The Monotones

The Monotones

Company type	Vocal ensemble
Industry	Music
Founded	1955
Headquarters	Newark, New Jersey , United States
Area served	United States
Products	Music recordings, singles

The Monotones were a six-piece American doo-wop vocal ensemble from the 1950s, best remembered for their sole major hit, "The Book of Love", which climbed to number five on the Billboard Top 100 chart in 1958.

Biography

Originating in 1955, the group was formed by seven vocalists residing in the Baxter Terrace complex located in Newark, New Jersey. The founding members featured lead vocalist Charles Howard Patrick (1938–2020), first tenor Warren Davis (1939–2016), second tenor George Malone (1940–2007), bass singer Frankie Smith (1938–2000), second bass vocalist John Ryanes (1940–1972), and baritone Warren Ryanes (1937–1982). Early on, Charles Patrick’s brother James was part of the group but departed shortly after its inception; John and Warren Ryanes were siblings as well.

Their musical journey began with performances in the New Hope Baptist Choir, which was led by Cissy Houston, who had familial ties to the Patrick brothers. The Monotones gained initial recognition through their 1956 appearance on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour, where they won first place performing "Zoom" by the Cadillacs. The concept for the signature lyric of "The Book of Love" was inspired by a Pepsodent toothpaste advertisement and was developed into a full song through collaboration between Charles Patrick, Davis, and Malone.

Recorded in September 1957, "The Book of Love" was first issued on Mascot Records but later re-released by Chess Records’ Argo label in February 1958 due to Mascot’s limited distribution capabilities. The track enjoyed considerable commercial acclaim, reaching number three on the Billboard R&B chart and number five on the pop chart, with sales surpassing one million copies. It also secured the No. 5 spot in Australia; however, in the UK market, a cover version by The Mudlarks achieved greater popularity.

After their breakthrough hit, The Monotones released several novelty songs including "Zombi" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," though none replicated their earlier chart success. The group dissolved in 1962 but occasionally reunited to perform their classic hit. By 1994, members included Frankie Smith, George Malone, Carl Foushee, Bernard Ransom, Bernard Brown (who passed away in 2009), and Victor Hartsfield. Frankie Smith died in 2000, followed by George Malone in 2007.

Singles

(partial list)

• "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