The tokens
The Tokens are an American doo-wop group.
Career
The group found in 1955 at a high school in the New York district of Brooklyn under the name of The Linc-Tones together. One of the founding members was Neil Sedaka , who left the vocal quartet in 1957 to become successful as a soloist . In 1960 the name The Tokens was finally established.
The big breakthrough came in the same year with The Lion Sleeps Tonight . The song came from the South African composer Solomon Linda (original title: Mbube ) and was previously a hit in the US folk scene. The tokens sang it with a text by the composer George David Weiss . The version, interpreted for the first time by the tokens, has been recorded over 150 times by other groups over the years.
Several smaller hits in the US charts followed by 1970. Then Henry Medress broke up with the other three, who went on together under the name Cross Country . In 1973 they were able to penetrate again into the US Top 40 with the classic In The Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett .
The band was active and on tour until the new millennium, later again as Tokens . In 2004 they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame .
Members
- Jay Siegel (born October 20, 1939)
- Mitchell Margo (born May 25, 1947 - November 24, 2017)
- Philip Margo (born April 1, 1942)
- Hank Medress (born November 19, 1938 - June 18, 2007)
Discography
Albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
US | |||
1966 | I Hear Trumpets Blow |
US148 (2 weeks) US |
|
1967 | Back to Back |
US134 (6 weeks) US |
More albums
- 1961: The Lion Sleeps Tonight
- 1962: We The Tokens Sing Folk
- 1964: Wheels
- 1966: Again
- 1967: It's A Happening World
- 1970: Both Sides Now
- 1970: The Greatest Moments With The Tokens
- 1971: December 5th
- 1972: Intercourse
- 1988: Re-Doo-Wopp (feat. Mitch Margo)
- 1988: Vintage Edition
- 1993: Oldies Are Now (feat. Mitch Margo)
- 1996: Tonight, The Lion Dances (Esta Noche, El Leon Baila) (feat.Mitch Margo)
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | UK | US | |||
1961 | Tonight I Fell In Love |
- | - |
US15 (14 weeks) US |
|
The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Lion Sleeps Tonight |
DE23 (8 weeks) DE |
UK11 (12 weeks) UK |
US1
gold
(15 weeks)US |
||
1962 | B'wa Nina (Pretty Girl) We The Tokens Sing Folk |
- | - |
US55 (5 weeks) US |
|
La Bomba We The Tokens Sing Folk |
- | - |
US85 (5 weeks) US |
||
1963 | Hear The Bells Again |
- | - |
US94 (4 weeks) US |
|
1964 | He's In Town I Hear Trumpets Blow |
- | - |
US43 (8 weeks) US |
|
1966 | I Hear Trumpets Blow I Hear Trumpets Blow |
- | - |
US30 (8 weeks) US |
|
1967 | Portrait Of My Love It's A Happening World |
- | - |
US36 (8 weeks) US |
|
It's A Happening World It's A Happening World |
- | - |
US69 (4 weeks) US |
||
1970 | She Lets Her Hair Down (Early In The Morning) Both Sides Now |
- | - |
US61 (7 weeks) US |
|
Don't Worry Baby Both Sides Now |
- | - |
US95 (2 weeks) US |
||
1994 | The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) Oldies Are Now |
- | - |
US51 (13 weeks) US |
literature
- Jay Warner: The Billboard Book Of American Singing Groups. A History 1940-1990. Billboard Books, New York City 1992, pp. 466-469.
swell
- ↑ On this title see Fred Bronson: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Third revised and expanded edition. Billboard Publications, New York City 1992, p. 102
- ↑ a b Chart sources: DE UK US
- ↑ Music Sales Awards: US
Web links
- Tokens website (Engl.)