Comments on: CD Spotlight: Rag Doll

By: George Costa

George Costa — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:44:52 +0000

I have JOYRIDE LPM-1317. It’s in what I would consider very good to excellent condition. I bought it in 1967 at a garage sale and have only played it once, knowing that it was going to be valuable. Jacket is in very good condition also. I’m at gmcosta@aol.com

By: Ray Ricci

Ray Ricci — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:13:10 +0000

If you listen to Frankie’s recent concert ending to “December 63″, his last line seems to be very
much like the opening verse of the Dells “Oh What A Night”.

If that was intentional, what a clever nod to a song
with a similar title.

By: Ted Hammond

Ted Hammond — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 15:18:05 +0000

Speaking of Vee Jay, which also had The Dells early in their career, and Rag Doll, it is interesting to note that most almost all the number one songs by the Four Seasons have now been duplicated with another song by the same name. Presently, another “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)” by Fergie rides near the top of the Hot 100. I give them credit for adding a subtitle, though it seems to have been added recently. Another “Sherry” with no subtitle by the Keane Brothers reached #84 in 1976, Another “Walk Like A Man” (no subttitle) reached #19 for Grand Funk Railroad in 1973. Another “Rag Doll” (no subtitle) by Aerosmith reached #17 in 1988. Still another “Rag Doll” (no subtitle) by Sammy Johns reached #52 in 1975. The Dells, who as we said before had also been on Vee Jay had “Oh, What A Night” which reached #10 in 1969. I give the Four Seasons a lot of credit for making “December, 1963″ the actual title, and “Oh, What A Night” as a subtitle. I think the rest should have used subtitles for the new and different songs. I guess you can’t argue with a good song name, though, even to this day.

By: David Cace

David Cace — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 22:52:16 +0000

Don’t feel badly Jim, $2.99 was a lot of money back in 1964, my guess would be about $25.00 in today’s dollars. And the BV4S was a double album so I believe the original price was $4.99 back then or about $50.00 or so in today’s dollars.

Another interesting fact about the BV4S was how cheap VeeJay records was. Not only was VeeJay the king of repackaging material and selling the same material over and over, but if you look at the actual records in the BV4S album you will see that they used the same records that appeared in “The Golden Hits of The Four Seasons” and “Introducing The Beatles.” VeeJay didn’t even change the record labels to reflect the title of the new album cover.

VeeJay had The Four Seasons and the Beatles and Jerry Butler and Betty Everett and other great artists and they never had money. I think Howard and I need to do an audit.

By: Ted Hammond

Ted Hammond — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 17:58:36 +0000

I think that “Bermuda” and “Spanish Lace”, the B or A side depending on the market, are lost in some dispute over who owns what rights. I have heard both. “Spanish Lace” has quite the same sound of the Four Seasons in later material. I actually heard “Spanish Lace” played on the radio in 1963 on WTRX 1330 Flint, Michigan. “Spanish Lace” was released in 1961. It was originally done as a solo by Bob Gaudio as “Turner DiSentri” on Topix 6001.