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122 of 128 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent collection of a great group, April 5, 2004
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.
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Sherry starter, topped with Grease, February 18, 2006
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.
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64 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, August 2, 2003
This CD is aptly named the Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It contains their very best hits from the 60's and 70's. The titles include "Sherry", "Dawn", "Rag Doll", "My Eyes Adored You", "December 1963", and "Grease" just to name a few. In all there are 20 songs on this CD and it is highly recommended!
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