The Toys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Toys
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The group in 1965: June Montiero (left), Barbara Harris (center), and Barbara Parritt (right)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, pop music |
| Years active | 1961–1968 |
| Labels | DynoVoice, Musicor |
| Past members | Barbara Harris Barbara Parritt June Montiero |
The Toys were an American pop girl group from Jamaica, New York. They formed in 1961 and stopped making music together in 1968. Their most famous song was "A Lover's Concerto" from 1965. This song sold over two million copies and reached number two on the Billboard music chart.
Contents
Meet The Toys: Group Members
The group was a trio, meaning it had three members. They were:
- Barbara Harris (born August 18, 1945, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina). She usually sang the main parts of their songs.
- Barbara Parritt (born October 1, 1944, in Wilmington, North Carolina).
- June Montiero (born July 1, 1946, in Queens, New York).
The Toys' Music Journey
Barbara Harris started singing in churches when she was very young. She moved to Queens, New York, at age 11. In high school, she joined a singing group with four other young women. These were Barbara Parritt, June Montiero, Betty Stokes, and Betty Blocker.
Stokes and Blocker later left the group. This left Harris, Parritt, and Montiero to form a trio. A friend and manager named Bobby Uri called them The Charlettes. They sang background vocals for other artists. At a talent show in Brooklyn, they met Eddy Chase. He introduced them to manager Vince Marc and music executive Bob Crewe. The group then became known as The Toys. They signed their first record deal with Crewe's DynoVoice Records.
Creating Hit Songs
Vince Marc introduced the group to songwriters Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell. Linzer and Randell wrote most of The Toys' songs. For "A Lover's Concerto", they used a piano piece from a Bach exercise book. It was called ""Minuet in G major" by Christian Petzold. They added a Motown-style bassline to it. The song quickly became a huge hit, reaching number two in the U.S.
The group followed up with another popular song called "Attack!". This song was also written by Linzer and Randell. It reached the Top 20 on the music charts. Linzer and Randell also produced the group's recordings from 1965 to 1966. "A Lover's Concerto" sold over two million copies worldwide. It earned a gold record in 1965.
Tours and TV Appearances
The Toys went on their first U.S. tour with singer Gene Pitney. In 1967, the group changed record labels. They moved to Pitney's label, Musicor Records. They had one more small hit song, a cover of "Sealed with a Kiss". After this, the group broke up.
The Toys appeared on many big TV rock shows. These included Hullabaloo and Shindig!. They also had a small role in the 1967 movie It's a Bikini World. In the movie, they performed their song "Attack!".
Barbara Harris's Solo Work
After The Toys, Barbara Harris continued to perform. She appeared on public television and at "Oldie Shows" as "The Toys featuring Barbara Harris". She also sang with Joe Rivers, known for the hit song "Over The Mountain". In 1998, she released her first solo CD called Barbara Now. She wrote most of the songs on this album. In 2016, she released two new songs, "Forever Spring" and "(Rock 'n' Roll) Soothes The Soul".
The Toys' Music Releases
Popular Songs (Singles)
- 1965: "A Lover's Concerto" (U.S. No. 2, UK No. 5)
- 1966: "Attack!" (U.S. No. 18, UK No. 36)
- 1966: "Baby Toys" (U.S. No. 76)
- 1966: "May My Heart Be Cast into Stone" (U.S. No. 85)
- 1968: "Sealed with a Kiss" (U.S. No. 112)
Albums
- 1966: The Toys Sing "A Lover's Concerto" and "Attack!" (U.S. Billboard 200 No. 92). A CD version of this album came out in 1994.
