The Teddy Bears
The Teddy Bears | |
|---|---|
 The Teddy Bears, circa 1958. Clockwise from top: Carol Connors, Marshall Leib, and Phil Spector. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles,California, United States |
| Genres | Pop |
| Years active | 1957–1960 |
| Labels | Doré,Imperial |
| Past members |
|
The Teddy Bearswere an Americanpop musicgroup. They were record producerPhil Spector's first vocal group.[1]
History
[edit]Following graduation fromFairfax High SchoolinLos Angeles,California,Phil Spector became obsessed with "To Know Him Is to Love Him",a song he hadwrittenfor his group, the Teddy Bears. After a hasty audition atEra Records,which offered to finance astudiosession, the Teddy Bears – Phil Spector,Marshall Leib,Harvey Goldstein (who left the group early on), lead singerAnnette Kleinbard,[2]and last-minute recruit,drummerSandy Nelson–recordedthe song at Gold Star Studios at a cost of $75. Released on Era'sDorélabelin August 1958, it took two months before "To Know Him Is to Love Him" began to getairplay.The title was inscribed on Spector's father's tombstone, as "To Know Him Was To Love Him".
It went on to become a global hit. Therecordstayed in theBillboardHot 100for 23 weeks, in theTop Tenfor 11 of those weeks, and commanded the number 1 chart position for three weeks. It also reached number 2 in theUK Singles Chart.It sold over two and a half million copies, and was awarded agold discby theRIAA.[3]At 19 years old, Spector had written,arranged,played, sung, andproducedthe best-selling record in the country.[2]Although subsequent releases by the Teddy Bears on the Imperial label were well-recorded softpop,they did not sell, and within a year of the debut, Spector disbanded the group.[1]Their demise was hastened by Kleinbard being seriously injured in 1960 in a car accident.[1]
Spector was not the only Teddy Bear who went on to a music career after the group broke up. Annette Kleinbard continued to write and record songs, and changed her name toCarol Connors.[1]Among her credits arethe Rip Chordshit "Hey Little Cobra",and theAcademy AwardsnominatedRockytheme song,"Gonna Fly Now",co-written withAyn Robbins.Leib joinedthe Hollywood Argyles,played guitar on some ofDuane Eddy's records and produced material recorded bythe Everly Brothersamongst others.[1]
Discography
[edit]Studio album
[edit]- The Teddy Bears Sing!(1959)
Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Label | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot |
US CB |
US RW |
US R&B |
UK | ||||
| "To Know Him Is to Love Him" b/w "Don't You Worry My Little Pet" |
1958 | Doré | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | Non-album single |
| "Oh, Why?" b/w "I Don't Need You Anymore" |
1959 | Imperial | 91 98 |
53 | 50 | — | — | The Teddy Bears Sing! |
| "If You Only Knew (The Love I Have For You)" b/w "You Said Goodbye" (fromThe Teddy Bears Sing!) |
— | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Wonderful, Lovable You" b/w "Till You'll Be Mine" |
Doré | — | — | 108 | — | — | ||
| "Don't Go Away" b/w "Seven Lonely Days" |
Imperial | — | — | — | — | — | The Teddy Bears Sing! | |
| "—" denotes release did not chart. | ||||||||
References
[edit]- ^abcdeColin Larkin,ed. (1997).The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music(Concise ed.).Virgin Books.p. 1166.ISBN1-85227-745-9.
- ^abTobler, John (1992).NME Rock 'N' Roll Years(1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 61. CN 5585.
- ^Murrells, Joseph (1978).The Book of Golden Discs(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.108.ISBN0-214-20512-6.
External links
[edit]
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
