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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Will You Be Mine
The Penguins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My darling dear, love you all the time
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you
Earth angel, earth angel, the one I adore
Love you forever and ever more
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you
I fell for you and I knew
The vision of your love-loveliness
I hoped and I pray that someday
I'll be the vision of your hap-happiness oh, oh
Earth angel, earth angel, please be mine
My darling dear, love you all the time
I'm just a fool a fool in love with you
I fell for you and I knew
The visions of your loveliness
I hope and pray that someday
That I'll be the vision of your happiness
Oh, oh, oh, earth angel, earth angel, please be mine
My darling dear, love you all the time
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you
The Penguins' "Will You Be Mine" is a classic doo-wop love song that conveys the singer's intense feelings of love for a woman whom he refers to as an "earth angel." The singer asks the woman if she will be his, expressing his deep affection and admiration for her. He admits to being a "fool" in love with her, emphasizing the intensity of his emotions.
The lyrics convey a sense of hopeful longing for reciprocated love. The singer speaks of his desire to be the source of the woman's happiness, expressing his hope that he can be the "vision" of her "hap-happiness." The song continues with a repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the message that the singer is head over heels in love with this woman and hoping that she will return his affections.
Overall, "Will You Be Mine" is a classic example of doo-wop love songs of the 1950s, with its simple yet impactful lyrics, catchy melody, and memorable harmonies. It remains a beloved classic to this day, evoking feelings of nostalgia and a simpler time in music.
Line by Line Meaning
Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine?
The singer is asking if the person they are speaking to will be their partner.
My darling dear, love you all the time
The singer is expressing their love and dedication to the other person.
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you
The singer acknowledges that they are foolishly in love with the other person and can't help their feelings.
Earth angel, earth angel, the one I adore
The artist is expressing their adoration for the other person.
Love you forever and ever more
The artist expresses their desire to love the other person forever.
I fell for you and I knew
The singer is acknowledging that they fell in love with the person when they first saw them.
The vision of your love-loveliness
The singer is describing the beauty and attraction they felt towards the other person.
I hoped and I pray that someday, I'll be the vision of your hap-happiness oh, oh
The artist expresses their hope and desire to be able to bring happiness to the other person in the future.
Earth angel, earth angel, please be mine
The artist is again asking the other person to be their partner.
Oh, oh, oh, earth angel, earth angel, please be mine
The artist is repeating their request for the other person to be their partner.
I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you
The singer is repeating their acknowledgment that they are foolishly in love with the other person and can't help their feelings.
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.