I hear the train a comin', it's rolling 'round the bend...and I'm really late again....
Much like last week, I picked up a greatest hits CD from this week's featured band for a dollar at our local library's book sale (the only song I knew was this week's featured tune) and was amazed at just how good the band was. I was also surprised to learn that they were anything but a one-hit wonder, having several hits in their rather short heyday. And to think I originally began playing the CD on my drive to work thinking I'd play it through a time or two before sticking it back in my CD rack permanently....
Gary Lewis and the Playboys got their start by auditioning and getting a full-time gig at Disneyland in 1964, where playing as Gary and the Playboys, they eventually played to full houses. Bandleader Les Brown, who knew Lewis' famous father, comedian Jerry Lewis, told producer Snuff Garrett about their success at Disneyland and the band was soon in the studio. Garret wisely suggested the band take of advantage of Lewis' famed father and added Lewis to the band's name. The session was financed by Lewis' Mom, and his father was able to get the band a spot on The Ed Sullivan Show in early 1965, where, playing this week's song, they began their success. The band (Lewis was the only constant with a revolving cast of band members through their run of success) would have numerous hit singles until 1967 when Lewis was drafted into the army. Their record label continued to release songs recorded before his induction, but without the same success. Lewis was discharged in 1968, and the band began touring and recording again but by 1970 had run their course and disbanded. For their career they released fourteen albums (four of which went gold), four compilations, and twenty-three singles (seven of which reached the top ten). Lewis eventually opened up his own music store in the seventies and unfortunately developed a drug habit. He cleaned up by 1985 and has sporadically gotten a band together since then then to perform on the oldies circuit.
Fun Fact: Of bands that started in the sixties, Gary Lewis and the Playboys are one of only two bands to have their first seven singles hit the Billboard top ten. The other, for those wondering (all three of you), was the Lovin' Spoonful.
"This Diamond Ring" was the first song released from their 1965 debut album, the rather cleverly entitled This Diamond Ring. The single would reach #1 (with a bullet!), while the album would hit #26.
Two minutes and fourteen seconds--no matter how long I've been listening to pop music, it never ceases to amaze me how bands can take such a short amount of time to make something so memorable. While doing my half-assed prep this week, I was taken with how ominous the drums and keyboards were--which is perfect for a song about a man trying to sell the engagement ring his lover has taken off her finger. There's a nice interlude where the keyboards play off the bass guitar that also adds to the overall angst of the moment. Lewis does a good job of portraying the protagonist's broken heart, and--as with so many hits from the sixties--the harmonies are exquisite. The band closes with overlapping choruses (which I thought was a nice touch) that gives the song a sort of flourishing crescendo at its end. Once again, though, it's a heavenly slice of pop pie, and as everyone knows, you can never have too much pop pie....
Lyric Sheet: "This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore/And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it did before..."
Enjoy:
Fuck Donald Trump,
Peace,
emaycee
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