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.
Sure Gonna Miss Her
Gary Lewis & The Playboys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And words of love to her I'd never say
I guess I learned a lesson when she walked out to stay
But I'm sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her every day
I don't suppose I ever said "I love you"
And I found out too late that wasn't right
I'm just now realizin' what I lost, that's why I'm cryin'
I know I took her love for granted
Guess you could say my love was blind
Thought if she left that I could stand it
Or else it didn't matter at the time
I heard she's found a guy that treats her better
I hope he knows that "he's a lucky guy"
I know the rumor's true because I saw her today
And I'm sure gonna miss her, he was walking with her, sure gonna miss her, yes I am
The song Sure Gonna Miss Her by Gary Lewis & The Playboys is all about regret and the realization of what has been lost. The singer seems to be reflecting on a past relationship, acknowledging that he did not do enough to make his partner stay. He admits to not expressing his love adequately and taking her affection for granted. Now that she has moved on with someone else, he is left with the painful realization of what he has lost.
The song is a poignant reminder of the importance of expressing affection and appreciating the people we have in our lives while they are with us. The singer's pain and regret are palpable in the lyrics, and the upbeat, catchy melody adds to the emotional impact of the song. The repetition of the phrase "sure gonna miss her" emphasizes the sense of loss and longing that the singer is experiencing.
Overall, Sure Gonna Miss Her is a classic love song that captures the bittersweet emotions of a failed relationship. Its simple, yet powerful message continues to resonate with listeners today, making it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
I never did too much to make her stay here
I didn't put in much effort to make her stay with me
And words of love to her I'd never say
I never expressed my love for her verbally
I guess I learned a lesson when she walked out to stay
I realized my mistake only after she left me for good
But I'm sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her every day
I will miss her every day without fail
I don't suppose I ever said "I love you"
I never expressed my love for her in so many words
And I found out too late that wasn't right
I realized this too late
I'm just now realizin' what I lost, that's why I'm cryin'
I am feeling the depth of my loss at the present moment
And I'm sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her, sure gonna miss her every night
I will miss her every night without fail
I know I took her love for granted
I did not value her love enough
Guess you could say my love was blind
I wasn't aware of the importance of love in a relationship
Thought if she left that I could stand it
I thought I could handle it if she left me
Or else it didn't matter at the time
It did not seem to matter then
I heard she's found a guy that treats her better
I heard that she has found someone who treats her better than me
I hope he knows that "he's a lucky guy"
I hope he realizes how lucky he is to have her
I know the rumor's true because I saw her today
I know this to be true because I saw her myself today
And I'm sure gonna miss her, he was walking with her, sure gonna miss her, yes I am
I will definitely miss her even though I saw her with someone else
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOBBY RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind