The song “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”, recorded in 1956, became a number 1 hit, and established the career of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. The song has been covered by many, including the Beach Boys and, most notably, Diana Ross.
Frankie Lymon died on February 27, 1968 at the age of 25, as a result of a heroin overdose. In his wake, he left a series of relationships. Years after his death, litigation ensued.
After Diana Ross’s cover version of the song reached the charts in 1981, three women, each claiming to be Lymon’s spouse and lawful heir, sought payment of royalties arising from the song.
The first, Elizabeth Waters, married Lymon in 1964. Together, they had a child who died shortly after birth. Waters, however, was not divorced from her first husband at the time of her marriage to Lymon.
The second woman, Zola Taylor, a singer with the Platters, claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico, 1965. However, no documentation of the marriage could be found.
The third, Emira Eagle, married Lymon in June 1967.
The question of who was Lymon’s proper heir went to trial. According to a Washington Post article, at first instance, the court held that first wife Waters was the proper heir. Although Waters was not yet divorced when she married Lymon, their relationship “satisfied the requirements of a common law marriage in the State of Pennsylvania.” Although Waters was not yet divorced when she married Lymon, the marriage became valid when the divorce from her first husband became final.
On appeal, the court held that the marriage between Waters and Lymon was not valid. The marriage to Eagle was valid and therefore she was entitled to the estate.
The story does not end there. Issues arose as to what royalties Lymon’s estate was entitled to. This involved litigation with Lymon’s former manager. In an article in Ebony Magazine, it is reported that Lymon’s estate was worth more than $1m.
In the Ebony interview, Eagle says that she knows why fools fall in love: “Love doesn’t hurt. Love is supposed to be tender, beautiful and caring. Frankie treated me like his queen.” When asked, Eagle said she would do it all again, “but I would insist on a will.”
Frankie’s life and posthumous issues are portrayed in the movie “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”, starring Vivica Fox as wife #1, Halle Berry as wife #2, Lela Rochon as wife #3 and Little Richard as himself.
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