Namesakes #78: The Four Seasons

Not a lot of people know this, but when Neil Finn wrote the song Four Seasons In One Day, he was talking about the time he was visited by four different bands called the Four Seasons in one 24 hour period. I know, the title should have been Four Four Seasons In One Day, but that didn't scan as well.

I'll leave it up to you to decide which band weren't invited to Neil's gaff...

THE FOUR SEASONS #1

We start today in 1959, Pittsburgh... though this one is anything but the pits. A infectiously joyful little doo-wop story from the quartet of Bill Stammer (who doesn't stammer once), Ched Mertz, Dan McGinnis and Don Fanzo. It might be the best thing you hear today.

Apart from the next lot, obviously.

THE FOUR SEASONS #2

One year later, The Four Seasons everybody knows (surely!) formed from the ashes of a band called The Four Lovers. When they decided to change their name, they stole Four Seasons from a local bowling alley in New Jersey, having just failed an audition there. 

Lead singer Frankie Valli had been knocking around the music studios since 1953, when he recorded his debut solo single, My Mother's Eyes. The other key players were producer Bob Crewe and keyboardist Bob Gaudio, who together wrote the majority of the bands biggest hits, including Sherry and December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) and Can't Take My Eyes Off You. Even when the hits were promoted as Frankie Valli solo recordings, these guys were usually involved. Gaudio retired from performing in 1975 but continued to write songs for Valli (and others) for the rest of his career. Bob and Bob also wrote one of the greatest pop songs ever, The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, originally recorded by Frankie & co. 

At 89, Valli is the only original Four Season still performing - currently on an extended farewell tour called Last Encores - though he hasn't ruled out the occasional comeback once that tour is done.

The Four Seasons were responsible for many, many wonderful records, but I still think this is their finest hour...

THE FOUR SEASONS #3

Or, to give them their full name, Robert Lloyd & The New Four Seasons. I might well have skipped this bunch for that reason... had their song not been so wonderful. Also, if I'm allowing Frankie Valli &..., I can't discriminate.

Robert Lloyd was the lead singer of two punk bands - The Prefects and The Nightingales - both of whom could well feature here at a later date. This is what Bob was up to in the late 80s.

The line-up for this particular Four Seasons also one Cara Tivey, who went to the top of the charts in 1988 with some bloke called Bragg.

FOUR SEASONS #4

And now, how about some Greek Power Metal from 1999? 

You know you want to...

THE FOUR SEASONS #5

"You know what your blog really needs, Rol? More Ukrainian Polka!" said no-one ever (though I wouldn't put it past George). 

Here's some Ukrainian Polka from a record that was released in Canada, 23 years ago. Or 2001 as Arthur C. Clarke used to call it.

Which of the Four Seasons is your favourite?

My Top Ten 5am Songs

So there I was, just a few weeks back, complaining about having to get up at 6am. I should have remembered that in the summer, when the wood pigeon outside my bedroom window gets up at 5 o'clock in the morning, 6am is a lie in...

Here's ten bleary-eyed tunes to celebrate the light mornings.



10. Blur - Tracy Jacks

As with much of Parklife-era Blur, I loved Tracy Jacks at the time... but I find Damon's barking gets on my nerves these days. Still, for the good old days, it's worth pointing out that Tracy left home at 5 o'clock in the morning. And the bits where Damon sings rather than shouting are still quite nice.

From the same era (but aging slight better), I also offer Kenickie - 5 a.m.

9. The Village People - Five O'Clock In The Morning

In the early 80s, even The Village People had to accept that disco was dead. Their new wave change of direction (minus their signature costumes and camp) was greeted by derision (yeah, I know the idea of The Village People being treated with derision is hard to grasp) with one critic commenting the album was "simply an embarrassment that never should have seen the light of day." I've not heard the rest of the record, but I do like this song. Which only goes to prove that critics are... and I am... The video is brilliant.

8. Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55

You'd never guess that Charlotte was Serge and Jane's daughter. Not from watching this video, anyway. No siree. Maybe there was a mix-up on the maternity ward.

Sarcasm aside, you can pretty much imagine what she gets up to at 5:55. She's not doing the ironing.

Where do the French get their energy from? That's what I want to know.

7. Aphrodite's Child - Five O'Clock

Greek prog with Demis Roussos. I'll play this one for The Swede. Imagine A Whiter Shade Of Pale sung by the Go Compare man. And yet, I love it.

6. Mark Knopfler - 5.15 a.m.

Mark goes back to his Geordie roots. He will mostly be remembered as an axe-man. His lyrics deserve more attention.

The one armed bandit man Came north to fill his boots Came up from cockneyland
E-type jags and flashy suits Put your money in
Pull the levers Watch them spin Cash cows in all the pubs But he preferred the new nightclubs

5. Michelle Shocked - 5 am In Amsterdam

How does Michelle tell the time in the Netherlands? Listen to find out.

4. The Persuaders - A Thin Line Between Love & Hate

A soul classic which is also a hilarious tale of hell having no fury like a woman scorned. When he gets home at five, his lady is all sweetness and light, even offering to make him some toast. Cut to the next verse...

Here  am in the hospital
Bandaged from fee to head
In a state of shock
Just that much from being dead
Didn't think my woman would do something like this
Didn't think my girl had the nerve
Well, here I am
I guess actions speak louder than words...

Hitchcock would be happy with that twist.

3. Lily Allen - Who'd Have Known?

And this is why Lily Allen deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as Kirsty MacColl.

My Top Ten: proud to have been irking the musos since before 2012.

2. Billy Bragg & Cara Tivey - She's Leaving Home

Apparently this was originally recorded by some obscure 60s combo: sadly I'm not enough of a muso to be familiar with their outfit and obviously their version couldn't have been as good as Billy and Cara's because it didn't even make the chart, unlike this smash hit Number One from 1988.

I'm sorry... Wet Wet Who?

1. Rialto - Monday Morning, 5.19

One of a clutch of classic Rialto singles from the Britpop era which has aged far better than Tracy Jacks. Heartbreaking too.




Which one sounds better than a 5am wood pigeon?