Today in Frankie Valli/4 Seasons History
March 22nd, 2007On March 22, 1975, Frankie Valli hit Number One on the Billboard Pop Chart with “My Eyes Adored You.” The song stayed in the top spot for one week and remained on the chart for 23 weeks.
This song, written by the Four Seasons long-time producer and co-writer, Bob Crewe, and Kenny Nolan, was a sentimental ballad that Frankie recorded during his years at Motown in the early 1970s. Motown sat on the track for a year and a half without issuing it. Finally, when Frankie’s contract ran out in 1973, he bought back the master for $4,000.
Right about that time, Larry Uttal was organizing his new label, Private Stock. He needed a first release, and called Bob Crewe. At a dinner party, Crewe played the song, explaining that it would make a good B side for something else. Uttal disagreed; that tune was an A side all the way.
“My Eyes Adored You” was shipped to radio stations in October 1974. It started to get a little play in November, breaking out in various parts of the country. It wasn’t until after Christmas, though, that the record broke wide open. By March 1975, it was the top pop song in the country.
One of my most vivid lifetime memories is listening to Casey Kasem’s “American Top 40″ the prior Sunday when “Eyes” reached #1. My father and I heard the song just after it was released in Nov., 1974, and he loved it. He passed away two days later, and I listened to Casey’s “AT 40″ evey week to monitor its ever-so-slow progress to the top of the charts (it took a then-record 18 weeks), almost as a tribute to my father.
“My Eyes Adored You” had hit #2 the W/E 3/15/75, and I knew from Casey’s show that “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” had stalled at #2 in 1967, unable to overtake the Association’s “Windy”.
As the countdown continued on 3/17, and the Doobie Brothers’ Black Water slipped to #4 from #1, I knew there were only three possibilities for #1: Frankie’s “Eyes”, LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” and Minnie Riperton’s “Lovin’ You”. First, Casey announced “Lovin’ You” at #3, and I not-so-patiently waited for the birds to stop chirping. As he then introduced LaBelle’s “Marmalade” at #2, I let out a shout (and I was alone) “Dad, we made it!” and literally wept.
Memories of that day came flooding back to me the moment I heard Christian Hoff start his beautiful Tony-winning speech with “Papa, this is for us!”
The next Sunday, I didn’t have to wait long to learn “My Eyes Adored You” had slipped to #8, and my life returned to normal. Or had it??
Comment by Howard Tucker — March 22, 2007 @ 7:02 am
Howard,
You write beautifully, and your attention to detail and sentimental rememberances are impressive. Like you, my memories of Four Seasons’ music and songs are intrinsically linked to personal events, making them all the more meaningful. As I expressed in my JB fan interview, that’s part of the magical appeal in hearing those songs in ‘Jersey Boys’ now, so many years later!
Pamela
Comment by Pamela — March 22, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Pamela,
Thanks for the kind words. I just re-read your Fantastic Fan interview, and it’s amazing how much we have in common. We both grew up in NJ (I in Clifton), and are both NYC residents now. My very first job was as an usher in the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ, where you saw the 4 Seasons in concert. (Unlike John Lloyd, however, I never graduated to the other side of the stage!)
Re your comment on seeing the show many times, I just spoke with my cousin who, like your sister, lives just outside of Washington, D.C. Told her I’d love to take her, and she accepted, but wondered why someone would want to see the same show “more than one or two times.” You hit upon the satisfaction we get from going with various people who’ve been important to us at different times in our lives, and enjoying their satisfaction at seeing the show for the first time!! Thanks again, Pamela.
Howard
Comment by Howard Tucker — March 22, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
Howard, thank you for sharing that memory with us – you made me cry. You are a truly gifted writer. I can’t wait for you to have your own blog so I can read you every day.
Comment by Catherine — March 23, 2007 @ 8:09 am
Some great and moving comments by all.
I remember seeing Frankie in concert in late 73 or early 74 and he would sing “My Eyes Adored You” without any fanfare or introduction and I would say that’s a nice song with a catchy melody. It sought of grew on you and eventually it grew on everyone and became a number one song. “My Eyes Adored You” is truly Frankie’s come back song, and a testament to staying with what you believe in.
The only other historical note I can add is from an interview given by co-writer Kenny Nolan who said he dreamt about sitting on a train and singing in the “Me Eyes Adored You” melody “Blue Eyes in Georgia…They’re the only eyes I ever loved, my eyes in Georgia.” The next day when he was putting a demo of the song on cassette “Blue Eyes in Georgia” became “My Eyes Adored You.”
A few years later, Kenny Nolan recorded a song by himself called “I Like Dreamin’” and had a big hit with it with basically the same melody.
Comment by David Cace — March 24, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
David, you continue to astound me with your vast knowledge and insight; thank you. It’s indeed a small world; back in 1981, during a cruise on the Rhine River, I spoke with a fellow American travler at length about Kenny Nolan. He had done a thesis or term paper focusing on the genesis of “I Like Dreamin’” and how it became a hit.
As much as “My Eyes Adored You” has meant to me over the years, I never knew or didn’t recall until recently that Kenny Nolan had co-written it, and wouldn’t have had the slightest inkling it started as “Blue Eyes in Georgia”. More amazingly, I just “googled” Kenny Nolan and discovered he also co-wrote LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade”, which was popular at the same time as “Eyes”.
Comment by Howard Tucker — March 25, 2007 @ 7:01 am
Howard, have you seen the movie “Disturbia”? When I have seen it on cable, I think of that era you described in 1975 when the main character plays “Lovin’ You” loudly on his stereo to disrupt his love interest’s party next door.
I don’t know if we covered this before, but “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” reached #1 on Cash Box TWICE. It dropped down and went back up the following week to #1. So besides being #1 on many LOCAL station charts, it was #1 on Cash Box. “Let’s Hang On” also reached #1 on Cash Box, BTW.
Comment by Ted Hammond — March 19, 2009 @ 8:27 pm