The 4 Seasons’ Debut Album: Sherry and 11 Others
March 15th, 2007Both Jersey Boys director Des McAnuff and JBB Fantastic Fan and Special Correspondent Howard Tucker have noted that the Four Seasons’ “Sherry and 11 Others” was the first rock and roll album they bought as kids. Although this album was not the first I purchased as a kid, it has become one of my top five favorites of all time. My first album? Well, it was the same group, different year: Back in 1971 at the age of ten, I remember purchasing the 1964 “Rag Doll” album at a neighbor’s garage sale for a quarter. To this day, that album (reissued as a CD in 1995) is my personal favorite Four Seasons’ album!
“Sherry and 11 Others” is the album that started it all for the 4 Seasons, with the Number One hits “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Along with those two chart-topping smash hits, the 4 Seasons do an amazing job covering some early rock and roll hits, as well as new versions of songs they recorded as the 4 Lovers.
Among the cuts that stand out include the Seasons’ rendition of “La Dee Dah,” which was originally a Top Ten hit for Billy and Lillie in 1959. This catchy tune, written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay, not only shows off Frankie Valli’s fantastic vocals (“la dee dah, oh boy, let’s go, cha cha cha”), but also features Tommy DeVito’s amazing solo guitar.
“Never on Sunday” is in a class by itself with Frankie showing some attitude with one of his early growls.
We all know about “Sherry,” “Dawn,” and “Ronnie,” but maybe not so much about the Four Seasons’ rendition of “Oh, Carol,” the Neil Sedaka hit from 1959. By the way, did you know Sedaka wrote this song for singer/songwriter Carole King? Not only will you hear Frankie sing his heart out, but you’ll also have a chance to hear Nick Massi’s sensational bass vocals.
Even on the roughest of days, this CD is a treat for me on the long drive home! The 60-minute commute last night was especially bearable: It was 82 degrees; the top was down; and Nick Massi was singing “crazy ’bout you baby won’t you call my name” on “Peanuts.” Hope you enjoy these samples of “Sherry and 11 Others” as much as I do.
My first record purchase at 12 years old was the “Sherry” 45. When “Big Girls Don’t Cry” came out I bought that 45 as well and the fine salesman at the local record store then brought me over to the album section and said I might be intereted in this album by the 4 Seasons and it was “Sherry and 11 Others.” I ran home to beg for $2.89, BIG money in those days, to buy the album. I too was immediately captivated by the songs on this album.
Just two things to add to your fine commentary on the album. First, there is the remake of the Four Lovers 1956 hit song “You’re The Apple of My Eye.” The original Four Lovers consisted of Frankie, Tommy, Tommy’s brother Nick, and “Handsome Hank” Majewski. The lead singing on the “Apple” version appearing in Jersey Boys is sung by Christian as Tommy instead of by Frankie and the bass work of Bobby as Nick Massi is based on the 4 Seasons cover not the Four Lovers original version.
The second thing to point out is that you hear Frankie sing the first song he did as depicted in Jersey Boys “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” but the difference is that he does it on the album in his Rose Murphy voice in the Rose Murphy style including the patented Rose Murphy “Bruup Bruups.” As Frankie has often stated he was a big fan of jazz singers and R&B artists and Rose Murphy was one of the singers he listened to. Rose Murphy was a rather large woman but sang in a little tiny high pitched voice and was known as the “Che Che Girl.” This name came to her originally because if she forgot the words to a song when performing live she would substitute sounds like “Che Che” for the forgotten words. This then became part of her act and her stage name.
Rose Murphy’s biggest hit song was a tune called “Busy Line” and it was about a person calling his/her lover on the telephone and getting frustrated because they were constatntly getting a busy signal, which Ms. Murphy imitated on the song, which sounded something like “Bruup Bruup” at that time. Thus you have the origination of the “Bruup Bruups” on Frankie’s album version of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” which “Bruup Bruups” later appear on “Don’t Think Twice” as sung by the “Wonder Who.”
Comment by David Cace — March 15, 2007 @ 9:29 am
I happen to have this cd, along with “Big Girl’s Don’t Cry and Twelve Others” and “Ain’t That A Shame and Eleven Others” currently loaded in my car cd system! Of particular significance on the cd, the old standard “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” sounds like an early version of The 4 Seasons alter ego The Wonder Who?
By the way, I am a regular reader of this blog and I think you do a fantastic job of keeping up with all the latest news and including other interesting tidbits regarding both Jersey Boys and the original boys, Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons! Thanks for your diligent efforts!!
Len Gersten
Comment by Len Gersten — March 15, 2007 @ 9:57 am
Len
You are correct regarding “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” There is a connection to the “Wonder Who,” See above comment No. 1.
The only other thing to add is that when the 4 Seasons were recording the “Big Hits” album for Philips (half Bacharach/David hits and half Dillon hits) and did the basic track (instruments and background vocals) for Dillon’s “Don’t Think Twice” it was done in a key that was too high for Frankie’s regular/normal voice. They had to either do the basic track over again or Frankie had to sing it in a higher key, which obviously was not a problem for him. He apparently started fooling around in the higher key using his old Rose Murphy voice. As I understand it, the “Wonder Who” was created by accident in this way, Rose Murphy’s “Bruup, Bruups” included. It is also my understanding that is was Bob Crewe who said let’s do it that way and release it. Frank Rovello from the GILG website may be able to add some additional color to this quirk of fate genesis of the “Wonder Who” (“The stars were in alignment”)
Comment by David Cace — March 15, 2007 @ 11:29 am
David,
As always, you are an incrediable source of information regarding Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons (and apparently Rose Murphy as well!)!! Although my post above was obviously received after your initial post regarding the “Sherry and 11 Others” blog entry, it had not yet been posted at the time I submitted mine. My comment pales in camparison to all the wonderful insights you offer in the above two comments.
The background information you share concerning the making of the record “Don’t Think Twice,” by the Wonder Who is truly fascinating. Over the years, I had heard some asides concerning the origin of this track, but your version seems to makes the most sense. And the information you share regarding your purchase of the original album is uncanny!! The fact that you can remember the exact purchase price of the record, $2.89, is literally priceless!
I (and I am sure many others on this blog and the related podcasts) enjoy your comments immensely! They add a wonderful dimension and scope to the understanding and history of Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons, and Jersey Boys in particular, and the development our country’s popular music and cultural heritage in more general terms.
Thank you,
Len
Comment by Len Gersten — March 16, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Len
Thank you for the kind words. For many of us who frequent the Blog, the 4 Seasons were a big part of our life in the ’60s as “kids” and to be able to share stories and history about the group after all these years is just great and we all have “Jersey Boys” and Susie’s “Blog” to thank for that, as well as Steve and Christy Holden’s “Podcast” and Frank Rovello’s GILG web site. To this day, I continue to pick up information about the group from other fans and from interviews I read given by Frankie, Bob, and Tommy, and those connected with “Jersey Boys.” Perhaps the only thing I have more information of than most is that I saw the original 4 Seasons, and that is always inclusive of Joe Long in my opinion, perform in concert so often. Later in life, I did some research on the 1950s material and artists like Rose Murphy, Nellie Lutcher, James Moody, Annie Ross, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, and Little Jimmy Scott, and then only because they were inspirations to Frankie Valli.
Regarding the many stories about “Don’t Think Twice” and the “Wonder Who” I am very confident that the version I gave is the correct version as I have confirmed it with Frank Rovello, and is more or less the version used by the group when they performed it live back in the ’60s and they did a little introduction of the making of it before they sang it, which was always done with a little dose of humor. “Don’t Think Twice” became their audience participation song and always got the crowd going. Thanks for letting me share this with you and other 4 Seasons fans.
Comment by David Cace — March 16, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
David & Len,
Thank you so much for your comments about Jersey Boys Blog! It’s been a blast to share the news and stories of such an amazing show and at the same time, pay tribute to the Four Seasons!
Your insight into the Four Seasons’ music is phenomenal and appreciated! Can’t wait to hear what you guys have to say about “Big Girls Don’t Cry & 12 Others” (coming soon to the blog)!
Best,
Susie
Comment by Administrator — March 18, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Now that the blog has moved on to “Big Girls Don’t Cry and Twelve Others” some final comments on “Sherry & 11 Others.”
“Peanuts” was a remake of “Peanut” (with no “S” on the end) originally
done by Little Joe & The Thrillers in 1957.
“The Girl In My Dreams” is a remake of a remake where like in “Peanuts” with an “S,” the title of the original was slightly changed. Frankie and Tommy with Tommy’s brother Nick and Hank Majewski recorded “The Girl in My Dreams” as the Four Lovers for RCA and it appeared as the “B” side to the Four Lovers only hit “You’re The Apple of My Eye.” But the original original was entitled “Girl of My Dreams” with credit going to The Cliques as the artists in 1956. Actually “The Cliques” was Jesse Belvin who recorded his voice fout times to create the effect of a four man group. Jesse Belvin is more famous for recording “Goodnight My Love” which was also covered by the 4 Seasons (see “Big Girls Don’t Cry and Twelve Others” Jersey Boys Blog entry). Legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll DJ Alan Freed used to close his show every night with “Goodnight My Love” by Jesse Belvin. It is my understanding that his closing line was “It’s not goodbye but just goodnight.” Jesse Belvin is also credited as one of the song writers of the Rock ‘n” Roll classic, “Earth Angel” a song also later covered by the 4 Seasons on the “Dawn” album and which is sung by Christian Hoff in “Jersey Boys.”
Lastly, “Lost Lullabye” was a remake originally done by that now famous group Billy Dixon & The Topics. If I recall correctly, it was the “B” side to the now famous “Trance” as sung by Donnie Kerr in “Jersey Boys.” It was one of the first, if not the first, collaberations by Gaudio and Crewe.
Comment by David Cace — March 25, 2007 @ 6:39 pm