September 28: The Teddy Bears

The Teddy Bears released their hit single, “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” on this date in 1958 on the ERA Dore label (owned by Lew Bedell [Bedinsy] and Herb Newman). The song was written, arranged, and produced by Phil Spector, age 19, who sang backup with Marshall Leib for lead singer Annette Kleinbard. The lyric was based on Spector’s father’s tombstone. The record made #1 for three weeks and was in the Billboard Top 100 for 23 weeks. Amy Winehouse and Dolly Parton, among others, have covered the song. Marshall Leib remained in the music business as a record producer for many years; Spector invented the “wall of sound” recording technique and was at the very top of the industry before falling into the hell of drugs and murder; and Annette Kleinbard changed her name to Carol Connor, had a long romantic relationship with Elvis Presley, and wrote a theme song for the first Rocky film as well as several other songs. To see the Teddy Bears singing their hit, look below. To hear Amy Winehouse’s version, look below that. “First, I’d like to know what God sees when he takes LSD. And second, I’d like to know what you say to God when he sneezes.” —Phil Spector