The Toys

[antceleb12]

They are one of my favorite girl groups of all time, but I know very little about them. After years of playing "The Toys Sing..." to death, I discovered that they had numerous single releases that never made it onto an album until an obscure CD release called "All of Our Toys." I heard that they formed in Jamaica, NY in 1961 and broke-up in 1968. I know their last release was in 1966, so before they broke up, what did they do for two years?

Does anyone have any stories about seeing them live, or about their popularity, or has anyone ever met any of these ladies? In my opinion, their music is some of the best-written, best-produced, and best-sung of the '60s, but there is so little about them out there. I'm sure one of you guys has some information out there. :)

[blueskies]

They are one of my favorite girl groups of all time, but I know very little about them. After years of playing "The Toys Sing..." to death, I discovered that they had numerous single releases that never made it onto an album until an obscure CD release called "All of Our Toys." I heard that they formed in Jamaica, NY in 1961 and broke-up in 1968. I know their last release was in 1966, so before they broke up, what did they do for two years?

Does anyone have any stories about seeing them live, or about their popularity, or has anyone ever met any of these ladies? In my opinion, their music is some of the best-written, best-produced, and best-sung of the '60s, but there is so little about them out there. I'm sure one of you guys has some information out there. :)

http://www.barbarastoys.net/

You might enjoy Barbara's web site. I emailed her a couple of years ago and she was kind enough to email me back. I, too, love "All My Toys" and had no idea all those other recordings were out there. You might try and email Barbara and get your answer. Good luck

[randy_russi]

They were a hit with their first record, A Lover's Concerto, which sounded an awful lot like a Supremes record. In fact,
many people thought it was the Supremes initially. Their second record, Attack, was pretty good too and another
Supremes sounding record. They performed it in some second-rate beach movie, I think titled It's A Bikini World.
However, each record did less and less business on the charts and, in my opinion, they didn't keep up the quality.
Somehow, they got booked at the Copa in NYC [[following the Supremes). But they only had four days to
rehearse and put together an act. Apparently, they bombed!!!
Too bad!

[splanky]

Don't give a red monkey turd if they didn't blow up as well as the Supremes. One of my
all time favorite girl groups. Didn't know that All Our Toys CD even existed. Will be buying it online
as soon as I get home tonight...

[blueskies]

Don't give a red monkey turd if they didn't blow up as well as the Supremes. One of my
all time favorite girl groups. Didn't know that All Our Toys CD even existed. Will be buying it online
as soon as I get home tonight...

I think you'll like this one, Splanky!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F6-JCXcJL._SS500_.jpg

[antceleb12]

Is that even a legitimate release? For some reason, it just reminds me of one of those bootleg Marginal releases.

[splanky]

Is that even a legitimate release? For some reason, it just reminds me of one of those bootleg Marginal releases.

According to the comments on Amazon it contains 15 songs not included on The Toys Sing so I don't
care if it is a bootleg...

[antceleb12]

According to the comments on Amazon it contains 15 songs not included on The Toys Sing so I don't
care if it is a bootleg...

Haha, very true. I could care less either, but I'm wondering about the quality of the CD. Either way, some of these tracks are pure gold. Like "Sealed with A Kiss." One of my favorites!

[antceleb12]

For anyone interested, I uploaded this one recently. I can't quite remember what year this was released, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHMDaqvBGrM&feature=g-upl

[randy_russi]

Sealed With A Kiss was issued as a single, that I do remember.

[roger]

This is one I really love .. later a Hot 100 hit [[#56) for ? & THE MYSTERIONS of all people ...

THE TOYS - "Can't Get Enough Of You Baby" ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9_XvFN0tFg

Roger

[honest man]

I have just ordered the cd thanks for the nod thought i had them all wonderful news. cheers

[luke]

Barbara Harris and I have emailed too. Very nice person. Her most recent solo cd got a rave review from Goldmine. Occasionally she and June and Barbara will re-unite or else Barbabra tours with other toys.

[randy_russi]

Can't Get Enough Of You Baby was much more recently done by Smashing Pumpkins too.

[Doug-Morgan]

Can't tell you a darn thing about the group, except that "May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone" is an absolute fave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNdXYfyPbwA

[blueskies]

TOYS - All Of Our Toys
The Toys invite you to play these great tracks. Includes 'A Lovers Concerto', 'Ciao Baby', 'Sealed With A Kiss' and many others. 30 tracks. What Ever Happened To Our Love
The Fight's Not Over
Hey Baby
A Lover's Concerto
This Night
Attack
See How They Run
Can't Get Enough Of Your Baby
Deserted
Hallelujah
I Got A Man
What's Wrong With Me Baby
Yesterday
Baby's Gone
On Back Street
May My Heart Be Cast to Stone
Silver Spoon
Baby Toys
Happy Birthday Broken Heart
Ciao Baby
I Got Carried Away
My Love Sonata
I Close My Eyes
You Got It Baby
You've Got To Give Her Love
Sealed With A Kiss
I Got My Heart Set on You
Let Me Down Easy
Try to Get You Out Of My Heart
See How They Run [[Mono single edit)
PZ 71242: $16.99
http://www.doowopshoobop.com/girl.html#pz71242

[juicefree20]

If you live in Brooklyn, there's a good chance that you may run into Barbara Harris at an event. Barbara supports a lot of promoters who have events here in Brooklyn & can often be seen in attendance at one with Margaret Ross of The Cookies & her husband. You may also see Barbara & Margaret performing with a young lady named Sandra Taylor at gigs here in Brooklyn or the city.

Barbara still sounds great, looks good & as Blueskies has attested, Barbara is one hell of a nice woman. I do need to contact her though because her website hasn't been updated in quite some time now & she's definitely been active since 2005! I'll also add that to be around Barbar is to defy the idea that it's been 47 years since she entered our consciousness & harder to believe that she's approaching 70 in 3 short years. She'll be 67 in August & I know women 1/3 her age who don't have her energy.

If you're in the city, you can often find June Montiero in attendance at a show. For example, if Martha Reeves or one of the other ladies are performing in the city, then there's a very good chance that you may find June there clapping & singing along in the audience.

The last time that I saw Barbara Parritt a couple of years ago, she was singing with Joe Rivers as Johnnie & Joe. I'm not sure what she's doing these days, but her niece DyvaNaye might have more info about what she's doing these days.

[randy_russi]

Is there any particular reason they don't work as the Toys or that at least one of them doesn't have a Toys group?
I would think just on their one big record, A Lover's Concerto, they could do well.

[juicefree20]

Randy,

Here's a link to an interview that Barbara gave awhile back. Scroll down to the last paragraph, as it contains the answer to your question as Barbara sees it.

http://www.sundazed.com/scene/exclusives/toys_exclusive.html

[splanky]

A funny [[not) thing happened to me on the way to getting the All Of Our Toys cd...After I got to my home computer
and went on Amazon's site I found that all the reasonably priced used cds for this release had disappeared and what
was left was folks asking for at bottom 63 bucks for a copy! I'm going to give this a few days and see what I can work
out. For a lot of you guys this may not even be an issue but some of us are on tighter budgets. I was frigging livid, to say the least. I'm guessing it is indeed a bootleg at this point but so was my Absolute Complete [[though not, in reality)
Cookies and the sound quality was fine....Arrrrggghhhhhh.....

[blueskies]

http://www.doowopshoobop.com/girl.html#pz71242

Splanky, try this site.....only $16.95

[randy_russi]

Thanks, I read it! i would still think bookings would be more lucrative for "The Toys" rather than "Johnnie & Joe", but
who am I to say.

[RossHolloway]

Can't tell you a darn thing about the group, except that "May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone" is an absolute fave.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNdXYfyPbwA

First heard this track on Pandora Radio, it is indeed a killer track!

[RossHolloway]

http://www.doowopshoobop.com/girl.html#pz71242

Splanky, try this site.....only $16.95

Wow, that's an awesome website. I could spend my entire paycheck X 2 on some of those collections.

[splanky]

@blueskies...
Hey, Thanks for that link. That's better...
I have to agree with RossHolloway, I saw so much stuff there I'd like I dang near knocked over my monitor...Oh, if I could hit the lottery.......

[blueskies]

Splanky and Ross, Glad you liked the web site. I've been buying from those folks for years. Always reasonable prices, too. You might also like this site.
http://www.crystalballrecords.com/girl-group-female-lead.html?limit=30 Enjoy!

[mark speck]

Randy, I believe that was Smashmouth and not Smashing Pumpkins that remade "Can't Get Enough of You, Baby".

Best,

Mark

[blue_whippet]

My copy arrived in the UK today. Sadly most of the tracks won't play or upload onto iTunes. Anyone else having this problem? Such a disappointment.

[randy_russi]

I think you are right, Mark! Someone also did it in the 60s on the Cameo-Parkway label, but don't recall right off
the name of the group.

[theboyfromxtown]

My copy arrived in the UK today. Sadly most of the tracks won't play or upload onto iTunes. Anyone else having this problem? Such a disappointment.

Mine appears to be ok. If you want to send me your email address through the private message system, I'll send MP3's of what any you need.

[Kamasu_Jr]

According to my Dad, the Toys were booked to play a Detroit nightclub IN the Sixties and they made an appearance on the local Swingin' Time TV show where June MONTIERO revealed a dry sense of humor much like [[ Supreme) Florence Ballard's when she told how the Toys played the Copa where there was no stage, so the performers were literally on the floor close to the audience. The Toys were rushing to go on one night and June hadn't tightened her wig and WHEN her group hit the floor, the wig fell off and landed on a customer's table.

[mojoman]

Here's recent footage of Barbara Harris from a PBS special with Barbara Parritt on the left...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nme_Gujngyc

[marv2]

I never saw them perform but I had dinner with Barbara Harris and a group of people at a diner here on Long Island. Nice lady.

[kenneth]

http://www.doowopshoobop.com/girl.html#pz71242

Splanky, try this site.....only $16.95

Wow...really interesting catalog. They obviously have some legitimate releases, such as the Ace "Tiny Topsy/Lula Reed" CD and the Shirelles 2-fers, but many appear to be bootlegs. Still, for the rarity of the material, I'll probably buy a few.

They have an Annie Laurie comp, she was a King artist who sang "It Hurts to Be in Love." I had no idea there was a CD available on her. I think this one may be a legit release, as the label [[Master Classics) has their own web site.

[blueskies]

Wow...really interesting catalog. They obviously have some legitimate releases, such as the Ace "Tiny Topsy/Lula Reed" CD and the Shirelles 2-fers, but many appear to be bootlegs. Still, for the rarity of the material, I'll probably buy a few.

They have an Annie Laurie comp, she was a King artist who sang "It Hurts to Be in Love." I had no idea there was a CD available on her. I think this one may be a legit release, as the label [[Master Classics) has their own web site.
http://www.crystalballrecords.com/girl-group-female-lead.html?limit=30
Kenneth, you might also like this site.

[kenneth]

http://www.crystalballrecords.com/girl-group-female-lead.html?limit=30
Kenneth, you might also like this site.

Yes...another treasure trove. I thank you but my wallet doesn't...!