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.
This Diamond Ring
Gary Lewis & The Playboys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She took it off her finger, now it doesn't mean a thing
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
So if you've got someone whose love is true
Let it shine for you
This stone is genuine like love should be
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
And this diamond ring can mean dreams that are coming true
And then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
And this diamond ring can mean dreams that are coming true
And then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
So then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
The lyrics of Gary Lewis & The Playboys's song This Diamond Ring are about a man who is selling a diamond ring that was once given to him by his lover. The diamond ring no longer means anything to him because the relationship ended badly. The singer of the song sings that the diamond ring no longer shines for him anymore and that it doesn't mean what it once did. He is asking if anyone wants to buy the ring, which he hopes will shine for someone else whose love is true. He believes that if there's love behind it, the ring can mean something beautiful and can make dreams come true. Ultimately, he hopes that someone else can have a better experience with the ring than he did, so that their heart won't have to break like his did.
The song is a commentary on the nature of love and how material possessions like a diamond ring can lose their meaning when relationships end. It conveys the idea that love is the most important thing in a relationship and that material things cannot replace it. The song also suggests that people should not hold on to things that have no meaning, but should pass them on to others who may value them.
Line by Line Meaning
Who wants to buy this diamond ring?
Who is willing to purchase this symbol of love?
She took it off her finger, now it doesn't mean a thing
The ring lost its value to her after she removed it from her finger.
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
The ring no longer brings her joy or happiness.
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
The ring no longer holds the same symbolic value as it once did.
So if you've got someone whose love is true
If you have someone who truly loves you,
Let it shine for you
Let that love be displayed and cherished by a piece of jewelry like this ring.
This stone is genuine like love should be
The diamond is authentic and pure, just like true love should be.
And if your baby's truer than my baby was to me
If your loved one is more faithful and devoted than mine was to me,
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
This ring can represent something truly wonderful.
And this diamond ring can mean dreams that are coming true
This ring can symbolize the realization of hopes and aspirations.
And then your heart won't have to break like mine did
You won't have to experience the pain of a broken heart like I did.
If there's love behind it
As long as the love behind the symbol is genuine and strong.
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
The ring no longer brings her joy or happiness.
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
The ring has lost its original symbolic value.
So then your heart won't have to break like mine did
You won't have to experience the pain of a broken heart.
If there's love behind it
As long as the love behind the symbol is genuine and strong.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL KOOPER, BOB BRASS, IRWIN LEVINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Daigle
Lyrics :
Who wants to buy this diamond ring?
She took it off her finger, now it doesn't mean a thing
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
So if you've got someone whose love is true
Let it shine for you
This stone is genuine like love should be
And if your baby's truer than my baby was to me
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
And this diamond ring can mean dreams that are coming true
And then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
This diamond ring can mean something beautiful
And this diamond ring can mean dreams that are coming true
And then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
This diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
And this diamond ring doesn't mean what it meant before
So then your heart won't have to break like mine did
If there's love behind it
Tarantulisimo
Gary Lewis – vocals, drums
Dave Walker – lead guitar, vocals
Dave Costell – guitar
Al Ramsay – bass
John R. West – keyboards
Ron Hicklin – lead vocal overdubs & background vocals
Leon Russell – keyboards, arrangements
Hal Blaine – drums
Tommy Allsup – guitar
Mike Deasy – guitar
Joe Osborn – bass
Al Kooper, Bob Brass, Irwin Levine - songwriters
Snuff Garrett - producer
Over the years, there has been much discussion & debate regarding the roles of various musicians used on these recording sessions. According to Gary Lewis, The LA Wrecking Crew only did overdubs and/or solos: "So we went into the studio, we cut the basic track. The only other person from The Wrecking Crew that we had in there while we were doing the basic track was Hal Blaine, and he played the tympanis on 'Diamond Ring' ". However, Snuff Garrett says that The Wrecking Crew played everything on this track, as well as on the entire album: "I didn't use The Playboys at all except as overtones." There is also a question regarding whether or not Carol Kaye contributed bass. We will never know the truth (even though my money is on The Wrecking Crew), so let's just enjoy the masterful end result....
L.Russell Brown
@PimpMaster
Irwin Levine
Who wrote this song
The night before went to see the show Oliver
In the show Oliver sings
WHO WILL BUY THESE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS
The next day
Levine wrote
WHO WANTS TO BUY
THIS DIAMOND RING
MikeMicable
Such a sad song, but I love the melody. Anyone still listening in 2020?!
Ross Edmonds
Yes, I still love to listen to these "golden oldies".
Robert Rutherford
Yep
John Recaptcha
NO!!! I'm not listening
Tommy Littlefield
Hear this often on Big R radio Golden Oldies
Tracy Greer
Yes always loved this song
GereDJ
People forget this was a number ONE Top 40 hit in 1965! I always thought this was a pretty good song and got a good amount of radio play. I'm glad Gary is still around and seems pretty happy.
Michael Bruns
25 years, i can still see and hear my 6 year old daughter, sitting in the back seat of my 1978 Impala, smiling a mile wide while singing this song along with our cassette player. She turned 31 yesterday. Like seriously wow.
China_is_asshole
You sure man?... the math doesn't come out right, I was born in 1989 and I'm 33 this February of 2022.... ahhh I see my confusion now🤣, I mixed up the year of the car with what I thought was the year you and your daughter were listening to this song🤣🤣👌... well good morning to you also.
Christopher Scott
At least it was a cassette player, I'm old enough to remember 8 tracks!!!