The Teenagers' first single, 1956's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", was also their biggest. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and those of the Teenagers fell into decline. Lymon eventually fell into heroin addiction, and died in 1968 at the age of twenty-five.
Wake Up Little Susie
Frankie Lymon Lyrics
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Wake up, little Susie, wake up
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la”
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie, well
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la”
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
Wake up little Susie
The song "Wake Up Little Susie" by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers is about two teenagers who fall asleep during a movie and wake up four hours later, realizing that they are in trouble. The lyrics are about the anxieties of young love, morality, and societal expectations. The repetitive chorus "Wake up, little Susie, wake up" is a plea for Susie to return to reality and away from the dreamy situation of falling asleep in a movie theater with her boyfriend. The song also references the fear of what their parents and friends will say when they find out they missed curfew.
The lyrics paint a picture of a generation of teenagers who are experimenting with new ideas and methods of living, but are also caught in a society that doesn't fully accept them. The song is a poignant reminder of the struggles of young love and the challenges of finding one's identity in a changing world.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The singer is urging Susie to wake up
Wake up, little Susie, wake up
The singer is urging Susie to wake up
We've both been sound asleep, wake up, little Susie, and weep
The singer and Susie have been sleeping and now it's time to wake up
The movie's over, it's four o'clock, and we're in trouble deep
It's late and they should have been home already
Wake up little Susie
The artist is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie, well
Same as previous line
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
The singer is concerned about what they will say to Susie's mother
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Same as previous line but now concerned about Susie's father
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la”
The artist is worried about what their friends will say when they find out
Wake up little Susie
The artist is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie, well
Same as previous line
I told your mama that you'd be in by ten
The artist had promised Susie's mother that she would be home by ten
Well Susie baby looks like we goofed again
They have not kept their promise to Susie's mother
Wake up little Susie
The singer is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie, we gotta go home
They need to leave and go home
The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot
The movie they watched wasn't very good
We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot
They fell asleep and now their reputation is at risk
Wake up little Susie
The singer is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie, well
Same as previous line
Whatta we gonna tell your mama
The artist is once again concerned about what they will say to Susie's mother
Whatta we gonna tell your pa
Same as previous line but now concerned about Susie's father
Whatta we gonna tell our friends when they say “ooh-la-la”
The artist is again worried about how their friends will react
Wake up little Susie
The singer is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie
The artist is again urging Susie to wake up
Wake up little Susie
The singer is one final time urging Susie to wake up
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind