This Diamond Ring

"This Diamond Ring" is a 1965 pop song written by Al Kooper, Bob Brass and Irwin Levine, and attributed to Gary Lewis and the Playboys though none of the Playboys performed on the recording and Lewis' vocals are overdubbed by Ron Hicklin's. (Brackett 2000, p.2-3) The session drummer was Hal Blaine (ibid, p.5). Leon Russell produced the record.

Stylistically, the song may be described as schlock-rock, a type of teenybop. It features the then common "basic 'combo' instrumentation...(electric guitar, organ, bass, drums), modal (dorian) inflections in the harmony and melody of the verse, and a basic rock beat pattern." Unusually the chorus features timpani and the transition between verse and chorus creates a daring modulation from C minor (dorian) to G-flat major (ibid, p.3-4)

"The musical style", says Brackett, "skims aspects from contemporary rock songs, and is then produced and arranged from the vantage point of 'easy-listening' music." The song's harmonic progression resembles those of Beatle's songs such as the G-flat/F/E-flat/D-flat descending bass line ("Bad to Me") and the vi-iii movement ("Please Please me", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You", "And I Love Here" and others). The melodic turn on "true" of "if you find someone whose heart is true" resembles those in "Please Please Me" ("Last night I said these words to my girl") and "Do You Want to Know a Secret" ("nobody knows, just we two"). (ibid, p.4)

Source

• Brackett, David (1995/2000). Interpreting Popular Music. ISBN 0520225414.