The Toys - A Lover's Concerto (1965)

This female trio met in high school and got their big break when they were discovered at a talent show in their home state of New York. Coming from Jamaica, New York, the trio consisted of Barbara Harris, Barbara Parritt, and June Montiero. Vince Marc, who was given the credit for their discovery, paired the girls up with the songwriting team of Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell. Linzer and Randell would be responsible for the writing credits of nearly all of the girls’ songs, including their number two hit single below. They toured with Gene Pitney; appeared on Shindig!, Hullabaloo, and American Bandstand; and had a cameo in the 1967 beach movie It’s a Bikini World. When the group’s cover of “Sealed with a Kiss” just barely managed to chart in 1967, the girls decided to pursue other endeavors and finalized their dissolution in 1968.

Written by the girls’ songwriting team of Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, this song was first recorded and released in 1965 by The Toys. Released as a single, the song went to number two on the Billboard charts in the United States as well as reaching number five in the UK. The melody was based on the classical “Minuet in G major,” which at the time had been thought to be written by Johann Sebastian Bach. It was deciphered in the 1970s that, more than likely, “Minuet in G major” was probably written by Christian Petzold. The song also appeared on the girls’ sole album The Toys Sing “A Lover’s Concerto” and “Attack!” in 1966, as well as making an appearance in the 1995 film Mr. Holland’s Opus.



The Toys - A Lover's Concerto (1965)

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Lyrics:

How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow?
Birds, high up in the trees
Serenade the flowers with their melodies

Oh, see there beyond the hill?
The bright colors of the rainbow
Some magic from above
Made this day for us just to fall in love

Now, I belong to you
From this day until forever
Just love me tenderly
And I'll give to you every part of me

Oh, don't ever make me cry
Through long, lonely nights without love
Be always true to me
Keep this day in your heart eternally

Someday, we shall return
To this place upon the meadow
We'll walk out in the rain
Hear the birds above singing once again

Oh, you'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful

You'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful

You'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And if your love is true
Everything will be…