The Penguins were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s and early '60s, be… Read Full Bio ↴The Penguins were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s and early '60s, best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)", which was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts. The song peaked at #8 on the national charts, but had a three-week run at #1 on the R&B "race" chart.

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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Promises Promises Promises
The Penguins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How can i believe
That you want deceive
All i guess from you
All words that don't come true
Believe me
All the words i hear
Go into my ear
But you never hardly

Ever make in true my dear

Stop makin'
Promises promises promises
That's all i get from you
I can believe your promises
That never do come true
Don't make me
Promises promises promises
Although they're nice to hear
Stop makin' all those promises
If you don't mean to deal

Solo

Stop makin'
Promises promises promises
That's all i get from you
I can believe your promises
That never do come true
Don't make me
Promises promises promises
Although they're nice to hear
Stop makin' all those promises
If you don't mean to deal
Oh baby,
Stop making' all those silly promises,
You don't mean the things you say,
Do you hear?
We can leave all promises,
You know what i mean,

Oh quit!
C'mon stop! there go!

Overall Meaning

The Penguins' song Promises, Promises, Promises is a classic example of a love song tinged with heartbreak and skepticism. The lyrics imply that the singer has been told too many lies and false promises that have never come to fruition, and they can no longer believe the words being said to them. The first verse indicates that the singer has been let down by their lover, and their promises aren't trustworthy anymore. The second verse is a plea to the lover to stop making promises that they never intend to keep. The chorus is a powerful message of disbelief that no matter how many promises are made, they never come to pass.

The solo in the song is particularly interesting because it is entirely instrumental with no words. The solo serves as an emotional release and a time for the listener to reflect on the lyrics, which are particularly poignant. The solo also indicates that sometimes words aren't necessary to convey emotions.

The fact that the song has the title "Promises, Promises, Promises" repeated three times underscores the idea of broken promises being uttered multiple times without any actual follow-through. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the singer's message to their lover that they want them to stop making promises, even if they're pleasant to hear. It is interesting that the singer uses the word "silly" to describe the lover's promises, which imparts a sense of condescension towards the promises that the lover is making.

Another interesting feature of the song is the use of repetition in the verses. The repetition of "believe me" and "all the words I hear" give the song a hypnotic quality and emphasize the frustration that the singer is feeling. Finally, the final plea in the song to "c'mon stop, there go!" indicates that the singer is nearing the limit of what they can tolerate from their lover and wants them to take action, leaving the promises behind and focusing on authenticity.

Line by Line Meaning

How can i believe
I am finding it difficult to trust you

That you want deceive
That you don't have bad intentions towards me

All i guess from you
Everything I think about you

All words that don't come true
All the things you say that you don't follow through on

Believe me
Trust what I'm saying

All the words i hear
Everything you tell me

Go into my ear
I am listening to you

But you never hardly
You rarely

Ever make in true my dear
Actually do what you say, my love

Stop makin'
Please cease

Promises promises promises
Making promises over and over