The Toys “What’s Wrong With Me Baby?” (From the LP Sing A Lover’s Concerto and Attack, 1966)

The Toys seemed the most perfect challenge to The Supremes supremacy as ruling Girl Group as 1965 turned into 1966. Their “Lover’s Concerto” took everything and everyone by surprise; mixing equal parts Supremes, Four Seasons and Bach overtones to produce a pop classic.

Therein lies a bit of a rub too, and where The Supremes comparisons start to fall apart a bit. While The Supremes were carved a unique identity on record separate from other acts that shared the same writers and producers, The Toys had a very heavy sonic relationship to The Four Seasons (in the same way that The Royalettes are hinged at the waist to Little Anthony & The Imperials) and other male acts that Bob Crewe and his cadre of producers had a hand in shepherding through the recording process.

It shows up pretty heavily in this song that was also done by The Invitations at the same time The Toys used it as an album track. But then again there lies a delight: It’s VERY interesting hearing a song about a woman being somewhat unapologetic about her philandering ways, compared to the miles of tape reels of men begging for forgiveness.

What’s one to do when “Every boy I see, just gets to me” is your honest truth?