If a songwriter is awake, a songwriter is working. Their brain must attune with the universe at all times, like the SETI receivers constantly scanning for any tiny sign of extraterrestrial transmissions from the vastness of space. The writer’s heart, mind, eyes and ears must remain open and vigilant in order to catch any word or phrase or image that sparks the imagination and triggers more words or phrases to follow, like dominos dropping, riding the momentum until the inevitable energy finally leads to a beautiful ending.
Welcome to The Monotones!
Childhood friendships are frequently formed through close proximity more than anything else, and music groups often begin in a similar fashion. The Monotones all grew up in the same public housing in Newark, New Jersey and sang together in the church choir under Cissy “I’m Going To Name My Daughter Whitney” Houston. In 1956, the group appeared on television and won the 1950’s version of America’s Got Talent. Things were starting to get serious, but the group needed material.
One day while listening to the radio, lead singer Charles Patrick heard a commercial jingle for Pepsodent toothpaste: “You’ll Wonder Where the Yellow Went, When You Brush Your Teeth with Pepsodent.” (Everybody smoked in the 1950’s — they badly needed whitening tooth care. And better medical information.) Patrick only needed to hear the words “you’ll wonder” and in his head he immediately turned the phrase into “I wonder, wonder.” And the first domino fell.
He grabbed two other Monotones and they worked up the rest of the song. Once they had the book metaphor, it seemed to write itself. The whole group convened to record “The Book Of Love” in September of 1957, and in December it was released on the very small, very indie Mascot label. Demand proved so high that Mascot couldn’t keep up and had to ask Chess Records to help distribute the single. With a little more muscle and hustle behind them, The Monotones wrote their way into the Top 5 with “The Book Of Love.” A beautiful ending from such a small beginning.
So never, never, never, never, never, never part … with The Monotones.
1 2 3 o' clock 4 o' clock Rock 
Love that live-off-the-floor sound.
That sound is a lost art!
I couldn’t agree more!
I wonder, wonder who, who-oo-ooh, who wrote the book of love
After spending so much time covering the Motown sound, I learned one thing was a constant: so many of these young groups were formed by friends in the same school or living in the same neighborhood. And if they had their own material …. even better! Two memorable sounds, the advertisement and the song. Nice to have oldies like these featured today, Houston!
And it’s amazing how many of those young groups found success relatively early and with all or most of their original members. So much talent. Glad you enjoyed it!