singles, but most were either on the Rock'n Roll album or remained unreleased. Clearly, Frankie was fighting for his professional life every bit much as the Teenagers. He did a further fourteen sides in 1959, of which only five were released. A unmarried 1960 session saw nothing released. The unspeakable had happened: Frankie's signature voice had inverse. What was he now? He sounded somewhat like he belonged in a Las Vegas lounge. Not a bad vox, really, but for a 17 year-old in 1959, that wasn't what the public wanted. His concluding chart striking was the 1960 release of "Little Bitty Pretty One," which made information technology to #58 (R&B).

On March thirty, 1960, the Teenagers did a session for Stop Records. (Subsequently George Goldner had sold off Gee, Roulette, Rama, and Tico to Morris Levy, he started upward End and Gone, having many late '50s and early '60s hits, none of them by the Teenagers.) The March session produced "Crying" and "This night'south The Night." Herman wasn't around at this time and they apace brought in Howard Kenny Bobo (formerly of Jimmy Castor's Juniors) to replace him. He was from the neighborhood and "Kenny and I hit information technology right off from the offset," said Jimmy. When Jimmy moved to Manhattan from the Bronx in September 1954, Kenny was one of the first friends he fabricated. Joe Negroni led on "Crying" and Kenny Bobo did lead chores on "This evening'south The Night". The sides were released on End in May, but went nowhere. Kenny was just with the grouping for "a couple of seconds" before Herman returned.

On May 22, 1960, they appeared at WHOM DJ Ralph Cooper's Sun Record Hop at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. Others on the bill were the Cadillacs, Titus Turner, Norven Baskerville & the Admirations, Richard Barrett & the Sevilles, Tony Middleton, the Holidays, and Riff Ruffin.

And then, someone told them that "I've got just the guy for you guys." His proper noun was Freddie Houston, who had a powerful, mature tenor voice. This was more the audio that they'd been looking for.

The last session that the Teenagers did for Goldner was in June of 1960. The songs were: "Can You Tell Me?" and "A Piffling Wiser Now." Maybe they were. Yet, later on this record was released (on Cease, in August), Freddie left. As far equally Jimmy tin remember, they made no appearances with Freddie. (Freddie Houston would go on to record for Carlton, Captain, Toto, Onetime Town, and Whiz-On, eventually condign the lead singer of Joe Boatner's Ink Spots.)

There was a single tape on Columbia, in June of 1961: "What'south On Your Mind" (by "Joey And The Teenagers"; recorded March 29) featured Joe Negroni, and "The Depict" (past "Sherman And The Teenagers"; recorded May 23) was led by Sherman Garnes. In spite of "The Draw" being one of Leiber and Stoller'due south "playlets," it failed to click. And that was it for the Teenagers' recording career.

Immediately, subsequently these sessions, they added a fifth voice to the grouping: Sandra Doyle. She was the daughter of a woman that Nick, their manager, was dating. (He was Leroy "Nick" Smith, who'd been in the Colts.) Nick convinced them that only a female person vocalization could re-create the Frankie Lymon sound and, of course, he was right; they'd never detect a male person vocalism that could compare.

They made at least 2 further appearances at the Apollo. The first, on July 28, 1961 (at an Alan Fredericks Former Goldies show), establish them with some quondam friends: the Solitaires, the Dubs, the Charts, Johnnie & Joe, the Cadillacs, the Cleftones, the Del Vikings, the Bobbettes, and Sil Austin. Then it was off on the Chittlin' Circuit bout (the Howard, the Royal, the Royal, the Earle, etc.). The final Apollo evidence was the week of September 29, 1961 in another Erstwhile Goldies show, this time along with Sonny Til & the Orioles, Niggling Anthony, Shirley & Lee, Niggling Joe, the Valentines, Charlie & Ray, and Robert & Johnny.

Later these shows, Sandra Doyle departed. You'll see her over again in your travels, yet: she changed her proper name to "Sandra Dawn" and was part of the Chantels (on Ludix) in 1963, and then the Platters by the end of 1965. She was briefly replaced, for a single performance, at Crocitto'south on Staten Island, on Nov 17, past Lana (terminal name unknown), Sherman's future wife.

And then, it was all over for the Teenagers. By the stop of 1961, the group was history. For a while, at whatever charge per unit.

Roulette did ii sessions with Frankie in 1961, which actually resulted in ii singles: "Modify Partners"/"So Immature" and "I Put The Bomp"/"Young." Neither charted, merely the worst was withal to come. After the second session, Frankie was admitted to a drug rehabilitation center. Jimmy Merchant explained it equally existence the down side to still being in the business afterwards the hits take stopped. You look for a replacement. Frankie's compensation was drugs, which were like shooting fish in a barrel enough to come by in the entertainment industry. Frankie became a pariah. He was reduced to calling up booking agents and club owners and begging for work.

He continued to record, having a unmarried release for 20th Century Fox's TCF subsidiary (1963) and one for Columbia (1964; the same year that he was arrested for drug possession). In the mid-60s, he appeared on Television, on 1 of the frenetic "teenage music" shows (probably "Hollywood A Go-Go"), lip-synching the group's "Why Do Fools Autumn In Love" Then, he joined the army and seemed, past the fourth dimension he got out, to have kicked the drug habit. Upon his discharge, he got a new managing director, Sam Bray, and recorded ii sides for Bray'southward Big Apple characterization: "I'1000 Sad" and "Seabreeze." Bray then got Frankie a session with Roulette for February 29, 1968. To celebrate, Frankie Lymon went on a drug rampage the night before; he picked upwards a needle and snuffed out his life. That elementary. He was 25. (Afterwards that year Bray released "I'1000 Sorry" and "Seabreeze" as Large Apple 100; it would be the last time Frankie's vocalism would be heard on record.) An era had come to an end.

But it was not the terminate of the bug. In 1988, twenty years after his decease, with royalties accruing from re-recordings of "Why Do Fools Fall In Honey," legal battles were fought past three women, each claiming to exist Frankie Lymon'southward widow. Elizabeth Waters claimed to have married Frankie in 1964, although she was non nevertheless divorced from her first husband. He married Elmira Eagle in 1967, although however married to Waters. Zola Taylor, original member of the Platters, besides claimed to have been his wife, but was unable to produce "creditable proof" of the matrimony, which she said took place in United mexican states. (This shouldn't come up as a surprise: in a June 1966 Major Robinson gossip cavalcade, she said that the story was a joke that she initially had gone along with.) Initially, Waters was declared the winner (the judge held that her marriage to Frankie became legal when her divorce became final in 1965), but a twelvemonth subsequently, Eagle had come up out on height. By this time, the copyright to the song was worth over $1 million; we're non talking chicken feed hither! Since and so, in that location has been a settlement, with Elmira Eagle alleged the legal representative of Frankie'south estate. Additionally, Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago take been legally awarded songwriter credits. (The marital debacle was fabricated into a 1998 movie entitled, of grade, Why Do Fools Fall In Dearest.)

What was the legacy of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers? They created a whole new course of music: "Kid Sound." Arrangements became simpler, lyrics lost their sophistication (near of the groups didn't get in for the Pop standards that the Teenagers recorded), audiences got younger, and a lead singer whose voice hadn't yet lowered was most assured of a recording contract. Some unbelieveably abysmal music came out of this tendency. On the other hand, we were also treated to the wonderful sounds of Picayune Anthony and the Imperials, the Schoolboys, the Chanters, and even Frankie'south brother, Lewis Lymon, and his group, the Teenchords). It'due south incommunicable to summate how many groups were influenced by the Teenagers; but they were! Probably fifty-fifty the Jackson 5 had some of their roots in the Teenagers.

The Teenagers reunited in 1973, this time using the talents of Pearl McKinnon, erstwhile pb of the Kodoks (who sounded very much similar Frankie Lymon). It became almost impossible to detect a male vocalization to imitate the clear soprano of a thirteen-year-old. That only lasted for a affair of months, nonetheless, and the group fell apart again. Notation that in 1971, Frankie's youngest blood brother, Timmy Lymon, put together a Teenagers group for a few shows.

Sadly, Sherman Garnes died on Feb 26, 1977, followed the next year by Joe Negroni on September five, 1978. Baton Lobrano passed away on April 19, 2007.

Starting in 1980, Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago kept a Teenagers grouping going, but for a long while the magic was gone. When this commodity was originally written (March 1995), some of the old magic had returned. At that point the group was: Jimmy Castor (lead), Herman Santiago (at present a outset tenor), Lewis Lymon (second tenor), Jimmy Merchant (now a baritone), and Bobby Jay (bass; he'd been with the Laddins). They appeared around the land and went to Europe twice.

By the end of the 90s, Jimmy Castor had left and Timothy Wilson (of Tiny Tim and the Hits) had replaced him. In 2007, the group consisted of Timothy Wilson, Herman Santiago, Dickie Harmon, and Bobby Jay. In tardily 2008 Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago had teamed up again, with Timothy Wilson yet in the lead and Tommy Lockhart every bit bass.

Frankie had his faults, simply he was a consummate showman, and his was the vocalization and the talent that drove the Teenagers to the summit. Would they have lasted if they had stayed together singing heady Stone and Roll material? Alas, the answer is, equally always, "who knows?" But nosotros had them for a while. And we however have their music. It's ridiculous to say that any act will exist remembered "for all fourth dimension"; merely it's my bet that the Teenagers will be remembered longer than about.

FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS

GEE
1002 Why Practise Fools Autumn In Dear/Please Be Mine - 12/55
1012 I Desire Yous To Be My Girl//I'grand Non A Know Information technology All - iii/56
1018 I Hope To Recollect/Who Can Explain - 6/56
1022 The ABC's Of Love/Share - 8/56
1026 I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent /Babe, Infant - 11/56
1032 Newspaper Castles/Teenage Dear - 1/57
1035 Love Is A Clown/Am I Fooling Myself Once again - 3/57
1036 Out In The Cold Once more/Miracle In The Rain * - 3/57
1039 Goody Goody **/Creation Of Love ** - 6/57

* Grouping credited on label, only information technology's a Frankie Lymon solo
** Both sides listed as past "Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers," however it's the Ray Charles Singers backing Frankie.

UNRELEASED GEE - Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers - recording date given
I Want You To Be My Girl (version ane) - two/04/56
ABC'south Of Love (version 1) - 5/fifteen/56
Together - 2/04/57
You - 2/04/57
Information technology Would Be And so Prissy - ii/04/57
I Was Lone *** - 2/04/57
Trivial White Lies (on the Pajama Political party LP) - 2/13/57
Love Put Me Out Of My Caput **** - 2/13/57
Brainstorm The Beguine - 5/23/57
Fortunate Young man **** - ??
Fortunate Fellow - 6/19/57
Beloved Put Me Out Of My Head - 6/19/57

*** Instrumental rail simply; vocals never added.
**** These instrumental tracks (only i of which was given a master number) were after used backside the
vocals and assigned master numbers 9004 and 9003.

THE TEENAGERS
Afterwards FRANKIE LYMON

GEE
1046 Flip-Bomb (Billy Lobrano)/Everything To Me (Billy Lobrano) - 11/57

ROULETTE
4086 My Cleaved Heart (Billy Lobrano)/Momma Wanna Rock (Baton Lobrano) - six/58

UNRELEASED ROULETTE - recording date given
Good Lovin' (Billy Lobrano) - 3/26/58

END
1071 Crying (Joe Negroni)/Tonight's The Night (Howard Kenny Bobo) - 60
1076 Can Y'all Tell Me? (Freddie Houston)/A Little Wiser Now (Freddie Houston) - 6/60

COLUMBIA (every bit Joey And The Teenagers/Sherman And The Teenagers)
42054 What's On Your Heed? (Joe Negroni)/The Draw (Sherman Garnes) - half-dozen/61

UNRELEASED COLUMBIA - recording date given
Love Me Long - three/29/61
He'south No Lover - 3/29/61
I Hear The Angels Cry - 5/23/61
The Wild Female - 5/23/61
Jean Of The Ville - v/23/61

FRANKIE LYMON
(Released Singles Merely)

ROULETTE
4026 My Girl/So Goes My Dearest - 9/57
4035 Little Daughter/It's Christmas In one case Once again - xi/57
4044 Thumb Pollex/Footsteps - 1/58
4068 Portable On My Shoulder/Mama Don't Permit It - 4/58
4093 Merely Style To Honey/Melinda - 7/58
4128 Up Jumped A Rabbit/No Thing What You've Washed - 2/59
4150 What A Little Moonlight Can Exercise/Before I Fall Comatose - iv/59

GEE
1052 Goody Good Girl/I'm Not Too Young To Dream - 11/59

ROULETTE
4257 Trivial Bitty Pretty I/Creation Of Beloved - vii/60
4283 Fizz Buzz Buzz/Waitin' In School - 9/60
4310 Jailhouse Rock/Silhouettes - 1/61
4348 Change Partners/And then Immature (And then In Love) - three/61
4391 Immature/I Put The Bomp - viii/61

TCF (20th Century Fox)
11 To Each His Ain/Teacher, Instructor - 64

COLUMBIA
43094 Somewhere/Sweetness And Lovely - 8/64

Large APPLE
100 I'one thousand Sorry/Seabreeze - 68

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