Tulips For Toinette – Johnny Kongos & The G-Men
Tulips For Toinette – Johnny Kongos & The G-Men
Before his sons were taking pounding pop rock music into the US and Canadian charts, and before he was taking pounding pop rock songs into the UK charts (after he dropped the ‘ny’ at the end of his name as well as the G-Men), Johnny Kongos and his G-Men were making rock ‘n’ roll music in the early 60’s. One of those songs is the rather beautiful ballad ‘Tulips For Toinette’ which was released in 1963 and in those days before the Springbok Top 20, it made number 2 on the LM Hit Parade.
The song was written in memory of a fan of the group (aged 11 if the lyrics of the song is anything to go by) who tragically died on her way to one of their concerts and as such has a rather sad tone to it. There is a cowboy riding his horse rhythm to the beat of the song while a piano gently tinkles in the background (which may well be Koos’ Lisa playing as is a mooiste melodie). This gently rocking and piano underpin some nice harmonies in the vocals which suggest that some Everly Brothers must have been on Kongos & his mates turntable at some point.
Yes, there were loads of American teen idols from the 50s and early 60s who made this sort of music. Names like Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vee and Bobby Vinton come to mind, but this was a local lad who was doing it and doing it really well. The song has certainly dated, but as the opening track on the first volume of the original and very important historic record ‘The Best Of SA Pop’ series, it has cemented its place in SA rock history and I am sure the memory of little Toinette will live for a long time still.
Where to find it:
Various Artists – The Best of SA Pop Volume 1 (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40485 (CD)
Video:
1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf 
One of the Best songs ever written. A true Johnny Kongos classic. The words of the song dedicated to Toinette an 11 year old child taken away so tragically still brings tears to my eyes at my tender age.
i was named after this song by my late dad…..he loved this song so much and always said that if he had a daughter she would be named after this song. He did and am called Toinette by family but my full name in Antoinette.
In 1965, on my eleventh birthda
Y, I picked up a record at a Mowbray busstop while waiting for the Newlands bus to see my mother at work. When I had the opportunity to listen to it I was mesmerized by the melancholy sound of Tulips for Toinette I just listened to it and relived the sweet irony of that day