Tokens, The

This Brooklyn doo-wop group was originally known as The Linc-Tones when they formed in 1955 at Lincoln High School.

Original members Hank Medress, Neil Sedaka, Eddie Rabkin and Cynthia Zolitin didn’t have much impact in their early days recording for Melba.

They later disbanded, but Medress re-formed the group in 1960 as The Tokens.

Brothers Phil and Mitch Margo and Jay Siegel were the new members, and the group recorded for Warwick in 1960, then had their one glorious hit in 1962, The Lion Sleeps Tonight (based on a Zulu song called Wimoweh).

The Tokens formed their own label in 1964 called BT Puppy, but they couldn’t keep the hits coming.

In 1967, a cover of the Matt Monro weepie Portrait of My Love returned The Tokesn to the Billboard Top 40. They followed it up with the Mann-Weil sunshine pop gem. It’s a Happening World (another minor hit) and an album of the same name.

The album also contained the self-penned track For All That I Am, which was later recorded by the British band The Creation.

In addition to making their own records, The Tokens also recorded under other names, including The Four Winds, The Coeds and The Buddies.

Hank Medress
Vocals
Phil Margo
Vocals
Mitch Margo
Vocals
Jay Siegel
Vocals