Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a New York doo wop group consisting of… Read Full Bio ↴Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a New York doo wop group consisting of Joe Negroni, Herman Santiago, Jimmy Merchant, and Sherman Garnes, but centered around the extraordinary talents of their lead singer, (in 1955, 13-year-old) Frankie Lymon (Franklin Joseph Lymon, September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968).

Lymon was credited with their first big hit, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, though in the early '90s, a federal judge ruled after a lengthy trial that Lymon hadn't written "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" -- another member of the Teenagers had. Nevertheless, his wise-beyond-his-years vocal and performing abilities not only made the Teenagers a group several notches above the competition but made Lymon the first black teenage pop star. Though only together for a brief 18-month period, Lymon & the Teenagers exerted an enormous influence, spawning several "kid" vocal groups and providing initial inspiration to Berry Gordy to model his entire Motown production approach around Lymon's original vocal style. Inexplicably, the group split into two fractions at the height of their success, and neither had a hit again. Lymon died from a drug overdose at age 25. Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Len Barry, and his principal protégé, Michael Jackson (whose early recordings with the Jackson 5 are virtual re-creations of the early Lymon sound, merely updated) all show the influence of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' groundbreaking work.

Portable On My Shoulder
Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I got a portable on my shoulder
And my baby by my side
I got a portable on my shoulder
And my baby by my side

There are things that make me happy
But the two that I most prize
Are a portable on my shoulder

And my baby by my side

I can hear my favorite records
With the one that I love close by
I got the portable on my shoulder
I'm a very lucky guy

Well a rhythm travels to my feet
Whenever I walk down the street
And my heart does a double-beat
When she says she loved me

Love and music go together
And they both are on my side
I got a portable on my shoulder
And a gal who'd be my bride

Well a rhythm travels to my feet
Whenever I walk down the street
And my heart does a double-beat
When she says she loved me

Love and music go together
And they both are on my side
I got a portable on my shoulder
And a gal who'd be my bride

I got a portable on my shoulder
And my baby by my side
I got a portable on my shoulder
And my baby by my side

I got a portable on my shoulder
And my baby by my side

Overall Meaning

"Portable On My Shoulder" by Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers is a joyful and upbeat song that celebrates the simple pleasures of having a portable music player and being with a loved one. The singer expresses his happiness at having these two things that bring him immense joy in life.

The lyrics convey a sense of contentment and satisfaction as the singer talks about the things that make him happy, but highlights that the two things he values the most are his portable music player and his partner. The portable represents the power of music in his life, as he can listen to his favorite records anytime and anywhere, and this brings him pure bliss. It also symbolizes his personal freedom and independence.

Line by Line Meaning

I got a portable on my shoulder
I have a portable music player slung over my shoulder

And my baby by my side
And my girlfriend is standing next to me

There are things that make me happy
There are various things that bring me joy

But the two that I most prize
But the two that I value the most

Are a portable on my shoulder
Are my portable music player on my shoulder

And my baby by my side
And my girlfriend standing next to me

I can hear my favorite records
I can listen to my favorite songs

With the one that I love close by
With the person I love nearby

I got the portable on my shoulder
I have my portable music player on my shoulder

I'm a very lucky guy
I am fortunate

Well a rhythm travels to my feet
A rhythm flows through my body