'Why Do Fools Fall in Love' and the tragic legacy of Frankie Lymon

The enduring doo-wop anthem reveals the soaring rise and sorrowful fall of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.

On June 30, 1956, the popular young American vocal group Frankie Lymon (second from right) and The Teenagers pose together. The group features 16-year-old high school students Jimmy Merchant, Joseph Negroni, Sherman Garnes, and Herman Santiago, along with 13-year-old junior high schooler Frankie Lymon, second from right, who wrote the lyrics to their hit song "Why Do Fools Fall In Love." Photo by Keystone/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

When Why Do Fools Fall in Love hit the airwaves in January 1956, few could have imagined the tragic story behind its infectious harmonies. The song’s lead vocalist, 13-year-old Frankie Lymon, became an overnight sensation, his angelic soprano voice soaring over the harmonies of the Teenagers, a multicultural doo-wop group from New York City. But behind the song’s joyful exterior was a tale of precocious talent, exploitation, addiction, and legal wrangling that would stretch on for decades.

A voice that captured a generation

The release of Why Do Fools Fall in Love marked a turning point in the evolution of American music. Doo-wop, already a staple on East Coast street corners, was moving into the mainstream, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers led the charge. With his baby face, infectious grin, and soprano tone, Lymon symbolized innocence and teen passion at a time when rock and roll was still finding its voice.

Formed in Washington Heights, just north of Harlem, the Teenagers were made up of five members — three Black and two Puerto Rican teenagers — all hailing from working-class neighborhoods. Lymon had joined the group, then called the Premiers, while working at a grocery store to support his family. “I never was a child,” he said in a 1967 interview. “While kids were playing stickball, I was carrying groceries to help pay the rent.”

The creation of a hit

The origin of Why Do Fools Fall in Love lies in a love letter, passed along to tenor Herman Santiago, who turned its lines into lyrics. Richard Barrett, a talent scout for music executive George Goldner, heard the Premiers perform and quickly arranged a recording session. Goldner, recognizing Lymon’s unique voice, pushed him to the front and renamed the group the Teenagers. He also changed the song’s title and recording arrangement, giving it the polish needed for radio play.

The track’s release was a sensation. Lymon’s high-pitched vocals, combined with the group’s rhythmic harmonies, resonated with teens across America. It quickly climbed the charts and became one of the first major rock and roll hits led by a teenager. For many listeners, Frankie Lymon was the sound of a new era.

Frankie Lymon’s rapid fall

With fame came excess. Lymon embraced the spotlight — and the vices that often accompanied it. By 15, he was addicted to heroin. The Teenagers soon fractured, splitting during a tour in London in early 1957. Lymon pursued a solo career that never reached the heights of his early success.

The success of Why Do Fools Fall in Love didn’t translate into financial security for its creators. Frankie Lymon, like many Black artists of the time, was cheated out of royalties. George Goldner, the label owner, was a compulsive gambler who sold his rights to Morris Levy, a figure with mob ties known for exploiting artists.

Lymon died of a heroin overdose in 1968, at the age of 25, penniless and largely forgotten by the mainstream. Despite his early promise and massive influence on popular music, he never received compensation for the song that made him famous.

The song’s enduring legacy

Why Do Fools Fall in Love lived on long after Lymon’s death. Its influence spanned decades. The Canadian group The Diamonds released a cover shortly after the original, but for once, the public preferred the authentic version by the Teenagers. Alma Cogan tried her hand at a cover in Britain, though with little fanfare.

The Beach Boys added the track to their 1964 repertoire, with Brian Wilson offering a tender homage to Lymon’s vocal line. Joni Mitchell included a live version on her 1980 album, delivering it with playful affection. A year later, Diana Ross’s polished but emotionally distant take became a UK hit, selling over 250,000 copies.

The song also gained renewed popularity through its inclusion in George Lucas’s 1973 film American Graffiti, placing Lymon’s voice in the context of 1950s nostalgia and teen identity.

Legal battles and lost royalties

The revival of interest in the song triggered a series of legal battles over royalties. In a strange twist, three women — all of whom had married Lymon — filed separate claims for his estate after Diana Ross’s version began generating significant income.

A New York court eventually ruled in favor of Elizabeth Waters, declaring her the legal widow and rightful recipient of royalties. However, the saga didn’t end there. Herman Santiago, who had originally written the lyrics, fought to have his name reinstated as a songwriter. While he initially succeeded, a U.S. appeals court reversed the decision, citing a delay in his legal claim.

The credited authorship remains mired in controversy. For years, Morris Levy’s name appeared alongside Lymon’s, despite the consensus among historians and fans that Levy had contributed nothing to the song’s creation.

Doo-wop dreams and music industry nightmares

The story of Why Do Fools Fall in Love is more than the biography of a hit song; it’s a cautionary tale about the music industry’s exploitation of young, often minority, talent. Frankie Lymon was barely a teenager when he stepped into the spotlight. He was singing about heartbreak before he had lived through his own, and the industry consumed him before he could find his footing.

Despite the joyful sound of the record, the real story behind it is one of manipulation, addiction, and injustice. The Teenagers — kids who began harmonizing on street corners — entered a world that promised glory but delivered hardship.

Frankie Lymon’s influence is undeniable. He paved the way for future generations of young performers, from Michael Jackson to Bruno Mars, who have cited him as an inspiration. But his tragic ending also serves as a somber reminder of the cost of fame — especially for young Black artists in a system stacked against them.

The timeless question

Today, Why Do Fools Fall in Love still resonates. The song’s central question — asked in such innocent tones — remains unanswered. Why do fools fall in love? Perhaps the real question is: what happens when those fools are young, gifted, and completely unprepared for the machinery of fame?

The song’s legacy endures, not just as a catchy tune, but as a symbol of both the promise and peril of the American music dream. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers may have only sung together for a brief moment in time, but their voices echo through generations, wrapped in both triumph and tragedy.