(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post)
Gary Lewis & the Playboys - "This Diamond Ring"
Hit Number 1: February 20, 1965
Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks
Most of us probably have heard of the comedian Jerry Lewis, but I bet a lot of people had no idea that his son, Gary, had a brief moment of music stardom. Gary had his own band in the mid-1960s called "Gary Lewis & the Playboys", and though their popularity was very brief, they did score themselves a #1 hit in "This Diamond Ring". The song was written by studio musician Al Kooper, and tells a somber story about a guy who for whatever reason had to break off his marriage or engagement with his lover. He now has this ring that he wasted a lot of money on, and desperately asks "Who wants to buy this diamond ring? She took it off her finger, now it doesn't mean a thing."
Musically, there is a lot of schmaltz on "This Diamond Ring". There are keyboard noodles, a bellowing guitar riff, what sounds like windchimes or bells of some sort, and there is the rare use of timpani drums. Lewis sounds just like his age, a kid around 20 years old who was set to get married way too soon, and now acts like he can't believe it failed on him. At least that's the impression I get from the song. Even though there might be a little too much going on here, I have always had a soft spot for this song. It's hard for me to explain why, maybe it's the innocence of the song, or the fact that it is rather catchy. Gary Lewis would always be in the shadow of his father's fame, but if he had to achieve super stardom for just a couple weeks, it could've been worse. "This Diamond Ring" is a decent little song.
GRADE: 7/10
Comments