Excerpt of Awesome @NYTObits on Bob Crewe
September 15th, 2014
The Four Seasons (L-R Joe Long, Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli, Charles Calello {arranger} and Bob Crewe {producer} seated) listen to a playback in the studio on April 19, 1967 in New York City, New York. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
The New York Times posted a wonderful piece on the late Bob Crewe, highlighting his amazing career and reflecting on his talents and decades of success in the music business. Below is an excerpt:
With bright bells, ample strings and big, precise percussion, Mr. Crewe’s productions were crisp confections that gave little ground to the rougher rock that was on the rise in the 1960s. He wrote about innocent crushes, direct sexuality and heartache, his metaphors always accessible. Against the big melody of “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore),” which was first recorded by the Four Seasons but became a bigger hit for the Walker Brothers, he wrote in sad counterpoint:Loneliness is the coat you wear,
A deep shade of blue is always there.
The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore.
The moon ain’t gonna rise in the sky
The tears are always clouding your eyes
When you’re without love.
Click HERE to read the entire piece.
I saw this article in the Saturday edition of The New York Times and it brought tears of both sadness and joy to my eyes. Sadness on the passing of an extremely talented person and joy that Mr. Crewe was acknowledged in such a high-regard for his musical accomplishments. Fortunately, with the success of Jersey Boys, he will live on as a character in the stage show (and resulting film) and will be remembered as a key contributor to the Four Seasons’ sound.
Comment by Len Gersten — September 16, 2014 @ 10:04 am