Editing Earth Angel (section)

==Background==
{{Listen
 |filename     = Earth Angel Penguins.ogg
 |title        = "Earth Angel"
 |description  = "Earth Angel" is largely composed of elements from earlier doo-wop songs, among them "[[Blue Moon (1934 song)|Blue Moon]]" and "Dream Girl".
}}
The Penguins—composed of lead vocalist Cleveland Duncan, bass Curtis Williams, tenor Dexter Tisby, and baritone Bruce Tate—formed at [[John C. Fremont High School|Fremont High School]] in Los Angeles, California in 1953.<ref name="sullivan"/> The group named themselves after the [[Kool (cigarette)|Kool]] cigarette advertising mascot.<ref name="black"/> Williams and Gaynel Hodge were previously members of [[The Hollywood Flames]], where they began writing "Earth Angel" with mentor [[Jesse Belvin]], a Jefferson High graduate. Belvin had previously had a hit single in "Dream Girl", a 1952 ballad credited to Jesse & Marvin (saxophonist Marvin Phillips). The song echoes "Earth Angel" in its melodic refrain: "Dream girl, dream girl..."<ref name="dawson"/> Its "why-oh" hook was adapted as a background chant within "Earth Angel".<ref name="dawson"/> The "Will you be mine?" hook was borrowed from the R&B hit of the same name by the Swallows.<ref name="dawson"/> The Hollywood Flames were hired that year by [[Jessie Mae Robinson]] to record a demo of "I Went to Your Wedding", later recorded by [[Patti Page]]. Hodge later noted that the group lifted the bridge from that song for "Earth Angel".<ref name="birnbaum"/> The song also contains elements of the Flames' 1953 recording of "I Know" in its piano introduction and chord progressions, which were closely based on the Rodgers & Hart standard "Blue Moon".<ref name=dawson>Dawson, Jim, & Steve Propes (1992). ''What Was the First Rock 'N' Roll Record?''. New York: Faber & Faber, pp. 158–64. First edition, 1992.</ref><ref name="birnbaum"/><ref name="honolulu"/> Williams reportedly wrote the song for his wife, Marlene, and Duncan rewrote the melody, as he disliked the original.<ref name="honolulu"/>

"Earth Angel" was recorded as a literal garage demo—it was recorded in a home garage at the Los Angeles home of Ted Brinson (a relative of Williams who had played bass for the [[Jimmie Lunceford]] and [[Andy Kirk (musician)|Andy Kirk]] bands).<ref name="sullivan"/><ref name="black"/> The home was located at 2190 West 30th Street in South Central Los Angeles.<ref name=warner>Warner, Jay (1992). ''American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today''. New York: Hal Leonard, pp. 272–75. First edition, 1992.</ref> The garage was used as the primary recording space of [[Dootsie Williams]] for all of his Dootone artists, and had been used to record demos for Jessie Mae Robinson.<ref name="sullivan"/> It was recorded on a single-track Ampex tape recorder, owned by Brinson, who performs bass on the track.<ref name="sullivan"/> The drums were muffled with pillows so as to not overwhelm the vocals.<ref name="sullivan"/> A neighbor's pet dog stopped many takes by barking. "Every time the dog barked next door, I'd have to go out and shut him up, and then we'd do another take," remembered Williams.<ref name="black"/> Curtis Williams, in addition to singing, performed piano on the track,<ref name="sullivan"/> with an unknown drummer. [[Preston Epps]] reportedly played [[bongos]] on “Hey Senorita” (though this is unconfirmed). The song is composed in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[A-flat major]] and is set in [[time signature]] of [[common time]] with a [[tempo]] of 76 [[beats per minute]]. Duncan's vocal range spans from F<sub>3</sub> to G<sub>4</sub>.<ref name=sheet>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0099221&ref=google|title=The Penguins "Earth Angel" Sheet Music|work=Music Notes|date=20 August 2012|publisher=[[EMI Music Publishing]]|access-date=August 17, 2014}}</ref> The first five seconds of the intro are cut off of the recording by accident.<ref name="warner"/>