The Monotones | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Doo-wop,rock and roll |
| Years active | 1955–1962, 1980–2005 |
| Labels | Mascot Chess Records |
| Past members | Charles Patrick Warren Davis George Malone Frankie Smith John Ryanes Warren Ryanes
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The Monotones were a six-member Americandoo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered aone-hit wonder, as their onlyhit single was "The Book of Love", which peaked at No. 5 on theBillboard Top 100 in 1958.[1]
The Monotones formed in 1955 when the seven original singers, all residents of theBaxter Terracehousing project inNewark, New Jersey,[2] began performing covers of popular songs. They were:
Charles Patrick's brother James was originally a member, but he left soon after the group's formation. John Ryanes and Warren Ryanes were also brothers.
They all began singing with theNew Hope Baptist Choir, directed byCissy Houston, who was related to the Patrick brothers.[15] The group launched their career with a 1956 appearance onTed Mack's Amateur Hour television program, winning first prize for their rendition ofThe Cadillacs' "Zoom". Soon afterwards, Charles Patrick was listening to the radio and heard aPepsodenttoothpaste commercial with the line"wonder where the yellow went." From there he got the idea for the line,"I wonder, wonder, wonder who!, who wrote the book of love", later working it up into a song with Davis and Malone.[16] In September 1957, they recorded "The Book of Love", which was released on the Mascot label in December that year.[1] The small record company could not cope with its popularity, and it was reissued onChess Records' subsidiaryArgo label in February 1958.[1] It became a hit, eventually reaching No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 5 on the pop chart.[2] The record sold over one million copies.[17] It also reached No. 5 in Australia;[15] in theUK, the hit version was acover version byThe Mudlarks.
The Monotones recorded a series of novelty follow-ups including "Zombi", and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", but they were not successful.[1]
The Monotones disbanded in 1962. Surviving members met to revive "Book of Love" several times after the break-up. John Ryanes died in 1972, aged 31, and his brother Warren died in 1982.[6] By 1994, the Monotones consisted of Frankie Smith, George Malone, Carl Foushee, Bernard Ransom, Bernard Brown (died in 2009, aged 62), and Victor Hartsfield.[2] Frankie Smith died in 2000, and George Malone in 2007.[16]
(listing incomplete)
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