{{Short description|American doo-wop vocal group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Monotones | genre = Doo-wop, rock and roll | origin = Newark, New Jersey, United States | associated_acts = Cissy Houston | label = Mascot<br>Chess Records | past_members = Charles Patrick<br>Warren Davis<br>George Malone<br>Frankie Smith<br>John Ryanes<br>Warren Ryanes *Carl Foushee *Tommy Reed *Victor Hartsfield *Bernard Brown *Bernard Ransom *Joseph Eaton | years_active = 1955–1962, 1980–2005 }}

'''The Monotones''' were a six-member American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered a one-hit wonder, as their only hit single was "The Book of Love", which peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' Top 100 in 1958.<ref name="Larkin50">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2002|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-937-0|page=293}}</ref>

== Biography == The Monotones formed in 1955, when the seven original singers, all residents of the Baxter Terrace housing project in Newark, New Jersey,<ref name="Goldberg">{{Cite web|url=http://home.att.net/~freebizak/Monotones/monotones.html|title=Marv Goldberg's R&B; Notebooks - MONOTONES|website=Home.att.net|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref> began performing covers of popular songs. They were: * Lead singer '''Charles Howard Patrick''' (September 11, 1938 – September 11, 2020)<ref name="Brainy">{{Cite web|url=https://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1938/september_11_1938_96730.html|title=Charles Patrick, rocker, Monotones... September 11 in History|website=Brainyhistory.com|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cool Oldies 96 - Very sad to hear that Charles Patrick, the original lead singer of The Monotones "Book Of Love" passed away on his 82nd birthday. He was believed to be the last surviving member from the original lineup. R.I.P. Charles Howard Patrick (September 11, 1938 - September 11, 2020) {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/coololdies/photos/a.1139815666202587/1657559861094829/ |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Facebook.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="uncamarvy.com">{{Cite web |title=Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - MONOTONES |url=https://www.uncamarvy.com/Monotones/monotones.html |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Uncamarvy.com}}</ref> * First tenor '''Warren Davis''' (March 1, 1939 – April 17, 2016)<ref name="Soul">{{Cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Monotones.html|title=The Monotones Page|website=Soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=23 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="uncamarvy.com"/> * Second tenor '''George Malone''' (January 5, 1940 – October 5, 2007)<ref name="uncamarvy.com"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2007 July To December |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2007b.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com}}</ref> * Bass singer '''Frankie Smith''' (May 13, 1938 – November 26, 2000)<ref name="Soul"/><ref name="uncamarvy.com"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2000 |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2000.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com}}</ref> * Second bass singer '''John Ryanes''' (November 16, 1940 – May 30, 1972)<ref name="Soul"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club - The 1970s |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1970.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com}}</ref> * Baritone '''Warren Ryanes''' (December 14, 1937 – June 16, 1982)<ref name="Soul"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehallsofhysteria.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t40929.html|title=The Halls of Hysteria > This Day In History|website=Thehallsofhysteria.com|access-date=August 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club - The 1980s |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1980.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com}}</ref>

Charles Patrick's brother James was originally a member, but he left soon after the group's formation. John Ryanes and Warren Ryanes were also brothers.

They all began singing with the New Hope Baptist Choir, directed by Cissy Houston, who was related to the Patrick brothers.<ref name=amg>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-monotones-mn0000406898/biography|title=The Monotones &#124; Biography & History|website=AllMusic|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref> The group launched their career with a 1956 appearance on'' Ted Mack's Amateur Hour'' television program, winning first prize for their rendition of the Cadillacs' "Zoom". Soon afterwards, Charles Patrick was listening to the radio and heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line "wonder where the yellow went". From there, he got the idea for the line, ''"I wonder, wonder, wonder who!, who wrote the book of love"'', later working it up into a song with Davis and Malone.<ref name="dkosmediaus.com">{{cite web|url=http://dkosmediaus.com/WordPress/?p=189|title=George Malone, singer in original Monotones|page=189|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710140555/http://dkosmediaus.com/WordPress/?p=189 |access-date=August 5, 2025 |archive-date=July 10, 2011 }}</ref> In September 1957, they recorded "The Book of Love", which was released on the Mascot label in December that year.<ref name="Larkin50"/> The small record company could not cope with its popularity, and it was reissued on Chess Records' subsidiary Argo label in February 1958.<ref name="Larkin50"/> It became a hit, eventually reaching number three on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number five on the pop chart.<ref name=Goldberg/> The record sold over one million copies.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/105 105] | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 | url-access= registration | url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/105 }}</ref> It also reached No. 5 in Australia;<ref name=amg/> in the UK, the hit version was a cover version by The Mudlarks.

The Monotones recorded a series of novelty follow-ups including "Zombi", and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", but they were not successful.<ref name="Larkin50"/>

The Monotones disbanded in 1962. Surviving members met to revive "The Book of Love" several times after the break-up. John Ryanes died in 1972, aged 31, and his brother Warren died in 1982.<ref name="Soul"/> By 1994, the Monotones consisted of Frankie Smith, George Malone, Carl Foushee, Bernard Ransom, Bernard Brown (died in 2009, aged 62), and Victor Hartsfield.<ref name=Goldberg/> Frankie Smith died in 2000, and George Malone in 2007.<ref name="dkosmediaus.com"/>

==Singles== (listing incomplete) *"The Book of Love" / "You Never Loved Me" (Mascot 124 1957/Argo 5290), 1958 *"Tom Foolery" / "Zombi" (Argo 5301), 1958 *"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" / "Soft Shadows" (Argo 5321), 1958 *"Tell It to the Judge" / "Fools Will Be Fools" (Argo 5339), 1959 *"Reading the Book of Love" / "Dream" (Hull 735), 1959 *"Daddy's Home, But Mama's Gone" / "Tattle Tale" (Hull 743), 1961

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Monotones, The}} Category:Musical groups established in 1955 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1962 Category:Doo-wop groups Category:Musical groups from Newark, New Jersey Category:Rock music groups from New Jersey Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups Category:African-American musical groups Category:Argo Records artists Category:1955 establishments in New Jersey