By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 09:13 am:

Somebody mentioned them in passing on another thread. I used to be crazy about a song of theirs called 'Attack' that they played all the time on Radio Luxembourg. I've never heard it since, though I did have a copy of their version of 'A Lover's Concerto' - on Stateside, as I recall.

Who were they? Where did they record and with whom? And has 'Attack' resurfaced anywhere on CD?

By Eli (141.152.251.108) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 09:51 am:

Their version of Lovers Concerto was the only version as it was written for them.
The lead singer is Barbara Harris who I know personally and she has a new Toys group who play the circuit at times.
They were on one of the previous PBS shows as well.

By TonyRussi (68.18.50.144) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:02 am:

I liked "Attack" the best of their records I ever hear.I think they were from & recorded in New York City.I thought Barbara Harris looked & sounded good on the recent PBS show.Actually I enjoyed her more now then back in the 60's.

By JoeR (170.148.10.42) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:21 am:

BANKHOUSEDAVE -

Babara Harris and her new Toys are still performing regularly. We just did a show with them on 04/12/2003 in Long Island, NY. When she sings 'Lover's Concerto', she sounds just like she did when she first recorded the song.

She and her husband, Ken (bassist and musical director) are good friends of mine. I found out Ken and I share a common love, baseball. He coaches Little League and my desire was to become a professional baseball player before I pursued a musical career.

For more information on Babara check out her web site at: http://www.barbarastoys.net/

Regards,
JoeR - http://mypages.netopia.com/channels

By Scratcher (65.132.78.91) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:35 am:

The Toys first album was Dabomb! I played it to death. All three singers sang lead and all were excellent. H. B. Barnum tried to do something with the one name June and some new Toys some years ago but nothing came of the project.

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:49 am:

There is a CD of the Toys on the Sundazed label
which features "Attack".

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 12:36 pm:

The Toys were BARBARA HARRIS (lead), JUNE MONTIERO & BARBARA PARRITT from Jamaica (Queens), NY. The women met while in high school.

They were signed to Sandy Linzer & Denny Randell's production company who in turn brought the Toys to Bob Crewe's Dyno Voice label in 1965.

"A Lover's Concerto", based on Bach's Minuet in G, was recorded in one take & became a Top 5 hit here and in England.

After touring the UK, the Toys recorded their only Dyno Voice LP "The Toys Sing A Lover's Concerto And Attack!" (which as Scratcher said is a killer album - I have it as well). They made TV appearances on all the hot shows at the time (Dick Clark, Hullaballoo - which is available on home video, Shindig) and the film "How To Stuff A Wild Bikini" (which was rerun on TV God knows how many times when I was younger!).

After a few unsuccessful label switches, the group broke up. Years later, they sued Linzer & Randell over royalties (no surprise).

Barbara Harris still performs as we now know. I met her at a Rhythm Revue Dance Party here in NYC years ago and she is such a pleasant woman (she signed my Lover's Concerto 45).

Hope this helps...
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 12:49 pm:

All their Dynovoice tracks are on the Sundazed CD

Check out the Sundazed website at www.sundazed.com

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 01:13 pm:

I remember the Toys being compared to the Supremes
at the time they hit. Unfortunately for them, in
my opinion, a lot of the singles released after
their second hit, "Attack", weren't really that
good for single release and couldn't compare to
what the Supremes were putting out. Also un-
fortunate for the Toys, they also were booked
at the Copa, but as I remember, didn't go over
well. They only had something like four days
to rehearse before their opening!! They were,
however, a very good looking group. I thought
the movie they were in was called "It's A Bikini
World".

By Scratcher (65.132.78.91) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 01:22 pm:

The Toys were awesome. Holland Dozier and Holland wrote "I Hear a Symphony" with Lover Concerto in mind. The group had three legitimate lead singers, the Barbaras' each had distinct sopranos and June sang in a lovely alto. They didn't last long because of personal differences; the non payment of royalties didn't help matters either. They broke up shortly after coming home from a long worldwide tour, time their producers thought could have been better spent in the studio recording. I thought the material Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell produced on the Toys was top notch.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 01:51 pm:

Scratcher:
That's exactly what my source said regarding the Toys' touring - Dyno Voice wasn't too thrilled with the group going out on the road when they could've spent the same time recording in the studio. Still, their one and only Dyno Voice LP is a classic and I keep my copy near the turntable at all times.
I had no idea HDH wrote "I Hear A Symphony" with "Concerto" in mind. The Supremes recorded "Concerto" for the I Hear A Symphony LP and their version was a ballad (the Delfonics also cut a version for their La La Means I Love You album). Yet, to quote Dobie Gray, "the original is still the greatest..."
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 01:59 pm:

One of the reasons I love this forum is the amazing information that is posted here. I have found out more about The Toys in this thread then I ever knew. I actually liked "Attack" more than "A Lovers' Concerto" which I thought was too much a copy of the Supremes. That is why it is interesting to find out that HDH may have written I Hear A Symphony after hearing Lover's Concerto. I do remember that Barbara was quite charismatic on TV appearances and wished they had more hits.

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.9) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 03:43 pm:

Once more, I'm staggered by the quantity and quality of knowledge available in response to asimple enquiry around here. Thanks and respect to everyone.

Bobby, I used the term 'version' about Concerto because of the later covers. At the time, I preferred Attack to Concerto, but have heard Concerto about a zillion times since and am still waiting to hear Attack again after 37 years. That's going to be a sweet moment.

By dvdmike (12.84.107.226) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 04:28 pm:

"A Lover's Concerto", another of many, many hits cut at Bell Sound in NYC. Charlie Calello wrote the chart.

By Scratcher (65.132.77.157) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 06:53 pm:

Speaking of artists not getting their royalties, there's a good article--The Sound and the Fury--in the latest Vibe. It features some info about the Artists Right Movement organization, and bits and pieces from lawyers like L. Londell McMillian and Don Engel. Some artists who had to fight for their royalties include the Beach Boys, Luther Vandross, Meat Loaf, Donna Summer and Don Henley. The horrible Mary Wells story is also mentioned. Only the artists who make big money from touring can afford to initiate legal action against recording companies.

Also featured is an article on 50 Cents that will make you understand clearly why record companies ignore older artists for young hot ones. 50 Cents' Get Rich or Die Tryin' CD sold 400,000 copies in one day (872,028 in a week) and three million in less than a month.

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 07:00 pm:

I saw Barbara Harris about three years ago on a great line-up at the Apollo, they, her new group of Toys sounded great! Also on the show were Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, The Originals, The Persuaders, Joe Bataan, Timothy Wilson (who sounded great), The (second gegeration Intruders), and that other group of Manhattans consisting of The Cymbals group trying to imitate Gerald but not succeeding. Mike Boone you were there weren't you? I'd like to hear your thoughts?

By Scratcher (65.132.77.157) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 07:07 pm:

Ernest "Dip" Bivins is in that other Manhattan's group--he's an original member, along with Lee Williams of Lee Williams & the Cymbals ("I Love You More" & "Peepin' Through the Window").

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:09 pm:

Thats partly correct Dip's first name is Edward NOT Ernest! I've personaly known all the Manhattabs since the 1960s. My take on it is that Lee Williams is a talented singer but should just stick to being himself and NOT try to imitate Gerald "Smut"Alston...Thank You

By Scratcher (65.132.76.243) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:42 pm:

Geez, shoot me, I called him Ernest off the top of my head when his real name is Edward.

I wasn't criticizing your take I was simply stating what I knew about the Manhattans' group you spoke of, which some others readers might not have known. Lee Williams is a helluva singer and doesn't deserve the criticism. That you've known them personally since the sixties is irrelevant to what I posted.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:50 pm:

Hey, cool it Soul Sister!

You saw Timothy Wilson! I can only dream.

"Lovingly yours" breaks me up.

By Vonnie (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:04 pm:

David,

I have pictures of Timothy Wilson. They were taken at Bobby Eli's house, he can still sing his butt off!!!

Vonnie

By Vandelron (24.44.20.172) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:53 pm:

I think Barbara Parritt is now part of Johnny and Jo and they were on PBS recently, possibly same night as Barbara Harris. I got a nice email from MS Harris when I sent her a vg review of her recent CD from a trade paper. They reunited briefly in the 80s.

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 11:08 pm:

Scratcher; No harm ment, its not personal ..maybe blaming Lee for imitating Gerald is in the wrong place maybe it belongs to Sonny for making him sing Gerald's songs instead of doing his own natural thing(?). J don't think that is fair, when Gerald along with Blue are alive and well on tour. There is only one Gerald Alston.

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 11:18 pm:

David, Another fan of Timothy's thats great! My girl Vonnie has some great photos of him! I have a couple of promo shots from the 60s and some personal shots from 97 and 2000. Still waiting for your answer on Sammy "Baby"Ambrose...see under Hank Ballard.' Thanks, S.S.

By Mark Speck (65.56.60.217) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 01:58 am:

The Toys played here not too long ago as part of an oldies show with one version of the Drifters, the Platters (I think it was the Sonny Turner version of the group) and the Classics (of "Till Then" fame). I wish I would have went!

I like their DynoVoice track "Baby Toys" with the neat French horn work. Their Musicor tunes "I Got My Heart Set On You" and "You Got It Baby" are also great.

Best,

Mark