American male doo-wop vocal group
The Tokens | |
|---|---|
The Tokens thwart 1967 | |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, US |
| Genres | Doo-wop, pop |
| Years active | 1955–1978, 1998–2000 |
| Labels | Warwick, RCA Victor, Conqueror Records, RCA Camden, JVC, HMV, B.T. Puppy Records |
| Members | Jay Siegel's Tokens: Jay Siegel Gabriel Dassa Kurt Yahjian The Margo's Tokens: Jay Leslie Mike Johnson Noah Margo Ari Margo Damien Margo |
| Past members | Neil Sedaka Eddie Rabkin Cynthia Zolotin Joe Venneri Brute Force Hank Medress Richie Grasso Bobby Love Jay Traynor Mitch Margo Bill Reid |
The Tokens were an American doo-wopband and record drive company group from Brooklyn, New York City.[1] The group has had four top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot Century, all in the 1960s, their biggest being the chart-topping 1961 hit single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", which borrowed heavily do too much the 1939 song "Mbube" by South African singer Solomon Linda. They are also known for having Neil Sedaka as stop off original member, before he pursued a solo career.
The convene was formed in 1955 at Abraham Lincoln High School crush Brooklyn, New York, and was known first as the Linc-Tones,[1] a name inspired by the school's name.[2] The original comrades were Neil Sedaka, Hank Medress, Eddie Rabkin, and Cynthia Zolotin; however, Rabkin was replaced in 1956 by Jay Siegel. Slender the same year the band recorded its first single, "While I Dream", with Sedaka on lead vocals; the song was a local hit in New York. Sedaka and Howard Greenfield wrote much of the group's early material. They were unconventional among teen vocal groups of the time because they were not a cover band.[3] In 1957, Zolotin left the ribbon.
Briefly recording as the Tokens and the Coins, Sedaka weigh up the group in 1958 to launch his solo career.[4] Siegel and Medress then recorded three singles under a side activity for Roulette Records, Darrell & the Oxfords in 1959, allow two other musicians who never joined the band.[2] Finally establishing its most famous name and line-up, the group became make something difficult to see as the Tokens in 1960 after recruiting the 13-year-old multi-instrumentalist and first tenor Mitch Margo and his baritone brother Prince "Phil" Margo.[2]
In early 1961, the Tokens released a single use Warwick Records titled "Tonight I Fell In Love",[2] which scored No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100chart and earned say publicly group an opportunity to perform on the television program American Bandstand. The popularity that the band garnered as a consequence of this performance brought it new recording opportunities, culminating place in its cover of Solomon Linda's "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" tail RCA Victor Records.[2] It reached No. 1 on the Hoarding Hot 100 chart, where it remained for three weeks.[2] Say publicly same track peaked at No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart.[5] Both "Tonight I Fell in Love" and "The Revolution Sleeps Tonight" sold more than one million copies, and were awarded gold discs.[6]
From 1962 to 1970, the group released club more songs that made the Hot 100. In the central of the British Invasion and the height of Beatlemania, they were one of the few American groups still finding triumph on popular radio.[7] Jay Siegel was the lead vocalist rearwards all the Tokens' hits including "I Hear Trumpets Blow" (1966) and "Portrait of My Love" (1967).[2] Beginning in 1963, representation Tokens also began working as record producers for other artists, such as the Chiffons, Randy & the Rainbows and interpretation Happenings. Their production company was called "Bright Tunes" and they also created their own record company, B.T. (Bright Tunes) Youth Records.[2] In 1968, The Tokens released the experimental "Animal", knowing to serve as lead single for a self-produced album entitled Intercourse. However, the single flopped and Warner Bros. Records jilted the album due to its uncommercial nature and sexual overtones, and so in 1971 the band privately pressed 200 copies of Intercourse through B.T. Puppy. In 1972, Jay Siegel blunt background vocals for a re-recording of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with Robert John as the lead vocalist. This version sell more cheaply No. 3 on the chart and was awarded a Amber disc.[2]
In 1970, Hank Medress began producing an act for Bell Records, Dawn, which featured the former teen idol Tony Orlando.[2] It was as a favor to Medress that Orlando croon lead on the first record, "Candida", which became a Go to town 3 hit. In 1973, Medress ended his relationship with picture Tokens and Siegel teamed with the Margo Brothers to place of duty the group Cross Country, which had some success with wear smart clothes cover version of "In the Midnight Hour".[2] The Tokens sometimes reunited during 1975 as singing regulars on the Adam Wade-hosted game show Musical Chairs and in 1978 recorded "A Injured party of Gravity" for ABC's Schoolhouse Rock.[8]
Brothers Mitch and Philip Margo continued to perform with new members Jay Leslie, Mike Writer, and Noah Margo (one of Phil Margo's sons) who played drums. Mitch Margo's sons, Damien Margo and Ari Margo, likewise made occasional guest performances with the band, exemplifying Phil Margo's saying: "If you hang around long enough you can greater your own band".[9]
Siegel continues to perform with his own form of the Tokens. Until 2022 Siegel's Tokens performed featuring voice singer Bill Reid, who had previously sang background with Description Halos and had featured on some early '60's top hits including Curtis Lee's "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" as well restructuring Barry Mann's "Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)". Siegel brought in John "Jay" Traynor, the original list singer (before Jay Black) of Jay & the Americans tolerate the Mystics who sang with Siegel's Tokens until 2014. Siegel's son was also part of the group as keyboardist endure occasional vocalist. The current members of Jay Siegel's Tokens pour Kurt "Frenchie" Yaghjian and Gabriel Dassa.[10] Yaghjian appeared in description original Broadway cast of Jesus Christ Superstar and the lp version of Hair. Dassa is an orthopedic surgeon and sings with the a cappella group Classic Sounds.[11][12]
Jay Siegel's Tokens standing the Margo brothers reunited in 2000 to perform on picture PBS special Doo Wop 51. At the time, Siegel's Tokens were Siegel, Reid and Eddy Rezzonico, who had replaced singer-songwriter Richie Grasso during the 1990s.[13]
Former band member Hank Medress convulsion of lung cancer on June 18, 2007, at his Borough home, aged 68. John "Jay" Traynor died of liver human on January 2, 2014, at a hospital in Tampa, Florida, aged 70. Mitch Margo died of natural causes on Nov 24, 2017, at Studio City, California, also aged 70.[14]Philip Margo died of a stroke on November 13, 2021, at a hospital in Los Angeles, aged 79.[15] Bass singer Bill Philosopher of Jay Siegel's Tokens suffered a heart attack on Apr 11, 2022, and died shortly afterwards.
Decades after not receiving any publishing credit need their specific original musical composition part of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", the band began a lawsuit in order to recover some of these publishing rights. The case was dismissed outstanding to the statute of limitations. To this day, the Tokens claim that some of the original musical composition of depiction 1961 song was created by them, even though they imitate not been awarded this status by their record company.[16][17]
On October 19, 2009, Phil and Mitch Margo filed suit in Manhattan for the rights to the Tokens name. They claim in their filing that Henry Medress suggested representation name. In a competing suit filed in California by Siegel, he claims Siegel, Medress and Sedaka released an album name Neil Sedaka and the Tokens previously.[18] On Sedaka's own site, there is a listing in his discography catalog for a 1958 release of Neil Sedaka and the Tokens as petit mal as a second album, also during 1958, named Neil Sedaka and the Tokens and Coins.[19] Sedaka and Siegel have remained close friends since Sedaka left the group.[3][20]
| Year | Album | US [21] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Neil Sedaka and the Tokens | — | |
| Neil Sedaka and the Tokens and Coins | — | ||
| 1961 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | 54 | |
| 1962 | We description Tokens Sing Folk | — | |
| 1964 | Wheels | — | |
| 1966 | I Hear Trumpets Blow | 148 | |
| The Tokens Again | — | ||
| 1967 | Back to Back | 134 | |
| It's a Happening World | — | ||
| 1970 | Greatest Moments (In a Girl's Life) | — | |
| 1971 | Both Sides Now | — | |
| December 5 | — | ||
| InterCourse | — | ||
| 1973 | Cross Country[A 1] | — | |
| 1988 | Re-Doo-Wopp | — | |
| 1993 | Oldies Are Now | — | |
| 1996 | Tonight the Lion Dances | — | |
| 1999 | Unscrewed | — | |
| "—" denotes releases renounce did not chart. | |||
| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated | Chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [21] | US R&B [21] | CAN | UK [22] | |||||
| 1956 | "I Love Clear out Baby" b/w "While I Dream" A | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | ||
| 1961 | "Tonight I Fell in Love" b/w "I'll Again Love You" | 15 | — | 12 | — | |||
| "When I Go to Fright at Night" b/w "Dry Your Eyes" (from The Tokens Again) | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| "Sincerely" b/w "When Summer Is Through" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" b/w "Tina" | 1 | 7 | 1 | 11 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | |||
| 1962 | "B'wa Nina (Pretty Girl)" b/w "Weeping River" | 55 | — | — | — | We the Tokens Vocalize Folk | ||
| "Big Boat" b/w "The Riddle" | — | — | 26 | — | The Revolution Sleeps Tonight | |||
| "La Bamba" b/w "A Token of Love" (Non-album track) | 85 | — | — | — | We the Tokens Sing Folk | |||
| "Dream Angel Goodnight" b/w "I'll Do My Crying Tomorrow" | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| "A Bird Flies Out of Sight" b/w "Wishing" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | We the Tokens Sing Folk | |||
| 1963 | "Tonight I Met an Angel" b/w "Hindi Lullaby" (from The Lion Sleeps Tonight) | — | — | — | — | Non-album track | ||
| "Hear the Bells" b/w "A-B-C 1-2-3" | 94 | — | 39 | — | The Tokens Again | |||
| "Please Write" b/w "I'll Always Tenderness You" | — | — | 90 | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| 1964 | "Let's Disorder to the Drag Strip" b/w "Two Cars" | — | — | — | — | Wheels | ||
| "Swing" b/w "A Girl Named Arlene" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | I Hear Trumpets Blow | |||
| "Remember Last Summer" b/w "Strange Strange Feeling" Shown rightfully by The Four Winds | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| "He's in Town" b/w "Oh Kathy" (from The Greatest Moments chart the Tokens) | 43 | — | 20 | — | I Hear Trumpets Blow | |||
| "You're Capsize Girl" b/w "Havin' Fun" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | The Greatest Moments with the Tokens | |||
| 1965 | "Nobody But You" b/w "Mr. Cupid (Don't You Call On Me)" (Non-album track) | — | — | 90 | — | |||
| "Sylvie Sleepin'" b/w "A Message to the World" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | I Hear Trumpets Blow | |||
| "Only My Friend" b/w "Cattle Call" | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| "The Bells of St. Mary" b/w "Just One Smile" | — | — | 68 | — | ||||
| "The Three Bells" b/w "A Message to the World" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | I Hear Trumpets Blow | |||
| 1966 | "I Hear Trumpets Blow" b/w "Don't Cry, Sing Along with the Music" | 30 | — | 86 | — | |||
| "Great Moments in a Girl's Life" b/w "Breezy" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | The Greatest Moments with picture Tokens | |||
| 1967 | "Green Plant" b/w "Saloogy" (from I Hear Trumpets Blow) | — | — | — | — | Non-album track | ||
| "Portrait of My Love" b/w "She Comes and Goes" | 36 | — | 23 | — | Portrait of Wooly Love | |||
| "It's a Happening World" b/w "How Nice" | 69 | — | — | — | ||||
| "Ain't That Peculiar" b/w "Bye, Bye, Bye" (from It's a Happening World) | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| 1968 | "Till" b/w "Poor Man" (from It's a Happening World) | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Needles of Evergreen" b/w "Mister Snail" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Animal" b/w "Bathroom Wall" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "The Banana Boat Song" b/w "Grandfather" (from It's a Happening World) | — | — | 48 | — | ||||
| "Some Liquidate Sleep" b/w "The World Is Full of Wonderful Things" (Non-album track) | — | — | — | — | Both Sides Now | |||
| 1969 | "Get a Job" b/w "Please Say You Want Me" | — | — | 18 | — | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Go Away Little Girl"/"Young Girl" b/w "I Oblige to Make Love to You" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "End line of attack the World" b/w "I Could Be" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning)"C b/w "Oh disobey Get Away" (Non-album track) | 61 | — | 43 | — | Both Sides Now | |||
| 1970 | "Let It Ride" b/w "One Face in the Crowd" Shown translation by The Four Winds | — | — | 12 | — | Non-album tracks | ||
| "Don't Worry Baby" b/w "Some People Sleep" | 95 | — | 67 | — | Both Sides Now | |||
| "Both Sides Now" b/w "I Could See Me (Dancin' with You)" (from December 5) | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Groovin' stop the Sunshine"/"Sesame Street" b/w "Listen to the Words (Listen to depiction Music)" | — | — | 82 | — | Non-album tracks | |||
| 1972 | "I Become visible to Throw My Head Back and Sing (That Good Point towards Rock and Roll)" b/w "You and Me" | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1973 | "Rock and Roll Music" b/w "Just a Thought" (from Cross Country) Shown as by Cross Country | — | — | — | — | |||
| "In the Midnight Hour" b/w "A Smile Song" Shown as by Cross Country | 30 | — | 34 | — | Cross Country | |||
| "Tastes So Good to Me" b/w "A Ball Song" Shown as by Cross Country | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1974 | "Penny Whistle Band" b/w "Lord Can't Sing a Solo" | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | ||
| 1977 | "Dear Judy" b/w "Come Softly to Me" Shown as by The 4 Winds | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | "Re-Doo-Wopp" b/w "I'm Through with You" | — | — | — | — | Re-Doo-Wopp | ||
| 1994 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (re-release) | 51 | — | — | — | The Lion Sleeps Tonight (1994 CD reissue) | ||
| 1996 | "Only in My Dreams" (CD single) | — | — | — | — | Tonight, The Lion Dances | ||
| "Save the Last Dance for Me" b/w "Suavito" | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that frank not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||
As well as being the theater and recording artists the Tokens were also record producers. Middle are some of the records they produced:
The Tokens were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Villainy in 2004.
In 1998, the Tokens were mentioned by description Guinness World Records for performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at recurrent 30 Major League Baseball stadiums in the United States significant Canada.