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This page, RCA Tokens, lists all the confirmed recordings and one's I believe to have been recorded before The Tokens set-up their own B.T.Puppy record label. The listing of the discography should be clear but do let me know if you find any difficulty understanding it. There are lots of articles on The Tokens story, many containing inaccurate information that has been carried over to other printed and web media. I'm concentrating mainly on their work in the studio, not their personal history but as well as background info on the recordings there are other details I deal with in the notes.
With your help more info can be added to achieve a greater understanding of The Tokens recorded output. Send an email with any additions, corrections or confirmations all help given will be acknowledged in the CREDITS, likewise if you have comments to make I'd be pleased to hear them.
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| *1 | The Tokens (with Neil Sedaka) | While I Dream (Sedaka, Greenfield) |
I Love My Baby (Sedaka, Greenfield) |
Melba 104 | 05/56 |
| *2 | Darrell & The Oxfords | Picture In My Wallet
(Mitchell, Marcus) |
Roses Are Red (Mitchell, Marcus, The Oxfords) |
Roulette R-4174 | 09/59 |
| Darrell & The Oxfords |
Can't You Tell
(Gertz) |
But Your Mother She Said No (Mitchell, Chase) |
Roulette R-4230 | 02/60 | |
| *3 | The Tokens | Tonight I Fell In Love
(Margo, Medress) |
I'll Always Love You (Margo, Medress) |
Warwick M 615 | 02/61 |
| *4 | The Tokens | Please Write (Margo, Medress) |
I'll Always Love You (Margo, Medress) |
Laurie 3180 | 06/63 |
| *5 | The Tokens | Arlene (Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
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Music Master 110 | /61 |
| *6 | The Tokens | Arlene (Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
Rumble In The Park () |
Rust 5094 | /65 |
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| *1 | The Tokens (with Neil Sedaka) | Don't Go, Come Back Joe (Sedaka, Greenfield) |
Neil Sedaka & The Tokens | Guest Star G 1448 | 64? |
| *7 | 16 Original Hits! Yesterday & Today |
'Old Version' Tonight I Fell In Love 'New Version' Tonight I Fell In Love |
The Tokens & Various Artists | York YS 5001 | 70? |
| *1 | The Tokens | Laura-Lee, Lover Lips, Everbody Knows (Sedaka, Greenfield) |
Golden Moments Of Our Past | Crystal Ball #1036 | 01 |
| *1 | The Tokens | I'll Never Have To Dream Again (unknown) |
Tonight I Fell In Love | Crystal Ball #1038 | 01 |
| *2 | Darrell & The Oxfords | Reasons For Love (unknown) |
A Whiter Shade Of DooWop |
UK Sequel NEM CD 715 | 94 |
*1 *2 *3 *4 *5 *6 *7 Click here for Notes
| *1 | Formed as The Linc-Tones with Neil Sedaka, Hank Medress, Cynthia Zolitin and Eddie Rabkin in 1956 there was soon a change of name to The Tokens and personnel when Eddie Rabkin left and was replaced by Jay Siegel. Accounts differ as to whether Jay Siegel was on the only record released on Melba at the time but later recordings from this period clearly feature his vocal. Guest Star was one of those cheapo album record labels that released a few old tracks by a current charting artist or two with filler tracks by a studio group or band. Many of these type of releases contain little treasures, in the case of Neil Sedaka & The Tokens two finished masters from Morty Craft's Melba label. All doowop lovers bend a knee to Ed Engel and his wonderful Crystal Ball releases and The Tokens have been particularly well served by two CD's, one a double. Golden Moments has three cuts from the Melba period, Jay Siegel's lead on "Laura-Lee" and Cynthia Zolitin (I assume wrongly credited to Linda Colletti in the CD notes) with "Lover Lips" and "Everybody Knows". I'll be returning to these CD's and there previously unreleased tracks many times, only problem is the lack of recording details. "I'll Never Have To Dream Again" certainly sounds like a pre RCA cut. (The Tokens who recorded "Come Dance With Me" & "Doom Lang", originally for Gary Records, The Tokens who recorded "Oh What A Night" & "Juanita" for Date Records as well as Johnny & The Tokens who released "The Taste Of A Tear" & "Never Till Now" on Warwick Records are separate groups and besides Morty Craft's cheeky use of the name The Tokens have nothing whatsoever to do with The Tokens listed in this discography.) |
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| *2 | Neil Sedaka left The Tokens and it wasn't long before he was finding fame and fortune as a writer and performer. Hank & Jay formed a new group, Darrell & The Oxfords with Warren Schwartz & Fred Kalkstein. Signed to Roulette Records the group had a modest hit with Picture In My Wallet but the follow-up failed to arouse much interest and the group split. | |
| *3 | Hank Medress planned to produce an instrumental for Roulette Records and Phil & Mitch Margo demoed a boogie woogie version of "Chopsticks". The demo didn't workout but a relationship was formed and following the break-up of Darrell & The Oxfords, Medress and Siegel joined with the Margo brothers and The Tokens we know and love were formed. They celebrated with a top 15 hit and an eventual million-seller for Warwick Records. Produced by Catalina Records, Fields-Madera Orch. Billboard chart No. 15 8th May 1961 |
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| *4 | Any interest in The Tokens and you'll have read something like this: "After their RCA contract was up, The Tokens signed with Laurie for one single before forming B.T. Puppy...." However The Tokens were still signed to RCA, and the session info shows they were recording for RCA at least until 16 Dec, 1963. On February 10th, 1962, Billboard featured this snippet "RCA Victor's exclusive recording contract with the Tokens expires April 24, 1962, but the label holds two one-year options." Must assume RCA exercised their two options, so come April '64 The Tokens could get cracking with their own B.T. Puppy label. So how to explain the Laurie release? Well I can't confiirm the details but take a gander at the label credit, Prod. by Fields-Madera. The same pair who are credited with the orchestra on The Tokens earlier Warwick Records release. In Jay Warner's essential "The Billboard Book of American Singing Groups - A History 1940-1990" he writes, "...they recorded four songs in three hours at Allegro Studios in the fall of 1960. The songs were "Please Write", "I'll Always Love You" (The two titles on the Laurie record.),"Wimoweh" and "It's Imagination" which was rewritten into "Tonight I Fell I Love". It could be that this 45 was the early session or Morty Craft's slightly later arrangements, perhaps with a bit of sweetening by The Tokens that gained a release on Laurie Records. Billboard chart No. 108 12th October 1963 |
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| *5 | Music Makers was a New York record label, most known amongst doo-wop collectors for the almost hits of The Imaginations. The first mention I found of The Tokens track was in Vol. 2 of Stax-O-Wax's 45rpm Directory; no b-side is listed. Since then other discographies have assumed it must be the later Tokens track "A Girl Named Arlene" and dated the release as '64. Not so, Ed Engel's Tokens compilation "Tonight I Fell In Love" includes "Arlene" listed as unreleased, I assume it must be the same song. I've not seen a copy of the 45, nor do I know anyone who has. It appears that after their initial session for Warwick Records The Tokens didn't record for Morty Craft's record label again. Music Makers had there own studio in New York City, The Tokens could have recorded at the studio between their Warwick hit and signing for RCA. Whether they had signed or agreed to the 45 being released could explain why no one seems to have a copy! There again the listing might just be an error by the original discographer of the Music Makers label. |
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| *6 | And here's another single I have no concrete info for! Again this single is listed in Stax-O-Wax and picked-up by later 45rpm discographys, but did it ever get to the pressing plant? And if so, care to share the info?! I assume this was a release/planned release of the Music Makes tracks; this one includes a marvelous sounding b-side "Rumble In The Park" but it could be a new recording. The Tokens by this time had a very close working relationship with Laurie/Rust and maybe they recorded a session or two before they had officially left RCA. Rather disappointingly Rust 5094 was released but by Dean and Jean "7 Day Wonder" / The Man Who Will Never Grow Old". Not to say that The Tokens cuts weren't planned and that "Rumble.." wasn't recorded by the group. Any info gratefully received! |
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| *7 | Eight original hits from Morty Craft's record labels Warwick, Lance, Melba etc on Side One while Side Two features the same tracks 'updated' for the 70s. Must confess I like the album, Mr. Craft did get some fine music out on the streets in the late 50s early 60s. I bought the LP in the early 70s when I hadn't heard all the tunes and although I couldn't really hear much difference between the versions, no disco beats or anything just playing about with the mixing really. In regards to The Tokens track the then and now sides are virtually identical. Conceived, produced, arranged and conducted by Morty Craft. |
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| *1 | Dry Your Eyes (Margo, Medress) |
When I Go To Sleep At Night (Margo, Medress) |
RCA 47-7896 | M5PW-2270 M5PW-2276 |
05/61 |
| *2 | When Summer Is Through
(Margo, Medress) |
Sincerely (Faqua, Freed) |
RCA 47-7925 | M5PW-3236 M5PW-2277 |
08/61 |
| *3 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)
(Weiss, Peretti, Creatore) |
Tina (Roberts) |
RCA 47-7954 | M5PW-3237 M5PW-3253 |
10/61 |
| *4 | B'Wa Nina (Pretty Girl)
(Weis, Peretti, Creatore) |
Weeping River (Bill Kaiman) |
RCA 47-7991 | N5PW-1406 N5PW-1405 |
01/62 |
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| The Riddle
(Adaptation by: P. and M. Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
Big Boat (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss) |
RCA 47-8018 | M5PW-3290 M5PW-3294 |
03/62 | |
| *5 | La Bomba
(Adaptation by: Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
A Token Of Love (W. Kaiman) |
RCA 47-8052 | N5PW-1446 N5PW-3004 |
06/62 |
| *6 | The Fly Swatter
(Bob & Jerry, Medress, Margo) |
Bee Side Joseph Venneri |
RCA 47-8064 | N2PW-0021 N2PW-0022 |
07/62 |
| *7 | I'll Do My Crying Tomorrow
(Margo, Medress, Siegel, Kalina) |
Dream Angel Goodnight
(Margo, Medress, Siegel, Nader, Kay) |
RCA 47-8089 | N5PW-3042 N5PW-3043 |
09/62 |
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| A Bird Flies Out Of Sight (Felicidad - Bossa Nova)
(Hugo & Luigi, Weiss, Jobim) |
Wishing (Margo, Margo, Medress) |
RCA 47-8114 | N5PW-5008 N5PW-5014 |
11/62 | |
| *8 | Tonight I Met An Angel
(Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
Hindi Lullabye (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss) |
RCA 47-8148 | PHKM-3022 N5PW-3295 |
02/63 |
| *9 | Hear The Bells
(Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel, Lowe) |
A-B-C 1-2-3 (Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel, Venneri) |
RCA 47-8210 | PHKM-4031 PHKM-3073 |
06/63 |
| *10 | Let's Go To The Drag Strip
(Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
Two Cars (Margo, Margo, Medress, Siegel) |
RCA 47-8309 | PHKM-6346 PHKM-6347 |
01/64 |
*1 *2 *3 *4 *5 *6 *7 *8 *9 *10 Click here for Notes
| *1 | The credit on all the RCA 45s and LPs is artist The Tokens, Hugo & Luigi Producers and Orchestra conducted by Sammy Lowe, unless noted. Release dates are approximate. | |
| *2 | Billboard chart No. 120, 18th September 1961 | |
| *3 | This is the title and writers credits as shown on the RCA UK 45: The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)
(New lyrics and revised music by Peretti, Creatore, Weiss, Stanton) based on a song by Paul Campbell Originally recorded as one of the four songs The Tokens demoed for Morty Craft at Warwick it was Jay Siegel's arrangement of "Wimoweh," with the addition of new lyrics and a change he made to the melody that created one of the most endearing songs of the last 50 years. Billboard chart No. 1 18th December 1961, R & B Chart No. 7, 27th January 1962 |
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| *4 | Billboard chart No. 55, 3rd March 1962 | |
| *5 | Billboard chart No. 65, 28th July 1962 | |
| *6 | Released as by D.D.T and The Repellents, Margo-Medress, Bob & Jerry Productions (Bob Feldman & Jerry Goldstein, later of Feldman, Goldstein & Gottherer) |
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| *7 | Orchestra conducted by Richard Wolfe | |
| *8 | Billboard chart No. 126, 23rd March 1963 | |
| *9 | Billboard chart No. 94, 31st August 1963 | |
| *10 | Arranged and Conducted Artie Butler |
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| *1 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight Mono LPM-2514 Stereo LSP-2514 |
Side 1: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)" (Weiss, Peretti, Creatore), "The Wreck Of The John B" (Arr. M, M, M, S), "Michael" (Arr. M, M, M, S), "Children Go Where I Send Thee" (Arr. M, M, M, S), "Shenandoah" (Arr. M, M, M, S), "Water Prayer" (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss) Side 2: "Big Boat" (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss), "Hindi Lullabye" (Peretti, Creatore, Weiss), "Jamaica Farewell" (Burgess - Based on Traditional Air), "Tina" (Roberts), "The Riddle" (M, M, M, S), "Lonesome Travler" (Arr. M, M, M, S) |
12/61 |
| We The Tokens Sing Folk Mono LPM-2631 Stereo LSP-2631 |
Side 1: "This Little Light Of Mine" (Adaptation: M, M, M, S), "Five Hundred Miles" (Adaptation: M, M, M, S), "B'Wa Nina (Pretty Girl)" (Weiss, Peretti, Creatore), "Monkey Vendor (Tumbili)" (M, M, M, S, Harvey), "Wayfaring Stranger" (Adaptation: M, M, M, S, Kalman), "A Bird Flies Out Of Sight (Felicdad)" (Hugo & Luigi, George Weiss, Jobim) Side 2: "La Bomba" (Adaptation: M, M, M, S), "A Boy Without A Girl" (Jacobson, Sexter), "The Mountain Boy" (M, M, M, S, Elias, Lowe), "A Tale Of Two Lovers" (N. Nader, J. Gluck Jr.), "Weeping River" (Bill Kaiman), "Joshua" (M, M, M, S) |
12/62 |
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| *2 | Wheels Mono LPM-2886 Stereo LSP-2886 |
Side 1: "Let's Go To The Drag Strip" (M, M, M, S), "Little Deuce Coupe" (B. Wilson, R. Christian), "Two Cars" (M, M, M, S), "Little Hot Rod Suzie" (M, M, M, S), "Shut Down" (B. Wilson, R. Christian), "My First Set Of Wheels" (M, M, M, S) Side 2: "Dirt Track Twister" (M, M, M, S), "My Friend's Car" (M, M, M, S), "My Candy Apple Vette" (M, M, M, S), "409" (B. Wilson, G. Usher), "Little Snow White Coupe" (M, M, M, S), "Drag City" (Christian, Berry, Wilson) |
02/64 |
| *3 | The Tokens Again Mono LPM-3685 Stereo LPM-3685 |
Side 1: "Hear The Bells" (M, M, M, S, Lowe), "A-B-C 1-2-3" (M, M, M, S, Venneri), "Earth Angel-You Will Be Mine" (C. Williams), "A Thousand Miles Away" (J. Shepheard, W. Miller), "You're Nothing But A Girl" (M, M, M, S, Howard, Hockaday), "Dry Your Eyes" (Margo, Medress) Side 2: "'A' Your Adorable" (B. Kaye, F. Wise, S. Lippman), "Gee" (W. Davis, V. Watkins), "I'll Remember In The Still Of The Night" (F. Parris), "This Endless Night" (H. Greenfield, E. Grossman), "Tonight, Tonight" (B. Myles), "Life Is But A Dream" (R. Cita, H. Weiss) |
10/66 |
| *4 | Wimoweh!!! The Best of The Tokens 07863 66474 2 |
"Please Write" (Margo, Medress), "Sweet Laurie, Fair Laurie" (Barry, Greenwich), "Somewhere There's A Girl" (Greenfield, Sedaka) | /94 |
| *5 | Tonight I Fell In Love with... Crystal Ball 1038 |
"Please Write" (Margo, Medress) alt Version, "Right Or Wrong" (Greenfield, Sedaka), "Wishing" (Margo, Margo, Medress ) alt Version | /01 |
*1 *2 *3 *4 *5 Click here for Notes
| *1 | On the label M, M, M, S actually reads (P. & M. Margo, Madress, Siegal). The album credit for "The Lion Sleeps..." has the same writer credit as the UK single. Billboard LP Chart No. 54 10th March 1962, 16 weeks on the chart. |
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| *2 | Arranged and Conducted Artie Butler | |
| *3 | Maybe it is a cash-in album of old tracks and doo-wop style recordings that hadn't been released when originally recorded but the music is none the worse for that. | |
| *4 | The unreleased tracks, great sound and good session info makes this an essential purchase. Four previously unreleased cuts are noted but one "I'll Do My Crying Tomorrow" was out on 45 and the matrix # shows it to be the same cut. To make up for this though one of two Alan Lorber conducted sides "Somewhere There's A Girl" is included and the recording date strongly suggests this with "You're Nothing But A Girl", released on "Again", were imtended to be RCA 47-8174. Global Dog Productions 45 RCA discography credits this 45rpm, without titles, to The Tokens as 'not issued', unless you know better! | |
| *5 | Just a guesstimate that these tracks, off Ed Engel's second set of rare/unreleased Tokens cuts, are from their RCA period. |
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