Diana Ross’s 1981 cover of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” was a commercial success, but its release revived a long-running dispute over the song’s ownership and royalties. The choice was notable because Ross had recently gained greater creative independence, moving away from Motown’s reliance on covers with the successful album Diana.

The original 1956 song was credited to Frankie Lymon and record executive George Goldner, despite founding Teenagers members Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago claiming they had co-written it. They alleged that Morris Levy, who later controlled the rights, stole the credit and threatened them; a judge ruled that Levy had not written the song but could retain its royalties because their legal action was delayed. Ross’s version sold more than one million copies and topped the charts, although it received less artistic praise than her previous work.