Review Text
Frankie Lymon was just 14 years old when he burst onto the scene as leader of an R&B doowop group in the wake of the first flush of rock 'n' roll in the charts during the mid-50s, and the precociously talented teenager, already writing his own songs, made a huge impact on both sides of the Atlantic with his landmark debut hit with The Teenagers "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?". His chart career was telescoped into a few short years, his hits drying up in 1960, and his career declining until his untimely demise in 1968 at the age of 25 from a drug overdose. This 61-track 2-CD set comprises the A & B sides of his singles with The Teenagers and as a solo artist on the Gee and Roulette labels during what was the primary era of his career, along with selected titles from the album "At the London Palladium" and the titles not otherwise released as singles from the album "Rock 'n' Roll" for Roulette. It features all his ten US pop and R&B hits, and his UK chart entries from these years, including the Top 10 hits "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", "Who Can Explain", "I Promise To Remember", "The ABC's Of Love", "Baby Baby" and "Out In The Cold Again". His music represented a fascinating strand of pop/R&B which was a significant part of the musical zeitgeist of the era, and this collection is a substantial showcase for his highly distinctive style and talent.
