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The Four Seasons
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Topic: The Four Seasons (Read 5012 times)
SMiLE Brian
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The Four Seasons
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on:
October 09, 2011, 09:16:19 PM »
What do you guys think of this group? I think they are pretty good and the last great Doo-Wop group in the 1950s tradition. But I also think Frankie's great falsetto is still a notch bellow Brian's otherworldly Falsetto.
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And production aside, I’d so much rather hear a 14 year old David Marks shred some guitar on Chug-a-lug than hear a 51 year old Mike Love sing about bangin some chick in a swimming pool.-rab2591
Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #1 on:
October 09, 2011, 10:03:21 PM »
Yes of course Frankie's falsetto is inferior, but outside of that, they are a fantastic band. Their studio tracks were great too, I don't know who played drums for the 4 seasons but he was great. There's a ton of great songs, with great moments in them. I like for instance how the guitar just scorches "Let's Hang On". Whoever the studio guy that day was, he must have wanted a tip or something. Some of Frankie's lines like "Don'tttt cool off, while I'm Burnin!!!" are just great. He was a great singer, and they had a fantastic sound.
I even like some of their sleezy 70's stuff like "Who loves you" or whatever it's called. Great song.
Honestly though I'm most struck by their drums. I'm serious. Check out the drums on their songs.
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SMiLE Brian
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #2 on:
October 09, 2011, 10:12:00 PM »
Quote from: Ron on October 09, 2011, 10:03:21 PM
Yes of course Frankie's falsetto is inferior, but outside of that, they are a fantastic band. Their studio tracks were great too, I don't know who played drums for the 4 seasons but he was great. There's a ton of great songs, with great moments in them. I like for instance how the guitar just scorches "Let's Hang On". Whoever the studio guy that day was, he must have wanted a tip or something. Some of Frankie's lines like "Don'tttt cool off, while I'm Burnin!!!" are just great. He was a great singer, and they had a fantastic sound.
I even like some of their sleezy 70's stuff like "Who loves you" or whatever it's called. Great song.
Honestly though I'm most struck by their drums. I'm serious. Check out the drums on their songs.
Will check out the sleazy 70s stuff, I like Frankie's lower voice a lot as well.
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And production aside, I’d so much rather hear a 14 year old David Marks shred some guitar on Chug-a-lug than hear a 51 year old Mike Love sing about bangin some chick in a swimming pool.-rab2591
Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #3 on:
October 09, 2011, 10:31:04 PM »
I always refer to it as 'sleazy' because they moved from their more innocent sound of the 60's into songs that were more about sex and had that disco/porno sound, lol. I love it, though, to be honest with you. I'm sure you've heard "Grease" although I guess that's just Frankie, then there's "Who Loves You" which is great, and also of course "Oh What a Night" or whatever it's called. Great song, nice falsetto work.
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grillo
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #4 on:
October 09, 2011, 11:08:07 PM »
I really dig the drums too! The whole production they had going through the sixties was really crisp and tight...you can see where Jan Berry must've been influenced by it. Frankie's falsetto isn't that great, but his lead voice is cool and the 'good guy' style backing vocals are wild! This is one of my favorites...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmeF8XvkqE
the video images blow, but the music rocks!
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Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #5 on:
October 09, 2011, 11:16:46 PM »
That's a great song, yup. Great drums too, lol.
I like "Don't worry About Me" (Opus 17) , but the song has a fatal flaw, it keeps building and building but has nowhere to go, so at the end it all just gets bad. It starts off, though, and you think it's going to be the greatest song ever recorded. Frankie kills the vocal. Check out the background vocals. I always loved how they sing along with the Sax in the solo.
Great drums again, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5wg6zjnfo8
Another favorite would be "Bye Bye Baby", again Frankie murders the lead vocal. Good. Drums. Again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJrhqR8TDZA&feature=related
The 4 Seasons backup Vox were always much more simple than the Beach Boys... the Boys and Brian used the backup vocals like instruments, with everything playing in harmony and he'd have 3 or 4 lines going, all the time. The Four Seasons sang it much more conventionally, with the backup guys all singing the same thing. So I'm not even sure if you would consider that 3 part harmony or whatever, they don't work the melodies like the Beach Boys did. Still great to listen to, though.
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drbeachboy
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #6 on:
October 10, 2011, 11:33:44 AM »
Quote from: Ron on October 09, 2011, 11:16:46 PM
That's a great song, yup. Great drums too, lol.
I like "Don't worry About Me" (Opus 17) , but the song has a fatal flaw, it keeps building and building but has nowhere to go, so at the end it all just gets bad. It starts off, though, and you think it's going to be the greatest song ever recorded. Frankie kills the vocal. Check out the background vocals. I always loved how they sing along with the Sax in the solo.
Great drums again, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5wg6zjnfo8
Another favorite would be "Bye Bye Baby", again Frankie murders the lead vocal. Good. Drums. Again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJrhqR8TDZA&feature=related
The 4 Seasons backup Vox were always much more simple than the Beach Boys... the Boys and Brian used the backup vocals like instruments, with everything playing in harmony and he'd have 3 or 4 lines going, all the time. The Four Seasons sang it much more conventionally, with the backup guys all singing the same thing. So I'm not even sure if you would consider that 3 part harmony or whatever, they don't work the melodies like the Beach Boys did. Still great to listen to, though.
Also my 2 favorite 4 Seasons songs. Their background vocals sound more doo-wop than anything else. Still, very nice blend. Nick had great bass vocals, as well. Drums were always terrific on their records. I'll try to find who he is/was.
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JK
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #7 on:
October 10, 2011, 02:18:25 PM »
Quote from: drbeachboy on October 10, 2011, 11:33:44 AM
Drums were always terrific on their records. I'll try to find who he is/was.
Apparently, session drummer David "Panama" Francis played on the group's earliest hits. He was followed by another session man, Buddy Saltzman. (Source:
http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Music/Four-Seasons-The-19831.html
For the later "permanent" drummers check through this list:
http://www.angelfire.com/music/SeasonologyInstitute/history.html
Love their early stuff. Later on it gets a bit smooth and predictable for my liking.
«
Last Edit: October 10, 2011, 02:19:44 PM by john k
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"Ik bun moar een eenvoudige boerenlul en doar schoam ik mien niet veur" (Normaal, 1978)
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Aegir
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #8 on:
October 11, 2011, 11:39:42 AM »
I really like their album Genuine Imitation Life Gazette.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08mif1TO_Xs
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #9 on:
October 11, 2011, 12:59:59 PM »
I like The Four Seasons a lot. I don't think Frankie Valli has the best of voices, but his voice fits with their sound. They made a few missteps, sure, but they're very underrated.
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Aum Bop Diddit
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #10 on:
October 11, 2011, 07:19:46 PM »
Surfers rule!
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Myk Luhv
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #11 on:
October 11, 2011, 09:37:06 PM »
Did T4S (what a trendy acronym) ever respond to that lame call-out? I hope they did, haha.
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Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #12 on:
October 11, 2011, 10:25:58 PM »
Something I heard about a while ago (maybe on this board?).
Franki Valli and another member of the group have been good friends since they were kids; They started the group, and either bought out the other two guys, or never game them a full cut. When Frankie and his buddy were kids, they made a gentleman's agreement that they'd split any money they made, so if either one of them ever got rich, the other one would to.
Soooooo. Frankie and his friend (can't remember the guy's name, but he produced a lot of 4 seasons music) set up a bank acccount, in the early 60's, in both of their names. Any money Frankie makes, or his friend makes, gets deposited into the bank account, and then they both get a check for half of it.
So, Frankie made a fortune off of solo concerts, and "Grease". He lived up to his word and gave his buddy half....
which really paid off, when his buddy produced Neil Diamond's "The Jazz Singer", which apparently was HUGE and made the guy a friekin' mint.... all of which he split with Frankie Valli.
So according to Frankie, his buddy has made about as much money as he has, and they've split every penny of it. Still to this day.
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JK
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #13 on:
October 12, 2011, 03:51:01 AM »
Quote from: Midnight Special on October 11, 2011, 09:37:06 PM
Did T4S (what a trendy acronym) ever respond to that lame call-out? I hope they did, haha.
They did, in a way. :=)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xRmb3wtbNA
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"Ik bun moar een eenvoudige boerenlul en doar schoam ik mien niet veur" (Normaal, 1978)
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Empire Of Love
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #14 on:
October 13, 2011, 10:27:50 AM »
Quote from: SMiLE Brian on October 09, 2011, 09:16:19 PM
What do you guys think of this group? I think they are pretty good and the last great Doo-Wop group in the 1950s tradition. But I also think Frankie's great falsetto is still a notch bellow Brian's otherworldly Falsetto.
One of my all-time favorite songs by The Four Seasons is The Puppet Song. It's not the easiest to find, but if you can track it down, give it a listen. Not the greatest lyrics ever written, but the song floors me each time I hear it.
Edit: Here is a 30 second clip. I doubt it gets to the chorus and therefore won't do the song justice, but give it a listen anyway:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Gold-Hits-Four-Seasons/dp/B000000DAA
mps
«
Last Edit: October 13, 2011, 10:31:02 AM by mypetsounds
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SMiLE Brian
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #15 on:
October 13, 2011, 11:35:21 AM »
Quote from: mypetsounds on October 13, 2011, 10:27:50 AM
Quote from: SMiLE Brian on October 09, 2011, 09:16:19 PM
What do you guys think of this group? I think they are pretty good and the last great Doo-Wop group in the 1950s tradition. But I also think Frankie's great falsetto is still a notch bellow Brian's otherworldly Falsetto.
One of my all-time favorite songs by The Four Seasons is The Puppet Song. It's not the easiest to find, but if you can track it down, give it a listen. Not the greatest lyrics ever written, but the song floors me each time I hear it.
Edit: Here is a 30 second clip. I doubt it gets to the chorus and therefore won't do the song justice, but give it a listen anyway:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Gold-Hits-Four-Seasons/dp/B000000DAA
mps
That song sounds promising so far...
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And production aside, I’d so much rather hear a 14 year old David Marks shred some guitar on Chug-a-lug than hear a 51 year old Mike Love sing about bangin some chick in a swimming pool.-rab2591
Alex
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #16 on:
October 13, 2011, 08:21:27 PM »
The drum intro to Walk Like a Man gets me pumped up every time I hear it. It would be even better if each bar/measure/section/bah-duh-duh-dum (
) was alternately panned to each channel. Hearing drums panned hard right and nothing at all in the left bugs the hell out of me. And their cover of Stay is IMO superior to the original by Maurice Williams.
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Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #17 on:
October 13, 2011, 09:19:13 PM »
Their original version of "Silence is Golden" is really good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe4qk7Mijlo
I like the Tremelos version too, but there's something about how Frankie sings the chorus that's pretty cool.
Their version of "I've got you under my Skin" is easily my favorite, too. Dreamy as hell. This is the kind of song that Frankie's voice is perfectly suited for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH9CzRSYqxg
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Alex
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #18 on:
October 14, 2011, 09:58:38 AM »
Quote from: Ron on October 13, 2011, 09:19:13 PM
Their original version of "Silence is Golden" is really good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe4qk7Mijlo
I like the Tremelos version too, but there's something about how Frankie sings the chorus that's pretty cool.
Their version of "I've got you under my Skin" is easily my favorite, too. Dreamy as hell. This is the kind of song that Frankie's voice is perfectly suited for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH9CzRSYqxg
IGYUMS is on their "2nd Vault of Golden Hits", which gets a lot of playing time on my turntable.
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"I thought Brian was a perfect gentleman, apart from buttering his head and trying to put it between two slices of bread" -Tom Petty, after eating with Brian.
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Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #19 on:
October 14, 2011, 03:00:40 PM »
Quote from: Alex on October 14, 2011, 09:58:38 AM
Quote from: Ron on October 13, 2011, 09:19:13 PM
Their original version of "Silence is Golden" is really good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe4qk7Mijlo
I like the Tremelos version too, but there's something about how Frankie sings the chorus that's pretty cool.
Their version of "I've got you under my Skin" is easily my favorite, too. Dreamy as hell. This is the kind of song that Frankie's voice is perfectly suited for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH9CzRSYqxg
IGYUMS is on their "2nd Vault of Golden Hits", which gets a lot of playing time on my turntable.
They had a really good way, exemplified on that song, of having the seasons sing everything straight, while Frankie switched the melody up. That awesome part where they're going "I'd sacrifice anything, come what might" and Frankie's going "SAAAAACRIFFFICEEE ANYYYYTHINNNNNNGGG" lol. Great stuff.
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richardsnow
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #20 on:
October 14, 2011, 04:50:50 PM »
Agree with Aegir, Genuine Imitation Life Gazette is a great, very under rated album. Also check out Frank Sinatra's Watertown written and produced by Bob Gaudio and Jake Holmes. Similar vibe to GILG.
Working My way back to you is another strong 4 seasons album.
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Peter Reum
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #21 on:
October 15, 2011, 09:24:19 AM »
I love The Four Seasons, and their music deserves to be better treated than it is these days. We need a comprehensive Boxed Set similar to Good Vibrations for their music. I was gratified that their Broadway show did so well.
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richardsnow
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #22 on:
October 17, 2011, 01:41:08 AM »
Agreed. To me they're up there among the best of 60's music. The Gaudio/Crewe productions are up there with Spector and Holland Dozier Holland.
They've never had that mojo magazine cool factor for some reason and always get overlooked.
BW may have a purer falsetto but Frankie Valli's voice is an amazing instrument. Try singing along to some of those tracks, the man is from out of space!
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Ron
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Re: The Four Seasons
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Reply #23 on:
March 09, 2014, 02:30:25 PM »
Been listeing to XM radio a lot lately, and I heard Cousin Brucie on earlier today. I'm sure all the big time Four Seasons fans know this, but for those who haven't heard all their stuff, in the 60's they recorded Cousin Brucie's theme song as a present. They wrote, then recorded it, and brought it to him as a gift.
Here's the song, really, really, REALLY catchy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oErlmuPY0hk
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