They were hired on the spot, audiences at Disneyland quickly accepting them and loving their good-time image, and the Playboys were soon playing to a full house every night. Band leader Les Brown had known Jerry Lewis for years, and he told record producer Snuff Garrett that the younger Lewis was playing at Disneyland. After listening to the band, Garrett liked their sound and thought using Gary's famous name might sell tons of records. Garrett took them into a recording studio with the song "This Diamond Ring" in a session financed by Jerry Lewis' wife Patti. However, according to Lewis, the Playboys weren’t allowed to play their instruments except on the backing tracks.
Garrett wanted to maximize the chances for a hit, so he insisted on using experienced studio musicians for the overdubs, which included guitar and keyboard solos, additional bass and drum overdubs, and timpani. These musicians included Tommy Allsup on guitar, Leon Russell on keyboards, Joe Osborn on bass, and Hal Blaine on drums. Session singer Ron Hicklin did the basic vocal track. Garrett then added Gary’s voice twice, added some of the Playboys and more of Hicklin. "When I got through, he sounded like Mario Lanza," Garrett commented.
Regarding the musicians who performed on "This Diamond Ring" and other tracks by the band, Gary Lewis told Songfacts, "The Playboys played on every track we ever did, the Wrecking Crew did solos and overdubs. I sang every song myself and had a backup singer that sang only harmonies with me. My producer Snuff Garrett can back up everything I've told you, and so can Leon Russell, who was the arranger of everything I did."
Garrett got airplay in New York City for "This Diamond Ring" by making a deal with WINS disc jockey Murray the K Kaufman, who ran a series of all-star concerts at theaters around the New York area, promising that if he played Lewis’ record, the Playboys would do his shows. Garrett then had Jerry Lewis use his contacts to get his son onto 'The Ed Sullivan Show', which often 'made' an artist. However, Sullivan had a general policy that all acts appearing on his show were to perform live (although one of his frequent guests, The Dave Clark Five, had lip-synched from their second appearance on, in early 1964). Since so many studio tricks had been used on the record, the Playboys could not re-create its sound. In compromise, Lewis sang along with pre-recorded tracks as the Playboys pretended to play their instruments. The January 1965 broadcast made Gary Lewis and the Playboys instant stars.
"This Diamond Ring" went all the way to #1, and pressing plants reportedly could not keep up with initial demand for the record. Successful touring and persistent airplay has made the tune a part of 60s music history, appearing in many multi-artist collections. However, only West and Lewis remained in the band by the end of 1965. Other members later included Tommy Tripplehorn (father of actress Jeanne Tripplehorn), Carl Radle, Jimmy Karstein, Dave Gonzalez, and "Myke".
In 1965, Gary Lewis was deemed 'Cash Box' magazine's "Male Vocalist of the Year," winning against nominees Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. As a testament to his group's success, his was also the only 60s artist to have its seven single releases reach Billboard magazine's Top 10 on the Hot 100 chart (with "Count Me In" (#2), "Save Your Heart for Me" (#2), "Everybody Loves a Clown" (#4), "She's Just My Style" (#3), "Sure Gonna Miss Her" (#9), and "Green Grass" (#8) all hitting the upper reaches of the chart). Lewis was drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1967 and discharged in 1968. He immediately returned to recording but was unable to regain his group's earlier momentum. Lewis continued touring, eventually marketing the band as a nostalgia act.
In total, Gary Lewis and his band has had eight gold singles, 17 top 40 hits, and four gold albums. In addition to playing on 'The Ed Sullivan Show', he appeared on 'American Bandstand', 'Shindig!', 'Hullabaloo', 'The Sally Jessy Raphaël Show', 'The Tonight Show', 'The Mike Douglas Show', 'Nashville Now', and Wolfman Jack's famous program. Gary Lewis has also appeared and performed on many of his father's Labor Day telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Everybody Loves A Clown
Gary Lewis & The Playboys Lyrics
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Gary Lewis and the Playboys
Written by Gary Lewis, Snuff Garrett, and Leon Russell
Peak chart position # 4 in 1965
Everybody loves a clown, so why don't you?
Everybody laughs at the things I say and do
They all laugh when they see me comin'
Everybody loves a clown, so why can't you?
A clown has feelings, too
I joke around at a party when you are there
But you don't laugh, you don't look, you just don't care
If you wonder why this clown is cryin'
Look a little closer, inside I'm dyin'
It's not easy to be in love, you see
When you're a clown like me'
I don't know how to say that I love you
'cause you would smile and say "Tell a joke or two"
Yes, I'm a clown but I don't want to be
Why can'tcha see the other side of me?
Guess I'll be the guy who plays the part
Of a clown with a broken heart
Dreamin' of your love and not knowing where to start
Dreamin' of your love and not knowin' where to start
FADE
Dreamin' of your love and not knowin' where to start
The song "Everybody Loves a Clown" is a classic 60s pop song by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. At first listen, the song sounds like a fun party jam, but on closer examination, it is a reflection on the loneliness of the clown whose jokes and tricks never seem to get the one woman he wants to love him. The song starts with the statement that everybody loves a clown, including the woman he is addressing, but she doesn't laugh at his jokes, and instead goes home running. The man is left feeling rejected and alone.
The second verse reveals that the clown knows the woman he loves is at a party, so he attempts to make her laugh, but she stays disengaged. The bridge reveals the tragedy of the clown's circumstances: he tries to get close to the woman he loves but doesn't know how to express his feelings, and when he tries to convey his emotions, she just brushes it off, and he is left feeling like a sad clown. The song ends with a bittersweet chord as the clown dreams of his lost love but cannot reach her.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody loves a clown, so why don't you?
Why don't you love me like everybody else does?
Everybody laughs at the things I say and do
Everyone seems to enjoy my clowning, but you're not amused.
They all laugh when they see me comin'
People find me amusing, just because I'm a clown.
But you don't laugh, you just go home runnin'
You're the one exception who's not entertained by my antics.
Everybody loves a clown, so why can't you?
Why can't you love me like everyone else does?
A clown has feelings, too
Despite the humor, I'm still a person with emotions.
I joke around at a party when you are there
I try to make you laugh when we're in company, but you don't seem interested in my jokes.
But you don't laugh, you don't look, you just don't care
You're indifferent, and it hurts me.
If you wonder why this clown is cryin'
If you're wondering why I'm feeling sad,
Look a little closer, inside I'm dyin'
it's because I'm feeling completely alone.
It's not easy to be in love, you see
Being in love is hard enough, let alone when you're a clown.
When you're a clown like me'
Sometimes it feels like I'm not a real person, just a performer.
I don't know how to say that I love you
I don't know how to express my true feelings to you.
'cause you would smile and say "Tell a joke or two"
I'm afraid to tell you because you're likely to brush me off in a playful way.
Yes, I'm a clown but I don't want to be
Even though I'm a famous clown, I just want to be loved for who I really am.
Why can'tcha see the other side of me?
Can't you try to look beyond the clowning and see me for who I really am?
Guess I'll be the guy who plays the part
I'll carry on pretending to be the funny guy, even though it's not who I really am deep down.
Of a clown with a broken heart
But inside I'm hurting and wishing for your love.
Dreamin' of your love and not knowin' where to start
I'm dreaming of being with you, but I don't know how to make it happen.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LEWIS, LEON RUSSELL, THOMAS LESSLIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind