Comments on: New JB Blog Poll: Whatâ€™s Your Favorite Frankie Valli Solo Hit?

By: David Cace

David Cace — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:11:23 +0000

I just put in my vote for my most favorite Frankie Valli Solo Hit and noticed one 1966 Frankie Valli Solo release was missing from the list, not that I would have voted for it, quite the contrary, but it was an early 1966 Frankie Valli Solo release and did get some air play (I would have to look up the highest position it reached on the charts, but it wasn’t very high, maybe 25 or so in NY, probably lower nationally) but in a strange sort of way it had some significance in 4 Seasons’ history, and that song was “You’re Ready Now.” If memory serves me, it was released between “You’re Gonna Hurt Yourself” and “The Proud One.” And it was the last Frankie Valli Solo release on the “Smash” label, “The Proud One” being Frankie’s firt solo release on “Philips.”

“You’re Ready Now” in interesting and historically significant for two reasons. First, the “B” side to “You’re Ready Now” is another even more obscure song, at least that is until “Jersey Boys” and that song is “Cry For Me.” Daniel Reichard’s version is much better and the arrangement is far superior. “Cry For Me” never appeared on an album and I believe only appears on some CD reissues so if you don’t have the “You’re Ready Now” 45 rpm record, you probably never heard Frankie sing “Cry For Me.” It has female background singers and a rather strange arrangement, kind of “winding.” You have to hear it.

Second, as more fully discussed in the often mentioned Rex Woodard article (the first one this time), “You’re Ready Now” was “discovered” by some “offshore” UK DJ in late 1970, some 4 years after its original release, who liked it and thought it was a fine example of a “soul” record. I never got that impression, even remotely, but I am not the UK DJ. In any event, “You’re Ready Now” caught on on mainstream UK radio and thus the unexpected demand for a hurry-up UK tour in 1971 to capitalize on the popularity of a “new” Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons hit song. The Jersey Boys Blog recently posted a 1971 UK TV appearance featuring Bob Grimm as a member of the 4 Seasons. If it weren’t for “You’re Ready Now” Bob Grimm’s battlefield promotion from back-up guitar playing band member to performing “Season” may not have occurred (Demetri Callas a few months later becoming the new permanent performing lead guitarist).

By: Administrator

Administrator — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 05:41:58 +0000

Great suggestion, Howard! Another one of my favorites is the Manhattan Transfer’s rendition of “Let’s Hang On.”

By: Beverley Micciche

Beverley Micciche — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 16:44:18 +0000

After having seen Jersey Boys again last night and after just listening to the excerpts of songs to vote for on the current Valli Solo Hit Poll, it is uncanny how John Lloyd Young sounds so much like Frankie Valli. In fact, I think it would be difficult for anyone to tell the difference. Maybe the song currently leading in the poll is in this position because it is also a solo in the show.

By: Howard

Howard — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:38:39 +0000

I listened closely on the Anthology CD’s to many of the songs that didn’t get a lot of airplay when first released. Some are amazing…my friend, 4 Seasons historian David Cace, introduced me to “To Give”, which I don’t even recall from its initial release. I can’t stop listening to it now. Please give all the songs above a listen before voting! Great summary above, JB Blogmaster.

And a suggestion to the Blogmaster: at some point, you may want to poll which 4 Seasons/Frankie Valli remake by other artists is the fans’ favorite. In addition to those cited above, the ones that immediately come to mind are Robert John’s remake of “Sherry”, the various remakes (Lettermen, Nancy Wilson, Lauryn Hill, Barry Manilow) of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, the Barry Manilow remake of “Let’s Hang On”, Jackson Browne’s remake of “Stay”, the Spinners “Working My Way Back to You”, Donny Osmond’s “C’mon Marianne”, and the list goes on and on.