Many years after what seemed like their last burst of commercial relevance, The Four Seasons came rocketing back into relevance in the middle of the 70s. They did so with a new sound and, in a shock to longtime fans, some new singers.
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Their resurgence reached its peak with the 1975 single “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)”. The song reached No. 1, and, amidst all the other changes, even pushed this squeaky-clean group into risqué territory.
The Comeback Trail
Throughout the 60s, no vocal group did as much damage on the charts as The Four Seasons. Single and single reigned on pop radio. The golden voice of Frankie Valli stood as one of the most unmistakable sounds of the era.
As the decade progressed, the rise of rock music, as played by instrumental groups, relegated The Four Seasons to second-tier status. Their hits dried up in the second half of the 60s. And the first half of the 70s didn’t treat them much better. Even a highly publicized move to Motown didn’t reap any rewards.
The Four Seasons brand received a big boost in early 1975 when Frankie Valli came back into prominence with a Top 10 single called “My Eyes Adored You”. But Valli would be sidelined somewhat when the group found itself back in the Top 10 on its own terms.
“December” Days
The Four Seasons made the decision to mitigate Valli’s presence somewhat on their 1975 album. Needless to say, Valli wasn’t thrilled with this turn of events. On the comeback hit single “Who Loves You”, a power struggle ensued, with Valli eventually getting to share lead vocals with new member Don Ciccone.
“Who Loves You” embraced a dance-floor-friendly sound, and “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” went further in that direction. The song’s lyrics, written by former Four Seasons member Bob Gaudio, who had moved on to producing the band, originally focused on a much earlier era: The Prohibition.
The group asked Gaudio and co-writer Judy Parker to adjust it to something a bit more recent. Once again, vocals were shared. Drummer Gerry Polci took the lead, Ciccone once again helped out with some falsetto vocals in the bridge, and Valli was around for the pre-chorus. In an amazing twist, “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” gave the group their first No. 1 pop hit since “Rag Doll” in 1964.
Behind the Lyrics of “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)”
“December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” actually garnered some controversy for its lyrics. It doesn’t take too much lyrical sleuthing to figure out the song is about someone’s making love for the first time. The lyrics even have some saucy fun with the scenario. “As I recall, it ended much too soon,” Valli sings with a wink.
For the most part, the song traffics in sweet nostalgia. “You know I didn’t even know her name,” the narrator admits. “But I was never gonna be the same.” Later, he confesses to his passion for this girl. “Hypnotizing, mesmerizing me,” Polci sings. “She was everything I dreamed she’d be.”
The Four Seasons couldn’t keep that momentum afloat on subsequent singles. But “December 1963 (Oh What A Night)” gave them a second unlikely comeback when a remixed version of the song made it to the Top 20 in 1994. Maybe it ruffled some feathers, both inside the group and out, but the end result had to be worth it.
Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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