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 werenโt 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 Garyโs 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 Lewisโ 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 Raphaรซl 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.
Tina
Gary Lewis & The Playboys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all at once I realized my heart's at the mercy of your will
Tina, I kissed your tender lips & fell under your spell
I'm so devoted to you 'cause I love you and I always will
(Repeat 2X)
'Cause you hypnotized me and made me your slave
A slave to your kisses, a slave to your kind lovin' ways
Free from the chains of love that I pray will soon bind you to me
The song "Tina" by Gary Lewis & the Playboys is a love song that expresses the singer's strong devotion to a woman named Tina. The singer begins by recalling a moment when he held Tina in his arms and everything else in the world seemed to disappear. He then confesses his vulnerability to Tina, acknowledging that his heart is at the mercy of her will. The chorus emphasizes the singer's feeling of being hypnotized and enslaved by Tina's love. He cannot escape the hold that her touch and affection have over him, and he hopes that one day she will feel the same way about him and they can be bound together.
The lyrics of "Tina" capture the intense emotions experienced during the early stages of a romantic relationship. The singer is completely infatuated with Tina and is willing to submit himself entirely to her. The repetition of the chorus underscores the idea that love can be a powerful force that can take over an individual's will. The phrase "slave to your kind lovin' ways" highlights the duality of love as both a source of pleasure and pain. Ultimately, the singer's hope is that his love will be reciprocated, so that he can break free from the chains of love that have bound him to Tina.
Line by Line Meaning
Tina, I held you in my arms and the world stood still
When I held you, everything stopped and I knew how powerful my feelings for you were.
And all at once I realized my heart's at the mercy of your will
In that moment, I understood that my heart is completely controlled by you and your actions.
Tina, I kissed your tender lips & fell under your spell
The first time I kissed you, I was completely enchanted by you and unable to resist.
I'm so devoted to you 'cause I love you and I always will
My love for you is so strong that I will always remain devoted to you, no matter what.
'Cause you hypnotized me and made me your slave
You have a powerful hold on me, and I am completely under your control.
A slave to your kisses, a slave to your kind lovin' ways
I am completely in love with the way you show affection towards me, and it has completely taken over my being.
Tina, you thrilled me with your touch and I can't get free
Your touch brings me so much happiness and pleasure that I feel trapped and unable to escape your spell.
Free from the chains of love that I pray will soon bind you to me
I hope that my love for you will eventually become reciprocated and that we will be bound to each other by our love.
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Mariafe Bobis
I love this song.. Reminds me lots... of love and tears..
CH
I had a crush on a girl named Tina at the time that this was released. How many times do you think I listened to it? Thanks for taking me back down memory lane. ๐
Tina
I love it
Mykel Contra
2021 till forever i love this song TINA!
Mykel Contra
Love the voice of gary g.
Ronito Larase
A very nice song
Zenaida Buiza
Nice music I remember those my teenage days I m beginning to have a crush ... Tis is one of my favorites . Music
Mykel Contra
My fave g. Lewis and playboys song
shyla tapia
me too..this and "this diamond ring" are good ones..
Henedine Belir
Im still young but im an old soul thats y i love this song, this is my sisters name...