“Sherry” earns The Four Seasons their first # 1

Frankie Valli (born Francis Casteluccio) had been hard at work trying to become a star for the better part of a decade before the Four Seasons achieved their breakthrough. They had come together as a group in several stages over the previous four years, changing their name in 1961 from the Four Lovers after failing an audition at a New Jersey bowling alley called The Four Seasons. It was keyboard player Bob Gaudio who wrote the song that would launch the group’s career. He later told Billboard magazine that he banged out “Sherry” in 15 minutes before a scheduled rehearsal. Without a tape recorder, Gaudio explained, “I drove down to rehearsal humming it, trying to keep it in my mind. I had no intention of keeping the lyrics, [but] to my surprise, everybody liked them, so we didn’t change anything.” A very smart decision as “Sherry” was more than just a number one record, it’s one of those rare song’s that nobody doesn’t like! Think about it, have you ever talked to anybody who didn’t Love “Sherry” ? Us neither!

Sherry” was released as a single in August 1962 and made it all the way to the top of the pop charts just four weeks later, on September 15. In the next six months, the Four Seasons would earn two more #1 hits with “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like A Man,” making them the only American group ever to earn three consecutive #1 hits. “Rag Doll” gave the group its fourth #1 in the summer of 1964, and many other Top 40 hits followed in the subsequent 12 years before the Four Seasons made a triumphant return to the top of the pop charts with their fifth #1 hit “December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” in March 1976.

So! Now’s  our chance…Turn it up loud and play along on  “Air Drums” till your arms fall off, to the record nobody doesn’t like!

4 Comments

  1. I have such visceral memories of that song . . . Laying by the public pool in North Hollywood (still there?) next to library with Amelia Earhart statue in front, slathering my pale Irish skin with Bain de Soleil for that “Saint Tropez tan,” (which I was never able to achieve) and the transistor blasting “Sherry.” No recollection of anything else. Just the the song, tanning lotion fragrance (both remain totally unique) and feeling kinda grown up. A great nothing special kinda day that still lives in me.

    • “A great nothing special kinda day.” What a wonderful phrase. We thought we were just wasting time. Well no, that’s not true. We didn’t really think about it. But that was a big part of growing up wasn’t it. Those quiet times when we were alone with our thoughts and 60’s music playing in the background. I’d love to hear it in a song. “a nothing special kind of day”.

      • Hey Jim,
        I agree Denise really coined a great phrase, tha I also can relate to. And I a Los appreciate your comment about, specifically, during those days, the music became the soundtrack. To our lives!
        Thanx Jimmy,
        Rick

    • Hey Denis,
      I love your story! And I think that it really speaks to our point about the record, being a record “Nobody Doesn’t like! To your point, it’s also record that stays with you yout whole!
      Thanx for sharing your personal story! Please don’t be a stranger
      Rick

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