The Four Seasons

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:42 pm

Anyone hear like them? I was hooked the first time I heard "Ragdoll" I had remembered "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Sherry" etc. but Ragdoll really did it for me. I saw them a few years ago at Foxwoods, Franki Valli was the only original member and looked really good for his age, sang pretty well also although he's not hitting all those high falsettos anymore, haha! But I can't really think of any of their songs that I didn't like, they were a great band with an especially good bass player, Franki's lead vocals and great harmony's, what more could you want in a band?

jerrymac51 · Post by **jerrymac51** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:39 pm

The first time I went to a record store to buy a record, I flipped through the 45s and picked out Twist & Shout (on Tollie records) and Rag Doll. If I remember correctly, the flip side of Rag Doll was Silence is Golden. Later, I bought Working My Way Back To You which was OK, but I didn't like Walk Like a Man. By that time, I was in a band and it was sort of uncool to like the Seasons, but I still smile whenever I hear Rag Doll.

BTW, have you ever heard Del Shannon do Rag Doll???

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:00 pm

No I haven't but Del did a great "Handyman" though, I have to get some more of his stuff.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:18 pm

Silence is Golden was on "b"side of Rag Doll, of course The Tremeloes recorded Silence and went to number one here in UK, prefer their version but as I have said before it all depends in the main on whose version you hear first.

Handyman was a number three here in UK in 1960 for Jimmy Jones.

Del Shannon was the first American to record a Lennon- McCartney song and it was a minor hit but fact remains it was the first Lennon-McCartney song to make the charts in US and for thos ewho wish to listen to it , here it is.

To get these tracks by the way you need to download a small programme DAP first but it is free and you can get it from the link

http://mailaccelerator.dapdrive.com/AV.asp?ID=D52C3907-C146-4D0D-A84A-7EC6F7D06A39

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 11:42 pm

Initially the Four Lovers, The Four Seasons came out strong with "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like A Man." Certainly the voice of Frankie Valli had everyone sit up and take notice. I always thought his voice on "Walk Like A Man" was at a pitch that stretched the credibility of the song lyric, however, a great recording nonetheless.

The group really took falsetto to the zenith and as I think back they may have been the first to take it out of the background as use it as a lead voice.

What I admired about this group was their ability to adapt to changing times. As much as I enjoyed their first hits, "December 1963" was and still is an outstanding number and is among my favourites. It took us back to the sixties at the time of its release in 1976.

I still, to this day, don't know why "Silence Is Golden" wasn't a blockbuster hit for them. I guess it was still the days of when the A Side ruled.

If there is one song that pulls out all the stops for the Four Seasons it has to be "Rag Doll" which is definitely a classic. But let's face it there were so many strong melodies introduced by this group. Let's not forget the gentle "Save It For Me", the vibrant "Let's Hang On", and the passionate "Working My Way Back To You." All great melodies with lyrics that readily captured the imagination with but a single two minute exposure.

Music for all seasons.

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:49 am

Roy: The Tremeloes did a fine version of "Silence Is Golden" and had the right vocal arrangement and blend of harmonies for the day. I have always wondered why they deviated from their strength as a pop group and changed direction at the end of the 1960s. In hindsight, a horrible move I am afraid.

Brian Poole left the group to find his own fame and fortune, only to end up out of the music loop whilst the Tremeloes soldiered on with good results. Yet the Tremeloes would use a similar strategy even after their successes and met the same disaster.

While there are no guarantees in the music business, it must have been hard pill to swallow for them.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:24 am

Del's version is very close to The Beatles version, I'm surprised. it must have sounded strange to people here back then, I knew that he had recorded a Beatle tune but didn't know which one and when. I think it's pretty good, not as good as The beatles version but pretty good nonetheless.
I have a newer double Four Seasons greatest hits and in it it says that they had so many hits at the time they just neglected to release this, I don't know if that is just record company hyperbole or if it is true but I liked The Tremeloes version better anyway. They really did it up on this song, The Four Seasons story may be true because it doesn't sound like they spent a lot of time on their version, doesn't sound like one of their very well produced singles, is very simple.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:20 am

Walk Like a Mezzo-Soprano. Amazing strength and range, that guy...

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:29 am

The 4 Seasons "Golden Vault of Hits" is one of the best records ever..... wonderful from beginning to end.

As for me attempting to cover any of their songs... fuggedaboudit.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:37 am

All the Four Seasons stuff is great. I bought a CD of all their hits earlier this year. I like Sherry, Rag Doll, Dawn, Big Girls Don't Cry (not the remix), Working My Way Back To You.

I'm not sure whether they did the original, but their vesion of Gypsy Woman is great!!

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 10:43 am

I ahave a version of Dawn by The Rocking berries and actually I prefer their brit beat tratment.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:00 am

I have the "Gold Vault of Hits" on vinyl. The cassettes I bought at their concert are from Rhino and I just looked in amazon.com and some company wants $69.00 for the set, hahah! I also really like December 1963 although Frankie Valli only sings the middle parts.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:28 am

Err...sorry to be the spoiler here, but even back in the day I felt The Four Seasons were the anti-cool. I can't listen to them to this day, though Rag Doll and a few others certainly are great records. Frankie Valli's voice, as Peter so tactfully put it, does make one sit up and take notice.

chingnchime · Post by **chingnchime** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 4:25 pm

Although I'm a huge Brian wilson/ BB fan, i have to say that up until GOOD VIBRATIONS the Four Seasons gave the Beach Boys a run for their money. I think many of the '62-'64 singles were every bit as good, and NOBODY seems to give any credit to Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio for putting these great singles together. Of course, the Four Seasons didn't have Derek Taylor as their publicity man as did the BBs, either!

chingnchime · Post by **chingnchime** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 4:29 pm

Almost forgot- I DO believe The Tradewinds' NEW YORK'S A LONELY TOWN really is the Four Seasons under a different name. Even though Frankie Valli sings in a less harsh, softer tone, the phrasing and pronunciation definitely sounds like him.Anyone???????