Singers Cleveland Duncan, Curtis Williams, Dexter Tisby, and Bruce Tate, all students at Fremont High in Los Angeles, CA, formed the quartet in 1954. They broke up in 1959. Cleve Duncan sang lead on "Earth Angel."
The Penguins were one of a number of doo-wop groups of the period named after birds (such as The Orioles, The Flamingos, and The Crows).
The Penguins' single "Hey Senorita" was released on Doo-Tone Records in 1955 as the intended A-side, but a radio DJ flipped the record over to the B-side, "Earth Angel", which became far more popular. Their midtempo performance was a cross between rhythm and blues and the new rock and roll played by white performers and enjoyed by teenagers.
Coming off the success of "Earth Angel," The Penguins approached Buck Ram to manage them. Ram's primary interest was managing The Platters, who at that point had no hit singles but were a profitable touring group. With The Penguins in hand, Ram was able to swing a 2-for-1 deal with Mercury Records in which the company agreed to take on The Platters as a precondition for getting The Penguins (the group that Mercury really wanted). Ironically, The Penguins would never have a second hit single under the Mercury deal, while The Platters would be the label's most successful act.
The Penguins never had another national hit, but their 1957 cover of "Pledge of Love" reached #15 on the R&B chart.
For three decades, "Earth Angel" was almost always the #2 song on oldies station WCBS-FM's annual Top 500 countdown. (Another doo-wop favorite, The Five Satins' "In the Still of the Night" was the perennial #1 pick.)
The Penguins were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2004, "Earth Angel" was named #151 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs Of All Time. "Earth Angel" was also one of The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll.
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Memories of El Monte
The Penguins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feeling so blue.
Thinking about you
And the love we once knew.
And each time I do,
It brings back those memories
Of El Monte.
Remember the dance.
I held you so tight.
The Satins were singing
In the still of the night.
You gave me your heart
And your love undying.
Now I'm alone...
I'm sitting here crying.
If only they had
Those dances again,
I'd know where to find you,
And all my old friends.
The Shields would sing...
"You cheated. You lied..."
And the Heartbeats...
"You're a thousand miles away..."
And the Medaillons with "The Letter" and...
"Sweet words of his mortality..."
Marvin and Johnny with...
"Cherry Pie..."
And then, Tony Allen with...
"Night owl..."
And I, Cleve Duncan, along with the Penguins,
will sing...
"Earth angel
Will you be mine?"
At El Monte.
If I could go back
To those days of the past,
I'd show you a love...
A love that would last.
Oh, I remember
Those wonderful dances
In El Monte.
In El Monte.
"Earth angel
Earth Angel
Will you be mine?"
At El Monte
The Penguins' song Memories of El Monte drips with longing and nostalgia for a time that has long passed. The song is sung from the perspective of someone who is alone and feeling blue while reminiscing about a lost love and the memories of El Monte. The singer is remembering a dance where he held his love so tight, and the Satins sang "In the Still of the Night," bringing back the pleasant memories of the past. The lyrics speak of a time when friendships and romantic relationships flourished on the dance floor, and the music had the power to bring people together.
The song's vivid imagery paints a picture of a bygone era where the singers, Shields, Heartbeats, Medaillons, Marvin, Johnny, Tony Allen, and Cleve Duncan brought their hearts and souls to the stage, singing about love, longing, and heartbreak. Through the music and lyrics, you can feel the singer's longing to return to El Monte, which was once the hub of all social activities. The singer lists a few unforgettable songs that used to rock the dance floor in El Monte, such as "Cherry Pie" and "Night Owl."
In conclusion, Memories of El Monte is a song that captures the essence of a bygone era. The lyrics speak volumes about the nostalgia and longing for a time that once was. The song's mournful tone, the vivid imagery, and the mention of legendary musical acts convey the singer's nostalgic feelings about El Monte, a place where love and friendship flourished on the dance floor.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm all alone.
I am currently without companionship.
Feeling so blue.
I am experiencing sadness or depression at this moment.
Thinking about you And the love we once knew.
My thoughts are focused on my past love for you and our relationship.
And each time I do, It brings back those memories Of El Monte.
Every recollection of us brings me back to our memories formed in El Monte.
Remember the dance. I held you so tight.
I have a memory of a specific dance where I held you close to me.
The Satins were singing In the still of the night.
The Satins were performing during that quiet time of night where it's easy to remember specific moments.
You gave me your heart And your love undying.
During our relationship, you had given me your heart and promised to love me forever.
Now I'm alone... I'm sitting here crying.
Currently, I am now without you, and my emotions have brought me to tears.
If only they had Those dances again, I'd know where to find you, And all my old friends.
If the same dances were happening again, I would know where you and our mutual friends would be located.
The Shields would sing... "You cheated. You lied..." And the Heartbeats... "You're a thousand miles away..." And the Medaillons with "The Letter" and... "Sweet words of his mortality..." Marvin and Johnny with... "Cherry Pie..." And then, Tony Allen with... "Night owl..." And I, Cleve Duncan, along with the Penguins, will sing... "Earth angel Earth Angel Will you be mine?" At El Monte.
During the events of the El Monte dance, specific artists and groups sang various songs that recalled thoughts and emotions related to our relationship.
If I could go back To those days of the past, I'd show you a love... A love that would last.
Looking back on our past relationship, I feel that I could have done better and showed you a love that lasted for longer duration.
Oh, I remember Those wonderful dances In El Monte.
I have great recollections of those beautiful dances that we attended in El Monte.
In El Monte. "Earth angel Earth Angel Will you be mine?"
The song "Earth angel Earth Angel Will you be mine?" was sung at El Monte, which has a special place in my heart.
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.