Even though I’ve watched the newer Four Seasons perform in the SF area when I was growing up in the 70′s, after watching Jersey Boys and reading through the book insert in “Jersey Beat”, it’s great learning more and more about the group other than just what is witnessed onstage during the play.

The GILG website sure is “The” source for the real life history of the Four Seasons and info that digs deeper into their lives and how the stories behind the music. The website is a “Must” for everyone that loves both the Four Seasons and the Jersey Boys!

Thanks again! GILG sure provided me with info on their discography and a huge window into their past!

What you are describing is pretty much my understanding as well, with one exception. Bob Crewe has made the same mistake I have heard others make in the female jazz singers that Frankie had as his early influences. Rose Murphy is the Chee Chee girl who sang all her songs in the high pitched voice including “ICGYABL.” Nellie Lutcher is the jazz singer from whom Frankie took “My Mother’s Eyes” which is also in the play. Actually Ms. Lutcher was quite a “legitimate” singer who could do jazz, R&B, and traditional mainstream music. Her version of “My Mother’s Eyes” is quite traditional and done in a regular key, not the Rose Murphy key that only Frankie could do. I talked about Rose Murphy in comments attached to the March 15, 2007 JB Blog entry regarding the “Sherry and 11 Others” album that Susie highlighted.

Actually it is the Rose Murphy influence that was Frankie’s inspiration for “I’m in The Mood For Love/Moody’s Mood For Love” that is used in the play but in a more legitimate way than the way Frankie used to do it on stage. Bob Gaudio said in an interview that Moody’s Mood For Love had a male and a female part in it and Frankie would do both on stage fooling around. Bob Gaudio said that is when he first heard Frankie’s full falsetto and that was his inspiration for “Sherry.” That and Bruce Channel’s “Hey Baby.”

Mike, if you are interested in the background for the first act read Rex Woodard’s 1982 article in Goldmine magazine. That article and others can be found on Frank Rovello’s fabulous GILG web site.

Bob Crewe “almost” hit it as good as John Lloyd Young or Jarrod Spector when he sang it though….. I didn’t know that he had it in him! His take on that song during the show on Ovation was that Frankie was bored one night, so he wanted to sing something and that “ICGYABL” really highlighted his falsetto. Tommy DeVito, Nick DeVito and Nick Massi knew they were on to something after hearing Frankie sing that song.

That’s how they probably wrote the 1st scene of Jersey Boys after “Ces Soiree La”.

Yes “East Meets West” was the song done with the Beach Boys.

“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” is on the 4 Seasons first album with the really inventive title of “Sherry and 11 Others.” I think that is what you are referring to. It is a black album with the boys pictured in a circle on the cover with red stripped shirts.

I didn’t get to see this program you refer to that had Bob Crewe on and singing “ICGYABL.” On the “Sherry” album Frankie sings it in a high pitched style imitating legendary jazz singer Rose Murphy, which is not like it is done in Jersey Boys. Did Bob Crewe sing it Rose Murphy style or as depicted in Jersey Boys?

If that is not what you are referring to the only song, not album, that I am aware of that has “Sherry” in its title is the response song to “Sherry” called “Jerry, I’m Your Sherry.” It’s actually quite comical, although I doubt it was intended to be.

Do you know which record that has “Sherry” as part of the title is? I saw part of the album cover on the CBS Sunday Morning show about the Four Seasons/Jersey Boys, and the 1st song on it was “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”….., which was “sung” by Bob Crewe on the Ovation Channel show last month.

Please let me know if you’re familiar with it and if it’s available on CD. Thanks!