Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons [Original recording remastered]

Frankie Valli & Four Seasons, Frankie Valli | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 14, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B00007KWHG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (212 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Pop > Oldies > Doo Wop
  • #2 in Music > Pop > Teen Pop
  • #2 in Music > Pop > Oldies > General

Editorial Reviews

2002 compilation packs a single CD with 20 classics recorded for Vee-Jay, Phillips, Curb/Warner, Private Stock, & RSO between 1962-1978. Remastered from original master tapes. Rhino.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

148 of 156 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of a great group, April 5, 2004

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Audio CD)

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were hugely successful in America, where they had a long string of major hits, especially in the sixties. They were less successful in Britain but still managed seven top ten hits including a number one. Here you can find all the classics. From the sixties, there are Sherry, Big girls don't cry, Walk like a man, Rag doll, Let's hang on and many others. From the seventies, there are My eyes adored you, Who loves you, December '63 Oh what a night (their only British number one hit) and Grease. Two obvious omissions from the seventies are Night (a track recorded for Motown) and Silver star ( a UK top three hit), but you can't include everything by such a successful group.

Aside from their own hits, covers of their songs were also successful for others. Four of their songs were UK number one hits for others. Their versions of Silence is golden (Tremeloes) and The sun ain't gonna shine anymore (Walker brothers) are not included, but you do get their original versions of Bye bye baby (Bay city rollers) and Working my way back to you (Detroit Spinners).

This is an excellent single CD collection of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, one of the best American groups of the sixties and seventies.

53 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sherry starter, topped with Grease, February 18, 2006

By 

Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Audio CD)

Among 60s supergroups, The Four Seasons were something of an anomaly, their sound being very much of the 50s, clearly influenced by The Four Freshmen. In fact, Valli had been singing for a decade by the time of their first hit, in 1962, and he and his backing lineup had already gone though a number of name changes. There had also been changes of personnel and it was the arrival of Bob Gaudio in that year that changed everything. He penned Sherry, their breakthrough hit, and was writer or co-writer of most of the subsequent hits. In that youth-obsessed age, promoters were nervous of the fact that Valli was 28 (married with two kids, to boot) and the other Seasons were in their mid-thirties. So they lopped a few years off. The insert notes in this CD repeat the official line that Valli was born in 1937. It was actually 1934. In those days, it mattered. Watch a Stones concert today and marvel at how things have changed.

In the late 60s and into the 70s, their style changed, taking on R&B and disco elements, and Valli dropping his trademark falsetto. This is the best period, with 1975's Oh, What a Night as their classic.

The Anthology double CD has more tracks and is great value, but this album of remastered tracks of their biggest hits sounds better and will suit most listeners. Its span is just right, starting with Sherry and ending with Grease, and it includes 4 of Valli's solo efforts.

In giving this album 5 stars I'm not saying I think it's musically excellent - there are too many notes not quite hit and too many lyrics that are a bit too cutesy for that - but I am saying it's a solid, good value, 'Best of' collection of a definitive 60s and 70s group.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Early 60's East Coast Rock At it's Best., January 22, 2003

By 

Anthony Accordino (Massapequa Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Audio CD)

The youth of America had a musical divide in the early sixties. While the west coast soft beach harmonies of the Beach Boys were in full swing, the youth of the east coast was stomping to the harder edged harmonies of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Frankie along with Bob Guadio, Tommy Devito and the late Nick Massi, hailed from Newark New Jersey and went on to become one of the most important vocal groups in history. Between 1962 to 1966, the Seasons charted 23 times, making them the most popular group in that states history[sorry Springsteen fans]. Their influence can be heard every time you hear a 1970's Bee Gees tune or Billy Joel singing "Uptown girl". Frankie Valli's trademark falsetto voice is as unmistakable as Dylan's whine or Joe Cocker's growl. This collection is a must for anyone who does not own a Four Seasons cd. It contains 16 of the their highest charting hits from 62-68, like "Lets Hang On", "Sherry", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "C'mon Marianne", "Opus 17" and 'Rag Doll" to name a few. Also 1970's Seasons hits like "December 1963 Oh What A Night" and "Who Loves You" are here as well. Making this set essential is the inclusion of all of Frankie Valli's top solo hits, like "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You", "My Eyes Adored You", "Swearin To God" and "Grease", making this the only single disc available to include all of his solo hits. This is as perfect as a single hits disc can get and I highly recommend this to anyone young or old, who would like to relive their past or experience a ledendary vocal group for the first time, that was second to none during their hey-day. For a more detailed overview of their career "In Season" the two disc Anthology is recommended. This review is dedicated to the late Nick Massi, whose bass playing and vocal arrangements will always be in season.