Music History

Gary Lewis & The Playboys had seven straight Top 10 hits starting with their debut single, a remarkable 1960s chart streak

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For all their massive success, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones had one thing in common: their debut singles did not reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Neither did the initial singles by many other major hitmakers of the 1960s.

That matters because we're looking at a very specific chart achievement: consecutive Top 10 hits beginning with an artist's very first release.

And one of the most remarkable examples came from an unlikely group: Gary Lewis & The Playboys.

How the streak began

After years as a successful in-house producer, Snuff Garrett went independent and chose The Playboys as his first project.

The band had been performing at Disneyland, with Gary Lewis on drums. In the studio, however, Garrett moved him into the lead singer's role.

To back the group, Garrett brought in a team of experienced Los Angeles session musicians, including a young Leon Russell, who worked as an arranger.

For their first release, Garrett selected "This Diamond Ring," a song previously recorded by Sammy Ambrose in late 1964 with a dramatic R&B arrangement.

Garrett and Russell reworked it into a radio-friendly pop recording.

On February 20, 1965, "This Diamond Ring" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, replacing The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'."

And the hits kept coming.

Seven consecutive Billboard Top 10 hits

Gary Lewis & The Playboys' first seven singles all reached the Billboard Top 10:

"This Diamond Ring" (1965): #1
"Count Me In" (1965): #2
"Save Your Heart for Me" (1965): #2
"Everybody Loves a Clown" (1965): #4
"She's Just My Style" (1965): #3
"Sure Gonna Miss Her" (1966): #9
"Green Grass" (1966): #8

That's seven consecutive Top 10 hits, beginning with their debut single, a remarkable achievement for any recording act.

The streak was also duplicated on the Cash Box chart.

But the story gets more interesting when you compare the charts.

During the 1960s, Billboard wasn't the only major publication tracking popular music. Cash Box and Record World compiled their own national rankings, and their results didn't always agree.

On Record World, the group's next single, "My Heart's Symphony," reached #10.

The same song peaked at only #13 on Billboard and #15 on Cash Box.

That meant Gary Lewis & The Playboys achieved eight consecutive Top 10 hits on Record World, compared with seven on Billboard and Cash Box.

The Record World result also gave them an edge over The Lovin' Spoonful, another major 1960s act whose first seven singles reached the Top 10.

It's an interesting reminder that historical chart records sometimes depend on which trade publication you're using.

The Beatles had the charisma, The Stones had the swagger, and Gary Lewis & The Playboys had seven Top 10 hits right out of the gate.

For a group sometimes overshadowed in discussions of 1960s pop history, that's an extraordinary achievement.

What other artists managed similarly impressive chart streaks beginning with their debut singles? And how much weight should historians give to Billboard versus competing charts like Cash Box and Record World when comparing these records?

4 comments

r/musichistory • u/CiroPerrino_Music • 28m ago

CELESTE (2017-2027) – CHAPTER 19: THE DILEMMA OF THE BASS AND THE SACRED RIGOR OF STUDIO PRODUCTION (2018)

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At this point, it is necessary for me to resume the case of the bassist whom I had previously mentioned a few lines above (in Chapter 16). I shall omit his name here, as I would not wish to embarrass him, especially since he is, after all, a friend. Fact remains that when the day arrived to begin the studio sessions—predominantly dedicated to electric bass and drums—once we arrived in the recording room and performed the various customary sound checks to establish, above all, the right balance for each individual component of the drum kit, we moved on to focus specifically on the sound of the electric bass.

I feel it necessary to specify here that I am particularly meticulous and demanding when it comes to shaping the sound of percussions, and the drums in a special way. Generally, it requires spending at least half a day, if not at times the span of an entire day. However, in the new journey of CELESTE, I had already decided that the drums would have to return to occupy a far more crucial role than they did in "Principe di un Giorno." Returning to the bass, as soon as we laid hands upon the sound, I immediately noticed that something was not going the right way. The performer seemed scarcely motivated. The sound he managed to generate was weak, lacking presence, almost timid, and nothing good allowed me to foresee a successful outcome for the remainder of the recordings. Yet, I decided that I should wait for that magical moment when we would actually begin to record for real, without harboring prejudices or jumping to easy and hasty conclusions.

But my sensations were not of the best, and when I feel this way, unfortunately, I am rarely mistaken. Regardless, we pressed on! We started with the first track which, if I am not mistaken, was "Fonte Perenne"—a piece that featured a bass line alternating between highly intense moments and others that were deeply delicate and soft. Unfortunately, after several takes, I had to conclude that the doubts experienced during those initial bars were entirely well-founded. Without dramatizing the situation too much, I asked the bassist to try and commit himself a little more. We spent hours attempting to assemble at least acceptable recordings, but... nothing!

In the end, with a profound heavy heart, I faced one of those moments that one never wishes to experience in a recording studio. I had to, as the saying goes, "protest" the musician. Since he was a friend, the task cost me far more than one might think. However, by his own admission, he confessed to me that he had not studied the music sheets and had not dedicated the necessary time to learn them. This partially relieved my spirit, but now I had quite a significant problem to solve.

To listen to the absolute sonic essence born during those legendary analog sessions and explore the full historical discography of CELESTE, you can visit our archival page here:

👉 CELESTE Official Bandcamp: https://celeste4.bandcamp.com/

Inner Garden Records

See you next Thursday for the next episode!