‘Everybody Loves a Clown,’ ‘She’s Just My Style,’ and 15 ear candies co-written by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis, an endearing rail-thin nerd with a flair for singing feel-good, piano-arranged pop, fended off the British Invasion under the guidance of producer Snuff Garrett, arranger Leon Russell, and the West Coast session players enshrined as the Wrecking Crew. The eldest child of slapstick innovator Jerry Lewis was a 19-year-old drummer and rhythm guitarist gigging with the Playboys at Disneyland when debut single “This Diamond Ring” flew all the way to number one in February 1965. Eight further consecutive A-sides earned Lewis Top 15 Billboard bragging rights. The Playboys, whose membership counted future Derek and the Dominos bassist Carl Radle and John Lennon percussionist Jim Keltner, mostly handled Lewis’ live dates and basic tracking sessions.

What’s long been shunted aside is Lewis’ songwriting. Wrongly dismissed as a Hollywood brat who didn’t have to pay his dues, Lewis actually put his nose to the grindstone. He is credited as a co-lyricist on 17 occasions, including two of the band’s all-time earworms — the deceptively upbeat “Everybody Loves a Clown” and “She’s Just My Style” where the narrator is sure he’s found his soulmate in spite of her bewildering obliviousness. And props to tight garage rocker “Malibu Run” and sincere tribute “I Saw Elvis Presley Last Night,” lost diamonds in the rough. Refusing to burn his draft card, enduring a harrowing tour of Vietnam, and a delay in shedding his square persona as the counterculture blossomed effectively killed Lewis’ teen idol clout, although he went down swinging with both fists. He ditched the double-tracked vocals and elaborate string arrangements and seized the production reigns from Garrett for a more earthy, quasi-Creedence Clearwater Revival dynamic of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, and drums on 1970’s undervalued I’m on the Right Road Now. It’s high time for Lewis’ compositions to be listed in a chronological discography enhanced by streaming links.

The Gary Lewis Songwriting Catalog

1. “Tijuana Wedding” [Gary Lewis / Leon Russell / Snuff Garrett; Instrumental B-side only of “This Diamond Ring,” December 31, 1964; Garrett was born “Thomas Lesslie Garrett” and often omitted his surname on label credits]
2. “Donna, Leave My Guy Alone” [Leon Russell / Snuff Garrett / Gary Lewis; B-side of Wendy Hill’s answer record “(Gary, Please Don’t Sell) My Diamond Ring,” March 1965]
3. “Doin’ the Flake” [Snuff Garrett / Leon Russell / Gary Lewis; promotion single in conjunction with Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, May 1965]
4. “Without a Word of Warning” [Snuff Garrett / Leon Russell / Gary Lewis; B-side of “Save Your Heart for Me,” June 11, 1965, A Session with Gary Lewis and the Playboys]
5. “Everybody Loves a Clown” [No. 4 POP August 20, 1965; Snuff Garrett / Leon Russell / Gary Lewis; title cut of same LP]
6. “Time Stands Still” [Leon Russell / Snuff Garrett / Gary Lewis; B-side of “Everybody Loves a Clown,” August 20, 1965; Everybody Loves a Clown]
7. “She’s Just My Style” [No. 3 POP November 17, 1965; Gary Lewis / Leon Russell / Snuff Garrett / Al Capps; title cut of March 1966 LP]
8. “I Won’t Make That Mistake Again” [Gary Lewis / Snuff Garrett / Leon Russell; B-side of “She’s Just My Style,” November 17, 1965; She’s Just My Style LP]
9. “Malibu Run” [Jim Karstein / Leon Russell / Gary Lewis / Snuff Garrett; Out of Sight soundtrack, April 1966]
10. “Tina (I Held You in My Arms”) [Gary Lewis / Sonny Curtis / Leon Russell / Snuff Garrett; B-side of “My Heart’s Symphony,” July 8, 1966; on the Golden Greats compilation and later (You Don’t Have To) Paint Me A Picture]
11. “Looking for the Stars” [Gene Price / Glen D. Hardin / Gary Lewis / Snuff Garrett / Leon Russell; B-side of “(You Don’t Have To) Paint Me A Picture,” September 9, 1966; Paint Me A Picture]
12. “Gary’s Groove” [Gary Lewis / Snuff Garrett; Instrumental B-side only of “Hayride,” July 1969]
13. “3 Cheers” [Gary Lewis / Arnold Rosenthal; Rhythm of the Rain / Hayride]
14. “Back Door Key” [Gary Lewis / Arnold Rosenthal / Billy Merle Boatman / Michael L. Marcinko; Rhythm of the Rain / Hayride, August 1969; retitled as “I’m Ready If You’re Willin’” and re-recorded in a heavier rock arrangement for I’m on the Right Road Now, February 1970]
15. “I Saw Elvis Presley Last Night” [Gary Lewis / Arnold Rosenthal / Billy Merle Boatman; B-side of “Something Is Wrong,” November 15, 1969; I’m on the Right Road Now]
16. “I’m Gonna Shoot the Moon” [Gary Lewis / Arnold Rosenthal / Billy Merle Boatman; I’m on the Right Road Now]
17. “You Can’t Go Back” [Gary Lewis / Nick Rather; 2012 A-side and later issued as a bonus track on The ’60s live album]

• *************The BMI Repertoire database, 45Cat, 45Worlds, Discogs, and Music VF were invaluable resources in compiling Lewis’ compositions.

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