C/D: Gary Lewis and the Playboys

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Anyone like these guys? I think my favorite of their hits is "Count Me In." I just bought (by mailorder) a 45 of "Jill," which is supposed to be their psychedelic song. (Apparently a remixed version of the track without effects is on the anthology CDs and such, though.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:44 (twenty years ago)

(The main reason "Count Me In' is my favorite of their hits, by the way, is the constant repetition of the words "count" and "counting," which is slightly insane.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:46 (twenty years ago)

I had a couple of their 45s. One summer, "Green Grass" played a lot on the portable the parents took on a vacation to Saranac Lake in NY.
It didn't last, along with "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" and "Bottle of Wine" by the Fireballs. However, went I went to Amoeba the other day I almost bought the Fireballs' "Bottle of Wine" out of nostalgia.

Ack, Smith, what's wrong with ya. Then I got Witchfinder General's Live '83 and Pat Travers' PT Power Trio 2 which contains an ace cover of "Green-Eyed Lady."

― Urnst Kouch (Urnst Kouch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:39 (twenty years ago)

I dig "Count Me In," too. I also go for "She's Just My Style," their Beach Boys knockoff.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:51 (twenty years ago)

Isn't "Everybody Loves a Clown" kind of cool, too? And "This Diamond Ring," of course.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:51 (twenty years ago)

"Everybody Loves a Clown" is definitely my favorite.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 18 June 2006 23:14 (twenty years ago)

I have a best of that I adore. Count Me In is amazing, Everybody Loves a Clown and This Diamond Ring are amazing. And She's Just My Style is the best song the Beach Boys never wrote. Guess I'm not adding anything new here, but if you're counting Gary Lewis fans, count me in.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Monday, 19 June 2006 01:42 (twenty years ago)

I dig "Count Me In," too. I also go for "She's Just My Style," their Beach Boys knockoff.

― PappaWheelie 2 (PappaWheelie 2), Monday, 19 June 2006 01:59 (twenty years ago)

* "This Diamond Ring" #1
* "Count Me In" #2
* "Save Your Heart For Me" #1
* "Everybody Loves a Clown" #4
* "She's Just My Style" #3
* "Sure Gonna Miss Her" #9
* "Green Grass" #8

Pretty impressive run!

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 19 June 2006 02:42 (twenty years ago)

I forgot about "Green Grass." That's a good song.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Monday, 19 June 2006 02:45 (twenty years ago)

Cool group, I only know (and love) "This Diamond Ring" and "Everybody Loves A Clown," but based on the enthusiasm on the thread, might have to check out some more.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 19 June 2006 03:06 (twenty years ago)

I used to have/may still have their greatest hits on cassette. And, yes, I'm ripe for the listening with all this cool talk. According to Wikipwdia, his name was supposed to be Cary, after Cary Grant, but the hospital screwed up his birth certificate.

Actually the entry isn't bad if anyone's interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Lewis_and_The_Playboys

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 19 June 2006 03:15 (twenty years ago)

I didn't know "Count Me In" was theirs! That's a great song.

Don't care much for the others, but at least they're better than Jay & The Americans. Not to mention Frank Sinatra Jr.

― Monty Von Byonga (Monty Von Byonga), Monday, 19 June 2006 06:06 (twenty years ago)

I saw him perform a month or so ago on one of those PBS trot-'em-out concerts where each acts does 1-3 songs, and his attempt to sing "This Diamond Ring" was one of the most inept things ever. Dude still can't sing. That said, his handlers created some fine records, though I dislike "Clown."

PS: Agreed on the insanity of "how many 'count' idioms can we work into this lyric?"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 19 June 2006 18:18 (twenty years ago)

He seemed to be a rather strong drummer too. Nuttin' butt luv for ya baby boy!

― PappaWheelie 2 (PappaWheelie 2), Monday, 19 June 2006 18:20 (twenty years ago)

fourteen years pass...

so I know Gary sounds awful now cos they don't even really try to make an effort, but did they actually make more of an effort to make his vocals sound like they did on record live in their heyday? i.e., use of offstage backing vocalists, etc?

I know of the studio trickery used to make Gary sound competent as a vocalist but figure people would be pissed off when he sounded like Bob Dylan live

― eat my room temperature ass (Neanderthal), Saturday, 17 October 2020 14:09 (five years ago)

or did they just...not play shows

― eat my room temperature ass (Neanderthal), Saturday, 17 October 2020 14:09 (five years ago)

two years pass...

I never knew that Jeanne Tripplehorn's father was in this band for a while (post-"This Diamond Ring").

― clemenza, Tuesday, 10 January 2023 03:07 (three years ago)

Wait, what?

― Farewell to Evening in Paradise (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 January 2023 03:14 (three years ago)

Seeing clips on the Best of Ed Sullivan taught me that Gary was actually one of the first 'Rock' 'drummers' to do the double-bass drum setup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr8UOOJDdlc

― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 10 January 2023 03:38 (three years ago)

Also that the Playboys weren't afraid of the accordion!

― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 10 January 2023 03:39 (three years ago)

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