Phil Margo is a successful writer and producer in the television and movie fields. Mitch Margo continues to create independent music and television projects. Individually, the members of The Tokens are busy with their own projects in addition to their touring schedule. The Tokens’ newest CD, The Tokens Unfurled features their versions of “God Bless America” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” Included in The Tokens’ version of our National Anthem is the last part of the original fourth stanza which begins with the words, “Then conquer we must when our cause it is just,” and speaks of victory as opposed to survival as does the traditional first stanza.
The tokens series#
In November of 1999, the popular music channel VH-1 named The Tokens “The Most Patriotic Group” and honored them on the special series “Rock and Roll Record Breakers” on February 25, 2000. The group also paid homage to our national pastime by performing at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, on June 20, 1999. They became the FIRST POP GROUP to sing the national anthem in all 30 major league baseball parks in ONE SEASON as required for Guinness Book entry. Baltimore was chosen for the last stop of the tour because it was in that city where Francis Scott Key composed “The Star Spangled Banner” while witnessing the British attack on Fort McHenry.Ĭ/oPhil Margo140 South Almont Drive Beverly Hills, California 90211-2505 Phone/Fax (310) / The Tokens received recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records. That date was also the 2,632nd and final day of Cal Ripkin’s remarkable consecutive game streak.
Leading off thirty major league games through the summer with their harmonic, a-capella renditions of “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Oh Canada,” The Tokens concluded their record- setting stadium tour on September 19th at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore when the Orioles played the New York Yankees. This motivated the classic vocal group to embark on their now historic “ANTHEM “98″ TOUR.” It began at Chicago’s venerable Wrigley Field on Apwhere the Chicago Cubs hosted the Montreal Expos. Baseball coverage rarely televises the anthem in favor of going to a commercial.
The tokens professional#
In 1998 The Tokens came to the conclusion that although the national anthem opens every game in US professional sports, they believed it was being over- looked and disregarded these days both in exposure and in meaning. They were also the first group to play their own instrument tracks for recording sessions. True rock pioneers, they were among the first to successfully use the falsetto lead voice, a sound that would later influence groups from the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys to Led Zeppelin and Rush. THE TOKENS’ other hits include “Tonight I fell In Love,” “I Hear Trumpets Blow,” and “Portrait Of My Love.” They have also produced many number one recordings for groups such as THE CHIFFONS (He’s So Fine & One Fine Day), THE HAPPENINGS (See You In September & I Got Rhythm) and TONY ORLANDO AND DAWN (Knock Three Times & Tie A Yellow Ribbon). In a survey conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Record Industry Association of America The Tokens’ classic recording of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” placed 159th in the top 365 records of ALL TIME. To date it has sold 15 million copies throughout the world. The song (originally a Zulu folk song called “Mbube” Anglicized to “Wimoweh”) soared up the charts to become the number one hit in the nation. In 1961 THE TOKENS, four boys from Brooklyn, recorded “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” on the RCA label.
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