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'''Franklin Joseph Lymon''' (September 30, 1942<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZyrDgAAQBAJ&q=frankie+lymon+1968&pg=PA312|title=Historical Dictionary of Popular Music|first=Norman|last=Abjorensen|date=May 25, 2017|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781538102152|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AkNldfGIyCcC&pg=PA182|title=Stories in Stone New York|page=182|publisher=Gibbs Smith|last=Keister|first=Doug|year=2011|isbn=9781423621027 }}</ref> – February 27, 1968<ref>''[[The New York Times]]'', February 28, 1968, p. 50</ref>) was an American [[rock and roll]]/[[rhythm and blues]] singer and songwriter, best known as the [[boy soprano]] lead singer of the [[New York City]]-based early [[rock and roll]] [[doo-wop]] group [[the Teenagers]]. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid-teens. The original lineup of the Teenagers, an [[Racial integration|integrated]] group, included three African-American members, Lymon, [[Jimmy Merchant]], and [[Sherman Garnes]]; and two [[Puerto Rican American|Puerto Rican]] members, [[Joe Negroni]] and [[Herman Santiago]]. The Teenagers' first single, 1956's "[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]", was also their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and that of the Teenagers fell into decline. In 1968, Lymon was found dead at the age of 25 on the floor of his grandmother's bathroom from a [[heroin]] overdose.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Barbee|first=Bobbie |date=March 14, 1968|title=Lymon Said: Addicts Gamble |magazine=Jet|volume=33|issue=23|pages=60&ndash;62|issn=0021-5996}}</ref> Lymon was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 as a member of the Teenagers. His life was dramatized in the 1998 film ''[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (film)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]''.
'''Franklin Joseph Lymon''' (September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968) was an American [[rock and roll]]/[[rhythm and blues]] singer and songwriter, best known as the [[boy soprano]] lead singer of the [[New York City]]-based early [[rock and roll]] [[doo-wop]] group [[the Teenagers]]. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid-teens. The original lineup of the Teenagers, an [[Racial integration|integrated]] group, included three African-American members, Lymon, [[Jimmy Merchant]], and [[Sherman Garnes]]; and two [[Puerto Rican American|Puerto Rican]] members, [[Joe Negroni]] and [[Herman Santiago]]. The Teenagers' first single, 1956's "[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]", was also their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and that of the Teenagers fell into decline. In 1968, Lymon was found dead at age 25 from a [[heroin]] overdose.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Barbee|first=Bobbie |date=March 14, 1968|title=Lymon Said: Addicts Gamble |magazine=Jet|volume=33|issue=23|pages=60&ndash;62|issn=0021-5996}}</ref> He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 as a member of the Teenagers. Lymon's life was dramatized in the 1998 film ''[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (film)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]''.


==Biography==
==Early life==
===1942–56: Early life/joining the Teenagers===
Franklin Joseph Lymon was born in [[Washington Heights, Manhattan|Washington Heights]], New York City,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Bogdanov |first1=Vladimir |title=All Music Guide To Rock: The Definitive Guide To Rock, Pop, and Soul |last2=Erlewine |first2=Stephen Thomas |last3=Woodstra |first3=Chris |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |year=2002 |isbn=0-87930-653-X |edition=3 |page=680}}</ref> on September 30, 1942,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Abjorensen |first=Norman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZyrDgAAQBAJ&q=frankie+lymon+1968&pg=PA312 |title=Historical Dictionary of Popular Music |date=May 25, 2017 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9781538102152 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Keister |first=Doug |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AkNldfGIyCcC&pg=PA182 |title=Stories in Stone New York |publisher=Gibbs Smith |year=2011 |isbn=9781423621027 |page=182}}</ref> to Jeanette and Howard Lymon. Howard was a truck driver and Jeanette was a maid. Both also sang in the gospel group the Harlemaires; Frankie and his brothers, Lewis and Howie, sang with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth brother, Timmy, was also a singer, though not with the Harlemaire Juniors).
[[File:Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.jpg|thumb|Frankie Lymon (center) and the Teenagers|left]]
Franklin Joseph Lymon was born in [[Washington Heights, Manhattan|Washington Heights]], New York City,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bogdanov|first1=Vladimir|last2=Erlewine|first2=Stephen Thomas |last3=Woodstra|first3=Chris |title=All Music Guide To Rock: The Definitive Guide To Rock, Pop, and Soul|edition=3|year=2002|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=0-87930-653-X|page=680}}</ref> on September 30, 1942, to Jeanette and Howard Lymon. Howard was a truck driver and Jeanette was a maid. Both also sang in the gospel group the Harlemaires; Frankie and his brothers, Lewis and Howie, sang with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth brother, Timmy, was also a singer, though not with the Harlemaire Juniors). The Lymons struggled to make ends meet, so Lymon began working as a grocery boy at age 10. Lymon was {{Height|ft=4|in=10|abbr=yes}} as a child, and he was {{Height|ft=5|in=5|abbr=yes}} as a adult.


At age 12 in 1954, Lymon heard a local [[doo-wop]] group known as the Coupe De Villes at a school talent show. He became friends with the lead singer [[Herman Santiago]], and eventually became a member of the group, now calling itself both the Ermines and the Premiers. One day in 1955, a neighbor gave the Premiers several love letters that had been written to him by his girlfriend, hoping to give the boys inspiration to write their own songs. [[Jimmy Merchant]] and Santiago adapted one of the letters into a song called "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". The Premiers, now calling themselves the Teenagers, got their first shot at fame after impressing [[Richard Barrett (musician)|Richard Barrett]], a singer with [[The Valentines (doo-wop band)|the Valentines]]. Barrett, in turn, got the group an audition with record producer [[George Goldner]]. On the day of the group's audition, original lead singer Santiago was late. Lymon stepped up and told Goldner that he knew the part because he helped write the song. The disc jockeys always called them "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers".{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
== Career ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=October 2025}}
=== Early career and joining the Teenagers ===
[[File:Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.jpg|thumb|Frankie Lymon (center) and the Teenagers|left]]At age 12 in 1954, Lymon heard a local [[doo-wop]] group known as the Coupe De Villes at a school talent show. He became friends with the lead singer [[Herman Santiago]], and eventually became a member of the group, now calling itself both the Ermines and the Premiers. One day in 1955, a neighbor gave the Premiers several love letters that had been written to him by his girlfriend, hoping to give the boys inspiration to write their own songs. [[Jimmy Merchant]] and Santiago adapted one of the letters into a song called "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". The Premiers, now calling themselves the Teenagers, got their first shot at fame after impressing [[Richard Barrett (musician)|Richard Barrett]], a singer with [[The Valentines (doo-wop band)|the Valentines]]. Barrett, in turn, got the group an audition with record producer [[George Goldner]]. On the day of the group's audition, original lead singer Santiago was late. Lymon stepped up and told Goldner that he knew the part since he helped write the song. The disc jockeys always called them "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers".


===1956: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" success===
===1956: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" success===
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As a solo artist, Lymon was not nearly as successful as he had been with the Teenagers. Beginning with his second solo release, "My Girl", Lymon had moved to [[Roulette Records]]. On a July 19, 1957, episode of [[Alan Freed]]'s live [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] TV show ''[[The Big Beat (TV program)|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/moondogs-final-sign-off-on-alan-reed-1421710119 |title=Moondog's Final Sign Off |date=January 20, 2021 |work=WSJ |access-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17440514 |title=How the world's first rock concert ended in chaos |date=March 21, 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref>
As a solo artist, Lymon was not nearly as successful as he had been with the Teenagers. Beginning with his second solo release, "My Girl", Lymon had moved to [[Roulette Records]]. On a July 19, 1957, episode of [[Alan Freed]]'s live [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] TV show ''[[The Big Beat (TV program)|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/moondogs-final-sign-off-on-alan-reed-1421710119 |title=Moondog's Final Sign Off |date=January 20, 2021 |work=WSJ |access-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17440514 |title=How the world's first rock concert ended in chaos |date=March 21, 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref>


Lymon's slowly declining sales fell sharply in the early 1960s. His highest-charting solo hit was a cover of [[Bobby Day]]'s "[[Little Bitty Pretty One]]", which peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1960 and which had been recorded in 1957. Addicted to [[heroin]] since the age of 15, Lymon fell further into his habit, and his performing career went into decline. According to Lymon in an interview with ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' magazine in 1967, he was first introduced to heroin at age 15 by a woman twice his age.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Peters|first=Art|date=January 1967|title=Comeback of a Child Star|magazine=Ebony|volume=22|issue=3|pages=43|issn=0012-9011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6iZkedjSfZoC&q=frankie+lymon+heroin&pg=PA42}}</ref> In 1961, Roulette, now run by [[Morris Levy]], ended their contract with Lymon and he entered a [[drug rehabilitation]] program. After losing Lymon, the Teenagers went through a string of replacement singers, the first of whom was Billy Lobrano. In 1960, Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's the Night" with the Teenagers; later that year, Johnny Houston sang lead on two songs. The Teenagers, who had been moved by Morris Levy to End Records, were released from their contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Lymon in 1965, without success.
Lymon's slowly declining sales fell sharply in the early 1960s. His highest-charting solo hit was a cover of [[Bobby Day]]'s "[[Little Bitty Pretty One]]", which peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1960 and which had been recorded in 1957. Addicted to [[heroin]] since he was 15, Lymon fell further into his habit and his performing career went into decline. According to Lymon in an interview with ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' magazine in 1967, he was first introduced to heroin at age 15 by a woman twice his age.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Peters|first=Art|date=January 1967|title=Comeback of a Child Star|magazine=Ebony|volume=22|issue=3|pages=43|issn=0012-9011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6iZkedjSfZoC&q=frankie+lymon+heroin&pg=PA42}}</ref> In 1961, Roulette, now run by [[Morris Levy]], ended their contract with Lymon and he entered a [[drug rehabilitation]] program. After losing Lymon, the Teenagers went through a string of replacement singers, the first of whom was Billy Lobrano. In 1960, Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's the Night" with the Teenagers; later that year, Johnny Houston sang lead on two songs. The Teenagers, who had been moved by Morris Levy to End Records, were released from their contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Lymon in 1965, without success.


===1966–68: Later years===
===1966–68: Later years===
Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals with [[20th Century Fox Records]] and [[Columbia Records]]. He began a relationship with Elizabeth Mickey Waters, who became his first wife in January 1964 and gave birth to his only child, a baby girl named Francine who died two days after birth at Lenox Hill Hospital.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LcIDAAAAMBAJ&q=Frankie+Lymon+and+child+Jet+1963&pg=PA63 |title= New York Beat |date=September 17, 2011 |work= Jet Magazine |publisher= Johnson Publishing Co.}}</ref> Lymon's marriage to Waters was not legal because she was still married to her first husband at the time. After the marriage failed, Lymon moved to [[Los Angeles]] in the mid-1960s, where he began a romantic relationship with [[Zola Taylor]], a member of the Platters. Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in [[Mexico]] in 1965<ref name="ebony">{{Cite magazine|last=Bennett Kinnon|first=Joy |date=December 1998|title=The Real Story of ''Why Do Fools Fall In Love''|magazine=Ebony|volume=54|issue=2|pages=70|issn=0012-9011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jXsbJEgguzIC&q=frankie+lymon+heroin&pg=PA68}}</ref> although their relationship ended several months later, purportedly because of Lymon's drug habits. However, Lymon had been known to say that their marriage was a publicity stunt, and Taylor could produce no legal documentation of their marriage. In Major Robinson's gossip column of June 6, 1966, Zola said the whole thing was a joke that she went along with at the time (October 1965).<ref>Robinson, Major (June 6, 1966) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''</ref>
Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals with [[20th Century Fox Records]] and [[Columbia Records]].


Lymon appeared at the Apollo as part of a revue, adding an extended tap dance number. He recorded several live performances (such as "Melinda" in 1959), but none rose on the charts. Lymon's final television performance was on ''[[Hollywood a Go-Go]]'' in 1965, where he [[lip-synch]]ed to the recording of his 13-year-old self singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". On June 21, 1966, Lymon was arrested on a heroin charge and was drafted into the [[United States Army]] in lieu of a jail sentence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://history-of-rock.com/lymon.htm|title=Frankie Lymon|website=History-of-rock.com}}</ref> He reported to [[Fort Gordon, Georgia]], near [[Augusta, Georgia]], for training.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} While in the Augusta area, Lymon met and fell in love with Emira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary in Augusta. The two were wed in June 1967, and Lymon repeatedly went [[AWOL]] to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. [[dishonorable discharge|Dishonorably discharged]] from the Army,{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically. Traveling to New York in 1968, Lymon was signed by manager Sam Bray 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. A major promotion had been arranged with CHO Associates, owned by radio personalities Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and Eddie O'Jay. Lymon, staying at his grandmother's apartment in [[Harlem]], where he had grown up, celebrated his good fortune by taking [[heroin]]; Lymon had remained clean ever since entering the Army two years earlier.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
Lymon appeared at the Apollo as part of a revue, adding an extended tap dance number. He recorded several live performances (such as "Melinda" in 1959), but none rose on the charts. Lymon's final television performance was on ''[[Hollywood a Go-Go]]'' in 1965, where the 22-year-old [[lip-synch]]ed to the recording of his 13-year-old self singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}
 
Following an arrest for heroin use in 1966, Lymon joined the [[United States Army]] in lieu of a jail sentence. However, he repeatedly went [[AWOL]] to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. Traveling to New York in 1968, Lymon was signed by manager Sam Bray to his Big Apple label, and the singer returned to recording.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}
 
[[Roulette Records]] expressed interest in releasing Lymon's records in conjunction with Big Apple and scheduled a recording session for February 28. A major promotion had been arranged with CHO Associates, owned by radio personalities Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and Eddie O'Jay. Lymon, staying at his grandmother's apartment in [[Harlem]], where he had grown up, celebrated his good fortune by relapsing into his addiction by taking [[heroin]]. Lymon had remained clean since entering the Army two years earlier.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
 
== Personal life ==
 
=== Relationships ===
In the early 1960s, Lymon began a relationship with Elizabeth "Mickey" Waters, whom he later married in 1964 in [[Alexandria, Virginia]], and gave birth to his only child, a daughter named Francine who died two days after birth at Lenox Hill Hospital.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 17, 2011 |title=New York Beat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LcIDAAAAMBAJ&q=Frankie+Lymon+and+child+Jet+1963&pg=PA63 |work=Jet Magazine |publisher=Johnson Publishing Co.}}</ref> Lymon's marriage to Waters was not legal because she was still married to her first husband, Charles Phillips, at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DrwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22&dq=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvk8OGj42QAxWO5ckDHUItHt4Q6AF6BAgGEAM#v=onepage&q=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine&f=false|title=Jet|first=Johnson Publishing|last=Company|date=April 4, 1963|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="jet">{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BbMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60&dq=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine+zola&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSveLFkI2QAxVVx8kDHc31FvwQ6AF6BAgHEAM#v=onepage&q=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine+zola&f=false|title=Jet|first=Johnson Publishing|last=Company|date=March 11, 1985|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}</ref> After the marriage failed, Lymon moved to [[Los Angeles]] in the mid-1960s, where he began a romantic relationship with [[Zola Taylor]], a member of the Platters.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}
 
Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in [[Mexico]] in 1965<ref name="ebony">{{Cite magazine |last=Bennett Kinnon |first=Joy |date=December 1998 |title=The Real Story of ''Why Do Fools Fall In Love'' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jXsbJEgguzIC&q=frankie+lymon+heroin&pg=PA68 |magazine=Ebony |pages=70 |volume=54 |issue=2 |issn=0012-9011}}</ref> although their relationship ended several months later, purportedly because of Lymon's drug habits. However, Lymon was known to say that their marriage was a publicity stunt, and Taylor could produce no legal documentation of their marriage, however, it was reported that the couple married in [[Las Vegas]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kLkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22&dq=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine+zola&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjSveLFkI2QAxVVx8kDHc31FvwQ6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine+zola&f=false|title=Jet|first=Johnson Publishing|last=Company|date=October 28, 1965|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}</ref> In Major Robinson's gossip column of June 6, 1966, Zola said the whole thing was a joke that she went along with at the time (October 1965).<ref>Robinson, Major (June 6, 1966) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''</ref>
 
While in Augusta, Georgia following sentencing for heroin use, Lymon met and fell in love with Emira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary in Augusta. The two were wed in June 1967,<ref name="Jet"/> and Lymon repeatedly went [[AWOL]] to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. [[dishonorable discharge|Dishonorably discharged]] from the Army, Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically.
=== Drug use ===
On June 21, 1966, Lymon was arrested on a heroin charge and was drafted into the [[United States Army]] in lieu of a jail sentence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frankie Lymon |url=http://history-of-rock.com/lymon.htm |website=History-of-rock.com}}</ref> He reported to [[Fort Gordon, Georgia]], near [[Augusta, Georgia]], for training, though was eventually dishonorably discharged.


==Death==
==Death==
On February 27, 1968, Lymon was found dead on the floor of his grandmother's bathroom from a [[heroin]] overdose with a syringe by his side. Lymon was only 25 years old. The overdose was a result from "acute intravenous narcotism," according to his death certificate.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Frankie Lymon Dies in Apartment.  |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 28, 1968}}</ref>{{sfn|Merchant|2023|p=168}}<ref>{{Cite news|title=THREE WIVES THE LEGACY OF 'LOVE'|work=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 29, 1988}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 28, 1988|title=Waters Declared Wife Of Frankie Lymon and Heir To $750,000 Royalties|magazine=Jet|volume=75|issue=9|issn=0021-5996}}</ref> Lymon, a [[Baptists|Baptist]], was buried at [[Saint Raymond's Cemetery (Bronx)|Saint Raymond's Cemetery]] in the [[Throggs Neck]] section of [[The Bronx]], New York City.  
On February 27, 1968, Lymon was found dead on the floor of his grandmother's bathroom from a [[heroin]] overdose with a syringe by his side; Lymon was only 25 years old. The overdose was a result from "acute intravenous narcotism," according to his death certificate.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Frankie Lymon Dies in Apartment.  |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 28, 1968}}</ref>{{sfn|Merchant|2023|p=168}}<ref>{{Cite news|title=THREE WIVES THE LEGACY OF 'LOVE'|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 29, 1988}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 28, 1988|title=Waters Declared Wife Of Frankie Lymon and Heir To $750,000 Royalties|magazine=Jet|volume=75|issue=9|issn=0021-5996}}</ref> Lymon, a [[Baptists|Baptist]], was buried at [[Saint Raymond's Cemetery (Bronx)|Saint Raymond's Cemetery]] in the [[Throggs Neck]] section of [[the Bronx]], New York City.
 
=== Tombstone ===
[[File:Frankie_Lymon_tombstone_in_a_crate.jpg|thumb|Tombstone of Frankie Lymon]]
In addition to his burial, Lymon has a second tombstone, exhibited at the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in the Historical Museum of Bay County, [[Bay City, Michigan|Bay City]]. Initially, it was located at the backyard of Pam Nardella in [[Elmwood Park, New Jersey]]. The tombstone is made of [[granite]], {{Convert|33|in|cm}} high, {{Convert|27|in|cm}} wide, {{Convert|8|in|cm}} deep, and weighs more than {{Convert|1000|lb}}, due to the granite base.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Sam |date=4 February 2021 |title=The Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame fine tunes its Bay City exhibit |url=https://www.secondwavemedia.com/baycity/features/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-in-bay-city.aspx |access-date=1 June 2025 |website=Route Bay City |publisher=Issue Media Group}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Headstone of late doo-wop star Frankie Lymon stood in NJ backyard for years. Now it's headed to a museum |url=https://newjersey.news12.com/headstone-of-late-doo-wop-star-frankie-lymon-stood-in-nj-backyard-for-years-now-it-s-headed-to-a-museum |access-date=1 June 2025 |website=News12 New Jersey |publisher=N12N}}</ref> The tombstone also emphasizes with a cross and flowers.
 
20 years after the death of Lymon, in [[Clinton, New Jersey|Clinton]], New Jersey, one of the fans—members of the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA)—led by the owner of the Clifton Music Record shop Ronnie Italiano kept a tombstone through donation. Because of this, Lymon married three wives, and one of the wives hurried and placed her own tombstone on Lymon's grave at the Bronx cemetery since it was unmarked, being "forged out of love." Therefore, the tombstone was relocated at the garden in New Jersey from Clifton Record Shop. 19 years later, the tombstone was placed at the Ronni I's record store. In response to this, fans were demanding to have the tombstone erected on the unmarked grave in the Bronx. However, it was ceased due to  estate battles among Lymon's three wives, same reason that happened in 1988. On that following year, Italiano died at 67 and the UGHA became less active. <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{cite news |title=Weird NJ: Frankie Lymon's tombstone sits in an NJ backyard |url=https://www.app.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/weird-nj/2017/06/25/weird-nj-frankie-lymons-tombstone/425550001/ |access-date=1 June 2025 |publisher=www.app.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gottlieb |first1=Martin |date=17 Jan 1993 |title=POP MUSIC; The Durability of Doo-Wop |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/17/arts/pop-music-the-durability-of-doo-wop.html# |access-date=1 June 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kuperinsky |first1=Amy |title=How a Music Legend's Tombstone Landed in a NJ Woman's Backyard (and where it's going next) |url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/blog/409-star-ledger-s-frankie-lymon-tombstone-story |access-date=1 June 2025 |website=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame |publisher=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends}}</ref><ref name=":7/">{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=Scott |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7-DgDAAAQBAJ&dq=frankie+lymon+tombstone&pg=PA461 |title=Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More than 14,000 Famous Persons |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-0-7864-7992-4 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |page=461 |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>
 
Later, Scott and Michael Rullis from Monroe Monuments brought the tombstone to the museum at Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame on January 14, 2021, becoming the first artifact that arrived at the Historical Museum of Bay County. In addition to the tombstone becoming the first artifact, several [[Serenus Johnson Construction|Serenus Johnson]] crew members worked variety of construction projects at the museum while being shut down and brought the crate containing the tombstone that remained for several months. According to Mike Bacigalupo, the tombstone is "a big tell-tale story" and that people would relate with the tombstone based on its origin. The walls and floor of the gallery was repainted and the tombstone was relocated to the second floor.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{cite web |title=Frankie Lymon's Tombstone Blues 9: The Museum |url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/blog/425-frankie-lymon-s-tombstone-blues-9-the-museum |access-date=1 June 2025 |website=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame |publisher=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends}}</ref>


===Posthumous troubles===
===Posthumous troubles===
"I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze" are the two songs that Lymon had recorded for Big Apple before his death, and were [[posthumous publication|posthumously released]] later in 1969.<ref>{{cite web |title=Frankie Lyman And His All Stars – I'm Sorry / Sea Breeze |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6868610-Frankie-Lyman-And-His-All-Stars-Im-Sorry-Sea-Breeze |website=Discogs |publisher=Discogs |access-date=31 May 2024}}</ref>
"I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze" are the two songs that Lymon had recorded for Big Apple before his death, and they were [[posthumous publication|posthumously released]] later in 1969.<ref>{{cite web |title=Frankie Lyman And His All Stars – I'm Sorry / Sea Breeze |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6868610-Frankie-Lyman-And-His-All-Stars-Im-Sorry-Sea-Breeze |website=Discogs |date=1969 |access-date=31 May 2024}}</ref> Apart from the posthumous releases of these songs, Lymon's troubles extended to others. After [[Diana Ross]] returned "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" to the Top Ten in 1981, a major controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Having neglected to divorce any of them and each claiming to be Frankie Lymon's rightful widow, [[Zola Taylor]], Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle approached Morris Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties. 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.
 
Apart from the posthumous releases of these songs, Lymon's troubles extended to others after his death. After [[Diana Ross]] returned "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" to the Top Ten in 1981, a major controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Having neglected to divorce any of them and each claiming to be Frankie Lymon's rightful widow, [[Zola Taylor]], Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle approached Morris Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties. 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.


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.<ref>Goldberg, Marv. "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook: The Teenagers".</ref> Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965, but could produce no acceptable evidence of their union.<ref name="ebony" /> Lymon's marriage to Eagle, on the other hand, was properly documented as having taken place at 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 1989, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Lymon's estate to Eagle.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=In re Lymon (Lymon v. Lymon) |vol=151 |reporter=A.D.2d |opinion=248 |pinpoint= |court=N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. |date=June 6, 1989 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16028121891087750258 |access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>Bennett, Joy. ''The Real Story of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"''. The 1998 Frankie Lymon biographical film concludes with a comical post-script stating that Elmira Eagle (now legally Elmira Eagle-Lymon) received only $15,000 from winning Lymon's estate, after legal and other expenses were paid off. An excerpt from this article states otherwise: "A major discrepancy in the movie left the impression that [Elmira Eagle-Lymon] only received a $15,000 settlement. After Diana Ross re-recorded Frankie's song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," his estate was worth more than $1 million. Attorney [William] McCracken confirms that 'the settlement was well over seven figures.'"</ref>
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.<ref>Goldberg, Marv. "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook: The Teenagers".</ref> Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965, but could produce no acceptable evidence of their union.<ref name="ebony" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=764DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30&dq=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvk8OGj42QAxWO5ckDHUItHt4Q6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=frankie+lymon+jet+magazine&f=false|title=Jet|first=Johnson Publishing|last=Company|date=November 28, 1988|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}</ref> Lymon's marriage to Eagle, on the other hand, was properly documented as having taken place at 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 1989, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Lymon's estate to Eagle.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=In re Lymon (Lymon v. Lymon) |vol=151 |reporter=A.D.2d |opinion=248 |pinpoint= |court=N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. |date=June 6, 1989 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=16028121891087750258 |access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>Bennett, Joy. ''The Real Story of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"''. The 1998 Frankie Lymon biographical film concludes with a comical post-script stating that Elmira Eagle (now legally Emira Eagle-Lymon) received only $15,000 from winning Lymon's estate, after legal and other expenses were paid off. An excerpt from this article states otherwise: "A major discrepancy in the movie left the impression that Emira Eagle-Lymon only received a $15,000 settlement. After Diana Ross re-recorded Frankie's song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," his estate was worth more than $1 million. Attorney [William] McCracken confirms that 'the settlement was well over seven figures.'"</ref>


However, the details of the case brought about another issue: whether mobster Morris Levy was deserving of the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although early single releases of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" credit Frankie Lymon, [[Herman Santiago]], and Jimmy Merchant as co-writers, 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 songwriting royalties during his lifetime; one result of Emira 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 by then poor, sued Morris Levy's estate for their songwriting credits. In December 1992, the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York]] ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Merchant v. Lymon|vol=828 |reporter=F.Supp. |opinion=1048 |pinpoint= |court=S.D.N.Y.|date=July 23, 1993 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=43526739017844608 |access-date=April 5, 2023| }}</ref> However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the [[U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second 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 while Merchant and Santiago's lawsuit was not filed until 30 years later.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Merchant v. Levy |vol=92 |reporter=F.3d |opinion=51 |pinpoint= |court=2d Cir.|date=August 7, 1996 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17363566383284114372 |access-date=April 5, 2023| }}</ref> Authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains in the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.
However, the details of the case brought about another issue: whether mobster Morris Levy was deserving of the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although early single releases of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" credit Frankie Lymon, [[Herman Santiago]], and Jimmy Merchant as co-writers, 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 songwriting royalties during his lifetime; one result of Emira 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 by then poor, sued Morris Levy's estate for their songwriting credits. In December 1992, the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York]] ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Merchant v. Lymon|vol=828 |reporter=F.Supp. |opinion=1048 |pinpoint= |court=S.D.N.Y.|date=July 23, 1993 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=43526739017844608 |access-date=April 5, 2023}}</ref> However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the [[U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second 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 while Merchant and Santiago's lawsuit was not filed until 30 years later.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Merchant v. Levy |vol=92 |reporter=F.3d |opinion=51 |pinpoint= |court=2d Cir.|date=August 7, 1996 |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17363566383284114372 |access-date=April 5, 2023| }}</ref> Authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains in the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}


==Legacy==
==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 [[Michael Jackson]], [[Ronnie Spector]], [[Diana Ross]], [[the Chantels]], [[the Temptations]], [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Len Barry]], [[the Beach Boys]] and [[Billy Joel]], among others.<ref>Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, 2002). ''Temptations'' [2nd edition]. New York: Cooper Square Press. Pg. 120-21.</ref><ref name=koda>{{cite web|first=Cub |last=Koda |author-link=Cub Koda |title=Frankie Lymon |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4806|pure_url=yes}} |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=August 21, 2007}}</ref> The performers most inspired by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style are [[the Jackson 5]] and their lead singer and future superstar [[Michael Jackson]]. [[Motown]] founder [[Berry Gordy]] based much of the Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings,<ref name=koda/> and the Teenagers are believed to be the original model for many of the other Motown groups he cultivated.<ref name="ReferenceA">Fotenot, Robert. "Profile: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers."</ref>  
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 [[Michael Jackson]], [[Ronnie Spector]], [[Diana Ross]], [[the Chantels]], [[the Temptations]], [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], [[Smokey Robinson]], [[Len Barry]], [[the Beach Boys]] and [[Billy Joel]], among others.<ref>Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, 2002). ''Temptations'' [2nd edition]. New York: Cooper Square Press. Pg. 120-21.</ref><ref name=koda>{{cite web|first=Cub |last=Koda |author-link=Cub Koda |title=Frankie Lymon |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4806|pure_url=yes}} |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=August 21, 2007}}</ref> The performers most inspired by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style are [[the Jackson 5]] and their lead singer and future superstar [[Michael Jackson]]. [[Motown]] founder [[Berry Gordy]] based much of the Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings,<ref name=koda/> and the Teenagers are believed to be the original model for many of the other Motown groups he cultivated.<ref name="ReferenceA">Fotenot, Robert. "Profile: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers."</ref>  
In 1973, Lymon became known to a slightly younger generation than before with the release of ''[[American Graffiti]]'', which included "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" on its soundtrack. In September 1979 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, [[Joni Mitchell]] performed a version of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" which subsequently appeared on the release of her album of the concert entitled [[Shadows and Light (Joni Mitchell album)|"Shadows and Light"]] the following September. During the opening mix of the album, Mitchell also spliced sections of "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" into the title track refrains.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
[[The Fall (band)|The Fall]] referenced Lymon in "No X-mas for John Quays" on their March 1979 album ''[[Live at the Witch Trials]]''. The English band [[Everything but the Girl]], on their 1991 album ''[[Worldwide (Everything but the Girl album)|Worldwide]]'', include the song "Boxing and Pop Music" which references Lymon throughout the song. Lymon was mentioned in the 1992 [[Stephen King]] short story "[[You Know They Got a Hell of a Band]]". Lymon is named as the one who cut off the waitress Sissy's finger for trying to help the protagonists, Mary and Clark Willingham, escape from the town of Rock & Roll Heaven, Oregon, which is inhabited by [[Janis Joplin]], [[Otis Redding]], [[Roy Orbison]], and other musicians who died young.{{cn|date=April 2024}}


In 1993, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=146 |title=Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers |publisher=rockhall.com |access-date=January 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123065257/http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=146 |archive-date=November 23, 2006 }}</ref> and into the [[Vocal Group Hall of Fame]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/frankie_teenagers.html|title=Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Inducted 2000)|publisher=vocalgroup.org|access-date=January 16, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130013305/http://vocalgroup.org/inductees/frankie_teenagers.html|archive-date=November 30, 2010}}</ref>
In 1993, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=146 |title=Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers |publisher=rockhall.com |access-date=January 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123065257/http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=146 |archive-date=November 23, 2006 }}</ref> and into the [[Vocal Group Hall of Fame]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/frankie_teenagers.html|title=Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Inducted 2000)|publisher=vocalgroup.org|access-date=January 16, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130013305/http://vocalgroup.org/inductees/frankie_teenagers.html|archive-date=November 30, 2010}}</ref>
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The song "Harlem Roulette" by [[the Mountain Goats]], off its 2012 album ''[[Transcendental Youth]]'', contains references to Frankie Lymon, to the song "Seabreeze", and to Roulette Records. Frontman John Darnielle has stated that the song is about the last night of Lymon's life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/47887-watch-the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-play-harlem-roulette-on-the-waterfront-in-new-york/|title=Watch the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle Play "Harlem Roulette" on the Waterfront in New York|date=September 18, 2012 |work=pitchfork.com|access-date=September 18, 2012}}</ref>
The song "Harlem Roulette" by [[the Mountain Goats]], off its 2012 album ''[[Transcendental Youth]]'', contains references to Frankie Lymon, to the song "Seabreeze", and to Roulette Records. Frontman John Darnielle has stated that the song is about the last night of Lymon's life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/47887-watch-the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-play-harlem-roulette-on-the-waterfront-in-new-york/|title=Watch the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle Play "Harlem Roulette" on the Waterfront in New York|date=September 18, 2012 |work=pitchfork.com|access-date=September 18, 2012}}</ref>
Much of Lymon's [[kinescope]]d footage from shows such as ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', ''American Bandstand'', ''Saturday Night Beechnut Show'' and the ''Mike Douglas Show'' remains unavailable due to copyright claims.{{cn|date=April 2024}}


==Discography==
==Discography==
===Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography===
===Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography===
====Singles====
====Singles====
;[[Gee Records|Gee]] releases:
;[[Gee Records|Gee]] releases
*1956-01: [Gee 1002] "[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]" / "Please Be Mine" <sup>1</sup> (#1 on the R&B chart for 5 weeks, US Pop #6, UK #1)
*1956-01: [Gee 1002] "[[Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)|Why Do Fools Fall in Love]]" / "Please Be Mine" <sup>1</sup> (No. 1 on the R&B chart for 5 weeks, US Pop No. 6, UK No. 1)
*1956-04: [Gee 1012] "[[I Want You to Be My Girl]]" / "I'm Not a Know-It-All" <sup>2</sup> (#3 on R&B chart, US Pop #13)
*1956-04: [Gee 1012] "[[I Want You to Be My Girl]]" / "I'm Not a Know-It-All" <sup>2</sup> (No. 3 on R&B chart, US Pop No. 13)
*1956-07: [Gee 1018] "[[I Promise to Remember]]" / "[[Who Can Explain?]]" (double-sided hit on R&B chart (#10 and #7) (US Pop #57 (A-side)))
*1956-07: [Gee 1018] "[[I Promise to Remember]]" / "[[Who Can Explain?]]" (double-sided hit on R&B chart (No. 10 and No. 7) (US Pop No. 57 (A-side)))
*1956-09: [Gee 1022] "[[The ABC's of Love]]" / "Share" (#8 on R&B chart, US Pop #77)
*1956-09: [Gee 1022] "[[The ABC's of Love]]" / "Share" (No. 8 on R&B chart, US Pop No. 77)
*1956-11: [Gee 1026] "[[I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent]]" / "Baby, Baby" (double-sided hit on UK chart #12 and #4)
*1956-11: [Gee 1026] "[[I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent]]" / "Baby, Baby" (double-sided hit on UK chart No. 12 and No. 4)
*1957-04: [Gee 1032] "Teenage Love" / "Paper Castles"
*1957-04: [Gee 1032] "Teenage Love" / "Paper Castles"
*1957-05: [Gee 1035] "Love Is a Clown / Am I Fooling Myself Again"
*1957-05: [Gee 1035] "Love Is a Clown / Am I Fooling Myself Again"
*1957-06: [Gee 1036] "[[Out in the Cold Again]]" / "Miracle in the Rain" <sup>5</sup> (#10 on R&B chart)
*1957-06: [Gee 1036] "[[Out in the Cold Again]]" / "Miracle in the Rain" <sup>5</sup> (No. 10 on R&B chart)
*1957-07: [Gee 1039] "[[Goody Goody]]" / "Creation of Love" <sup>3</sup> (US Pop #20, UK #24)
*1957-07: [Gee 1039] "[[Goody Goody]]" / "Creation of Love" <sup>3</sup> (US Pop No. 20, UK No. 24)
*1957-12: [Gee 1046] "Everything to Me" / "Flip Flop" <sup>4</sup>
*1957-12: [Gee 1046] "Everything to Me" / "Flip Flop" <sup>4</sup>


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====Singles====
====Singles====
;Roulette releases:
;Roulette releases
*1957: [Roulette 4026] "My Girl" / "So Goes My Love" (R&B #51)
*1957: [Roulette 4026] "My Girl" / "So Goes My Love" (R&B No. 51)
*1957: [Roulette 4035] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again" (R&B #30)
*1957: [Roulette 4035] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again" (R&B No. 30)
*1958: [Roulette 4044] "Thumb Thumb" / "Footsteps" (R&B #76)
*1958: [Roulette 4044] "Thumb Thumb" / "Footsteps" (R&B No. 76)
*1958: [Roulette 4068] "Portable on My Shoulder" / "Mama Don't Allow It" (R&B #88) (US Pop #80/R&B #64)
*1958: [Roulette 4068] "Portable on My Shoulder" / "Mama Don't Allow It" (R&B No. 88) (US Pop No. 80/R&B No. 64)
*1958: [Roulette 4093] "Only Way to Love" / "Melinda" (R&B #47)
*1958: [Roulette 4093] "Only Way to Love" / "Melinda" (R&B No. 47)
*1959: [Roulette 4128] "Up Jumped a Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done" (R&B #72)
*1959: [Roulette 4128] "Up Jumped a Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done" (R&B No. 72)
*1969: [Roulette 21095] "/ "1-20-12 Forever' (R&B #55)
*1969: [Roulette 21095] "/ "1-20-12 Forever' (R&B No. 55)
;Gee release:
;Gee release:
*1959: [Gee 1052] "Goody Good Girl" / "I'm Not Too Young to Dream" (R&B #66)
*1959: [Gee 1052] "Goody Good Girl" / "I'm Not Too Young to Dream" (R&B No. 66)


;Roulette releases:
;Roulette releases:
*1960: [Roulette 4257] "[[Little Bitty Pretty One]]" / "Creation of Love" (US Pop #58/ R&B #18)
*1960: [Roulette 4257] "[[Little Bitty Pretty One]]" / "Creation of Love" (US Pop No. 58/ R&B No. 18)
*1960: [Roulette 4283] "[[Buzz-Buzz-Buzz|Buzz Buzz Buzz]]" / "Waitin' in School" (R&B #61)
*1960: [Roulette 4283] "[[Buzz-Buzz-Buzz|Buzz Buzz Buzz]]" / "Waitin' in School" (R&B No. 61)
*1961: [Roulette 4310] "[[Jailhouse Rock (song)|Jailhouse Rock]]" / "Silhouettes" (R&B #81)
*1961: [Roulette 4310] "[[Jailhouse Rock (song)|Jailhouse Rock]]" / "Silhouettes" (R&B No. 81) ('Jailhouse' was recorded in '58, and was taken from the 'Rock & Roll with Frankie Lymon' lp., on ' Roulette ', v.inf)
*1961: [Roulette 4348] "Change Partners" / "So Young (And So in Love)" (R&B #61)
*1961: [Roulette 4348] "Change Partners" / "So Young (And So in Love)" (R&B No. 61)
*1961: [Roulette 4391] "Young" / "I Put the Bomp" (featuring backing vocals by two members of [[the Delicates]] (Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia)) (R&B #90)
*1961: [Roulette 4391] "Young" / "I Put the Bomp" (featuring backing vocals by two members of [[the Delicates]] (Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia)) (R&B No. 90)


;Later releases:
;Later releases:
*1964: [TCF 11] "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (R&B #75) (R&B #58)
*1964: [TCF 11] "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (R&B No. 75) (R&B No. 58)
*1964: [Columbia 4-43094] "Somewhere" / "Sweet and Lovely" (R&B #66)
*1964: [Columbia 4-43094] "Somewhere" / "Sweet and Lovely" (R&B No. 66)
*1969: [Big Apple 100] "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (R&B #43) (R&B #60)
*1969: [Big Apple 100] "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (R&B No. 43) (R&B No. 60)


====Albums====
====Albums====

Latest revision as of 20:22, 16 November 2025

Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherTemplate:Main otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Main other

Franklin Joseph Lymon (September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968) was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the New York City-based early rock and roll doo-wop group the Teenagers. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid-teens. The original lineup of the Teenagers, an integrated group, included three African-American members, Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, and Sherman Garnes; and two Puerto Rican members, Joe Negroni and Herman Santiago. The Teenagers' first single, 1956's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", was also their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and that of the Teenagers fell into decline. In 1968, Lymon was found dead at age 25 from a heroin overdose.[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 as a member of the Teenagers. Lymon's life was dramatized in the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

Early life

Franklin Joseph Lymon was born in Washington Heights, New York City,[2] on September 30, 1942,[3][4] to Jeanette and Howard Lymon. Howard was a truck driver and Jeanette was a maid. Both also sang in the gospel group the Harlemaires; Frankie and his brothers, Lewis and Howie, sang with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth brother, Timmy, was also a singer, though not with the Harlemaire Juniors).

Career

Template:More citations needed

Early career and joining the Teenagers

File:Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.jpg
Frankie Lymon (center) and the Teenagers

At age 12 in 1954, Lymon heard a local doo-wop group known as the Coupe De Villes at a school talent show. He became friends with the lead singer Herman Santiago, and eventually became a member of the group, now calling itself both the Ermines and the Premiers. One day in 1955, a neighbor gave the Premiers several love letters that had been written to him by his girlfriend, hoping to give the boys inspiration to write their own songs. Jimmy Merchant and Santiago adapted one of the letters into a song called "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. On the day of the group's audition, original lead singer Santiago was late. Lymon stepped up and told Goldner that he knew the part since he helped write the song. The disc jockeys always called them "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers".

1956: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" success

Goldner signed the group to Gee Records, and "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" became its first single in January 1956. The single peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard pop singles chart, and topped the Billboard R&B singles chart for five weeks. Four other top 10 R&B singles followed over the next year or so: "I Want You to Be My Girl", "I Promise to Remember", "Who Can Explain?" (the B side of "I Promise to Remember" but which charted on its own), "The ABC's of Love", and "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent". "I Want You To Be My Girl" gave the band its second pop hit, reaching No. 13 on the national Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Goody Goody" (written by Matty Malneck and Johnny Mercer and originally performed by Benny Goodman) was a No. 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. However, the album that mostly compiled the singles released in 1956 came out under the older name: The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon.

1957–65: Solo career

In early 1957, Lymon and the Teenagers broke up while on a tour in 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 last single, "Goody Goody" backed with "Creation of Love," initially retained the "Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers" credit, but they were actually solo recordings (with backing 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 Palladium was instead issued as a Lymon solo release.

As a solo artist, Lymon was not nearly as successful as he had been with the Teenagers. Beginning with his second solo release, "My Girl", Lymon had moved to Roulette Records. On a July 19, 1957, episode of Alan 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.[5][6]

Lymon's slowly declining sales fell sharply in the early 1960s. His highest-charting solo hit was a cover of Bobby Day's "Little Bitty Pretty One", which peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 pop chart in 1960 and which had been recorded in 1957. Addicted to heroin since he was 15, Lymon fell further into his habit and his performing career went into decline. According to Lymon in an interview with Ebony magazine in 1967, he was first introduced to heroin at age 15 by a woman twice his age.[7] In 1961, Roulette, now run by Morris Levy, ended their contract with Lymon and he entered a drug rehabilitation program. After losing Lymon, the Teenagers went through a string of replacement singers, the first of whom was Billy Lobrano. In 1960, Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's the Night" with the Teenagers; later that year, Johnny Houston sang lead on two songs. The Teenagers, who had been moved by Morris Levy to End Records, were released from their contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Lymon in 1965, without success.

1966–68: Later years

Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals with 20th Century Fox Records and Columbia Records.

Lymon appeared at the Apollo as part of a revue, adding an extended tap dance number. He recorded several live performances (such as "Melinda" in 1959), but none rose on the charts. Lymon's final television performance was on Hollywood a Go-Go in 1965, where the 22-year-old lip-synched to the recording of his 13-year-old self singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Following an arrest for heroin use in 1966, Lymon joined the United States Army in lieu of a jail sentence. However, he repeatedly went AWOL to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. Traveling to New York in 1968, Lymon was signed by manager Sam Bray to his Big Apple label, and the singer returned to recording.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Roulette Records expressed interest in releasing Lymon's records in conjunction with Big Apple and scheduled a recording session for February 28. A major promotion had been arranged with CHO Associates, owned by radio personalities Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and Eddie O'Jay. Lymon, staying at his grandmother's apartment in Harlem, where he had grown up, celebrated his good fortune by relapsing into his addiction by taking heroin. Lymon had remained clean since entering the Army two years earlier.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Personal life

Relationships

In the early 1960s, Lymon began a relationship with Elizabeth "Mickey" Waters, whom he later married in 1964 in Alexandria, Virginia, and gave birth to his only child, a daughter named Francine who died two days after birth at Lenox Hill Hospital.[8] Lymon's marriage to Waters was not legal because she was still married to her first husband, Charles Phillips, at the time.[9][10] After the marriage failed, Lymon moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, where he began a romantic relationship with Zola Taylor, a member of the Platters.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965[11] although their relationship ended several months later, purportedly because of Lymon's drug habits. However, Lymon was known to say that their marriage was a publicity stunt, and Taylor could produce no legal documentation of their marriage, however, it was reported that the couple married in Las Vegas.[12] In Major Robinson's gossip column of June 6, 1966, Zola said the whole thing was a joke that she went along with at the time (October 1965).[13]

While in Augusta, Georgia following sentencing for heroin use, Lymon met and fell in love with Emira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary in Augusta. The two were wed in June 1967,[14] and Lymon repeatedly went AWOL to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. Dishonorably discharged from the Army, Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically.

Drug use

On June 21, 1966, Lymon was arrested on a heroin charge and was drafted into the United States Army in lieu of a jail sentence.[15] He reported to Fort Gordon, Georgia, near Augusta, Georgia, for training, though was eventually dishonorably discharged.

Death

On February 27, 1968, Lymon was found dead on the floor of his grandmother's bathroom from a heroin overdose with a syringe by his side; Lymon was only 25 years old. The overdose was a result from "acute intravenous narcotism," according to his death certificate.[16]Template:Sfn[17][18] Lymon, a Baptist, was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, New York City.

Tombstone

File:Frankie Lymon tombstone in a crate.jpg
Tombstone of Frankie Lymon

In addition to his burial, Lymon has a second tombstone, exhibited at the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in the Historical Museum of Bay County, Bay City. Initially, it was located at the backyard of Pam Nardella in Elmwood Park, New Jersey. The tombstone is made of granite, Template:Convert high, Template:Convert wide, Template:Convert deep, and weighs more than Template:Convert, due to the granite base.[19][20][21] The tombstone also emphasizes with a cross and flowers.

20 years after the death of Lymon, in Clinton, New Jersey, one of the fans—members of the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA)—led by the owner of the Clifton Music Record shop Ronnie Italiano kept a tombstone through donation. Because of this, Lymon married three wives, and one of the wives hurried and placed her own tombstone on Lymon's grave at the Bronx cemetery since it was unmarked, being "forged out of love." Therefore, the tombstone was relocated at the garden in New Jersey from Clifton Record Shop. 19 years later, the tombstone was placed at the Ronni I's record store. In response to this, fans were demanding to have the tombstone erected on the unmarked grave in the Bronx. However, it was ceased due to estate battles among Lymon's three wives, same reason that happened in 1988. On that following year, Italiano died at 67 and the UGHA became less active. [21][22][23][24][25]

Later, Scott and Michael Rullis from Monroe Monuments brought the tombstone to the museum at Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame on January 14, 2021, becoming the first artifact that arrived at the Historical Museum of Bay County. In addition to the tombstone becoming the first artifact, several Serenus Johnson crew members worked variety of construction projects at the museum while being shut down and brought the crate containing the tombstone that remained for several months. According to Mike Bacigalupo, the tombstone is "a big tell-tale story" and that people would relate with the tombstone based on its origin. The walls and floor of the gallery was repainted and the tombstone was relocated to the second floor.[21][19]

Posthumous troubles

"I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze" are the two songs that Lymon had recorded for Big Apple before his death, and they were posthumously released later in 1969.[26] Apart from the posthumous releases of these songs, Lymon's troubles extended to others. After Diana Ross returned "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" to the Top Ten in 1981, a major controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Having neglected to divorce any of them and each claiming to be Frankie Lymon's rightful widow, Zola Taylor, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle approached Morris Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties. 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.

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.[27] Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in 1965, but could produce no acceptable evidence of their union.[11][28] Lymon's marriage to Eagle, on the other hand, was properly documented as having taken place at 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 1989, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Lymon's estate to Eagle.[29][30]

However, the details of the case brought about another issue: whether mobster Morris Levy was deserving of the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although early single releases of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" credit Frankie Lymon, Herman Santiago, and Jimmy Merchant as co-writers, 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 songwriting royalties during his lifetime; one result of Emira 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 by then poor, sued Morris Levy's estate for their songwriting credits. In December 1992, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".[31] However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second 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 while Merchant and Santiago's lawsuit was not filed until 30 years later.[32] Authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains in the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

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 Michael Jackson, Ronnie Spector, Diana Ross, the Chantels, the Temptations, George Clinton, Smokey Robinson, Len Barry, the Beach Boys and Billy Joel, among others.[33][34] The performers most inspired by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style are the Jackson 5 and their lead singer and future superstar Michael Jackson. Motown founder Berry Gordy based much of the Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings,[34] and the Teenagers are believed to be the original model for many of the other Motown groups he cultivated.[35]

In 1993, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame[36] and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.[37]

Lymon's music and story were eventually 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 Emira Eagle. Why Do Fools Fall in Love was not a commercial success and met with mixed reviews;[38] the film grossed a total of $12,461,773 during its original theatrical run.[39]

The song "Harlem Roulette" by the Mountain Goats, off its 2012 album Transcendental Youth, contains references to Frankie Lymon, to the song "Seabreeze", and to Roulette Records. Frontman John Darnielle has stated that the song is about the last night of Lymon's life.[40]

Discography

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography

Singles

Gee releases
  • 1956-01: [Gee 1002] "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" / "Please Be Mine" 1 (No. 1 on the R&B chart for 5 weeks, US Pop No. 6, UK No. 1)
  • 1956-04: [Gee 1012] "I Want You to Be My Girl" / "I'm Not a Know-It-All" 2 (No. 3 on R&B chart, US Pop No. 13)
  • 1956-07: [Gee 1018] "I Promise to Remember" / "Who Can Explain?" (double-sided hit on R&B chart (No. 10 and No. 7) (US Pop No. 57 (A-side)))
  • 1956-09: [Gee 1022] "The ABC's of Love" / "Share" (No. 8 on R&B chart, US Pop No. 77)
  • 1956-11: [Gee 1026] "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" / "Baby, Baby" (double-sided hit on UK chart No. 12 and No. 4)
  • 1957-04: [Gee 1032] "Teenage Love" / "Paper Castles"
  • 1957-05: [Gee 1035] "Love Is a Clown / Am I Fooling Myself Again"
  • 1957-06: [Gee 1036] "Out in the Cold Again" / "Miracle in the Rain" 5 (No. 10 on R&B chart)
  • 1957-07: [Gee 1039] "Goody Goody" / "Creation of Love" 3 (US Pop No. 20, UK No. 24)
  • 1957-12: [Gee 1046] "Everything to Me" / "Flip Flop" 4

Notes

  • 1 Released as by "the Teenagers"
  • 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.
  • 4 billed as "the Teenagers" (lead vocal by Billie Lobrano)
  • 5 Released as by "the Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"

Album

Compilations

  • 1986: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: For Collectors Only (Murray Hill 148)

Frankie Lymon solo discography

Singles

Roulette releases
  • 1957: [Roulette 4026] "My Girl" / "So Goes My Love" (R&B No. 51)
  • 1957: [Roulette 4035] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again" (R&B No. 30)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4044] "Thumb Thumb" / "Footsteps" (R&B No. 76)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4068] "Portable on My Shoulder" / "Mama Don't Allow It" (R&B No. 88) (US Pop No. 80/R&B No. 64)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4093] "Only Way to Love" / "Melinda" (R&B No. 47)
  • 1959: [Roulette 4128] "Up Jumped a Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done" (R&B No. 72)
  • 1969: [Roulette 21095] "/ "1-20-12 Forever' (R&B No. 55)
Gee release
  • 1959: [Gee 1052] "Goody Good Girl" / "I'm Not Too Young to Dream" (R&B No. 66)
Roulette releases
  • 1960: [Roulette 4257] "Little Bitty Pretty One" / "Creation of Love" (US Pop No. 58/ R&B No. 18)
  • 1960: [Roulette 4283] "Buzz Buzz Buzz" / "Waitin' in School" (R&B No. 61)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4310] "Jailhouse Rock" / "Silhouettes" (R&B No. 81) ('Jailhouse' was recorded in '58, and was taken from the 'Rock & Roll with Frankie Lymon' lp., on ' Roulette ', v.inf)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4348] "Change Partners" / "So Young (And So in Love)" (R&B No. 61)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4391] "Young" / "I Put the Bomp" (featuring backing vocals by two members of the Delicates (Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia)) (R&B No. 90)
Later releases
  • 1964: [TCF 11] "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (R&B No. 75) (R&B No. 58)
  • 1964: [Columbia 4-43094] "Somewhere" / "Sweet and Lovely" (R&B No. 66)
  • 1969: [Big Apple 100] "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (R&B No. 43) (R&B No. 60)

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)
  • 1994: Complete Recordings (Bear Family)

References

Template:Reflist

Further reading

Bibliography

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Template:Refend

External links

Template:Sister project Script error: No such module "Portal".

Template:The Teenagers Template:1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Template:Cite magazine
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Robinson, Major (June 6, 1966) The Pittsburgh Courier
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Jet
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  19. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Goldberg, Marv. "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebook: The Teenagers".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Template:Cite court
  30. ↑ Bennett, Joy. The Real Story of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". The 1998 Frankie Lymon biographical film concludes with a comical post-script stating that Elmira Eagle (now legally Emira Eagle-Lymon) received only $15,000 from winning Lymon's estate, after legal and other expenses were paid off. An excerpt from this article states otherwise: "A major discrepancy in the movie left the impression that Emira Eagle-Lymon only received a $15,000 settlement. After Diana Ross re-recorded Frankie's song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," his estate was worth more than $1 million. Attorney [William] McCracken confirms that 'the settlement was well over seven figures.'"
  31. ↑ Template:Cite court
  32. ↑ Template:Cite court
  33. ↑ Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, 2002). Temptations [2nd edition]. New York: Cooper Square Press. Pg. 120-21.
  34. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Fotenot, Robert. "Profile: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers."
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ "Reviews for Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Rotten Tomatoes.com. Reviews weighed on Rottentomatoes.com give Why Do Fools Fall in Love a rating of 55%.
  39. ↑ Entry for Why Do Fools Fall in Love at Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 19, 2006.
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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