Seasons Connections Vol 2

Getting in touch with Eddie Rambeau and hearing about his times working with Bob Crewe and the Seasons was a treat. (See 60th Birthday Interview in Newsletter No 39 July 2003). So what better track to start the CD than probably Eddie’s best song after ‘Concrete and Clay’(Dynovoice 204). Unfortunately it was on the ‘B’ side of that 1965 hit otherwise it would have been a hit in its own right. An Eddie Rambeau/Bud Rehak penned song it features for ABC, ATCO, and the one-off on superb Four Season harmony backing Vivid records where he poses as L.B. vocals on a great ‘feelgood’ song. WILSON, ‘Don't’. We hope to feature Switching to one of Bob Crewe’s these tracks on future compilations. female protégé’s we delve into Ginny Another track resurrected from previ- Arnell’s extensive catalogue for one of ous years was released by another Bob’s productions of ‘No One solo singer who featured with Bob Cares’(Warwick 671). This Bob Crewe on only one single. Gaudio composition is also famous for ‘Trance’(Philips 40259), a Bob Gaudio appearing as track 5 on Side 1 of the composition and production, had been Four Seasons ‘Rag Doll’ album in written back in 1961 and recorded by 1964. This version by Ginny features Billy Dixon & The Topics (aka Frankie the Seasons on backing vocals as Valli & The Four Seasons to be). This Researching Bob Crewe’s produc- Ginny’s plaintive voice pleads for love version by Tommy we believe features on a 1961 recording of the song. tion history has been a fascinating the Angels on backing vocals on this Another song from the very strong project since 2001 when we put 1965 release. “Rag Doll” album first appeared on together the first compilation in the Shirley Mathews was a Canadian another 1961 Crewe production. ‘The Bob Crewe Presents… ‘Seasons’ vocalist highly rated by Bob Crewe Touch Of You’ ( ABC Paramount Connections Volume 1 (Newsletter and had a run of four impressive sin- 10272) a Bob Gaudio composition No 37 – October 2002). That gles under his tutelage. Our first fea- again featured the Four Seasons on ‘Ultimate Albums’ compilation had ture of her distinctive vocal is on the falsetto backing vocals to Lenny been inspired by girl group and Crewe-Calello penned mid-tempo O’Henry. Lenny was one of Bob Northern Soul enthusiasts Mick song ‘Private Property’ (Atlantic 2224) Crewe’s featured solo vocalists from Patrick and Malcolm Baumgart who with an unknown female group on 1961 to 1964. Lenny O'Henry’s real compiled ‘The Dynavoice Story’ on backing vocals. name was Daniel Cannon, an original Westside CD WESD 226. Returning to Eddie Rambeau we pick member of The Vibraharps from about The ‘connection’ we followed was up on one of his earlier Crewe pro- 1956. Their last record was released based on tracks either produced or ductions before the success of on ATCO records about 1960, after written by Bob and/or any of the ‘Concrete And Clay’. ‘Come Closer’ which they broke up. Somehow Four Seasons and Charles Calello (20th Century Fox 491) was a Chris Crewe met him and they started work- and included tracks on which they Andrews penned song recorded by ing together in 1961 for ABC featured as backing artists. The amongst others ‘Craig Douglas’ with Paramount Records. He wrote a num- resultant mix of female and male exactly the same arrangement. This ber of songs for Crewe solo artists and groups was an track was probably picked up along including ‘Cheated Heart’, and ‘Goin' eclectic mix of sounds that provid- with ‘Concrete and Clay’ by Dan To A Party’(see below). He later co- ed an entertaining juke box of rari- Crewe on his 1963 visit to the UK to wrote the very collectible northern ties. Since then we have searched meet Andrew Oldham. It is, we are soul ‘Mr. Moonlight’ with Bob Crewe the world to recover more tracks in told, the 4-Evers on backing vocals for Smash records in 1963. This song, this context and we are now able to with Eddie. The b-side of Ed's ‘Come although not part of this selection, present ‘Seasons’ Connections Closer’, ‘She's Smilin' At Me’ was also features The Four Seasons on back- Volume 2. the b-side of Craig Douglas' ‘Come up vocals as well as all his recordings Closer’ 45 on UK Fontana H475. sound occurs regularly along albeit a little uninspiring as a in this collection and song. our next track perhaps Back to Tommy Hayes and the B-side matches them at their of his Philips 40259 single was a best. The Victorians DeHayes penned song ‘Glistening were really Charles Lights’. It is a catchy Bob Gaudio pro- Calello’s group. The duction and Charles Calello arrange- Victorians membership ment on a track released in January we believe included 1965. Even with the Four Seasons on (Tom) DeCillis and backing vocals the song had no hope Layton writers of this against the sounds dominating the track along with possi- charts after the British group invasion. bly Charles Calello. This was one of the last appearances Their version of ‘Baby on backing vocals of the Four Toys’( Reprise 0434) Seasons. composed by DeCillis- Our search for Seasons connections Layton is full of warm led us into Charles Calello’s exploits harmonies on this as a producer and we will feature his Charles Calello pro- productions regularly to show how duced gem from1964. important he was to creating the These tracks both appeared on an A very different sound Bob Crewe and the Four Adam Faith LP, ‘On The Move’ (UK arrangement to the later ‘Toys’ version Seasons wanted. He held so much of Parlophone PMC 1228)- not surpris- (DynoVoice 222). A Jimmy Wisner the sound of those times in his superb ing given the close ties between production this also had different arrangements and orchestrations and Adam Faith's management and Chris lyrics and the songwriter names of no better example exists than the Andrews. Linzer-Randell added. superb laid-back soul sound of Shirley In Volume 1 we featured tracks by Back to Bob’s boys and ‘I’ll Step Ellis on ‘Backtrack’ from her Columbia one of Bob Crewe’s best female Aside’, the Gaudio-Linzer composition vocalists Tracey Dey. No-one has from 1964 for Jimmy Clanton, who been able to tell us where she is appeared on only one single for Bob today but for a brief period she pro- Crewe (Philips 40181). Notable as a duced some really good tracks. The straight imitation of Bobby Vee at his Rambeau-Rehak composition best this is a catchy song that could ‘Hangin’ On To My Baby’ (Amy 908) have found some chart action. from 1964 rocks along with strong One of the best boy-girl groups that lead vocal and backing by the Rag Bob worked with briefly were the Dolls (and it is suggested The Four Orlons and their handclapping and Graduates – later to become The chanting ‘Goin’ Places’ (Crewe- Happennings). Linzer_Randell)is a classic group The male vocalists who worked with sound from 1964 (Cameo Parkway Bob Crewe enjoyed less success than 332). Described in their ‘All The Hits’ the girls. It wasn’t for want of trying compilation this track was produced in and Kevin McQuinn appeared on 4 an attempt to repulse the dominant singles in the early 60’s with Bob’s British sound which was conquering production. ‘Keep Me On Your Mind’ the US charts. “So the Company (Diamond 101), presumably a self (Cameo Parkway) turned for help to –penned song (E.J.Quinn!!) is notable an outside (but not far away) produc- for a Paul Anka ‘Diana’ type sax intro er, Bob Crewe, whose work with the and a catchy melody. Four Seasons hadn’t been trampled The influence of the Four Seasons underfoot by the British sound. The move failed, although ‘Knock!Knock!’ was as infectious as any of THE ORLONS’ previous records and the 1967 album ‘Sugar, Lets Shing-A- flipside, ‘Goin’ Places” was a fine Ling’ (Columbia CS 9479). This is just reproduction of the pounding, Charles superb and is a taster of some of the Calello orchestrations favoured by the more soulful tracks that appeared on Four Seasons” Crewe (and Calello) productions from Back to Ginny Arnell and the B-side of 1966 on. her version of the Four Seasons ‘No Lenny O’Henry brings us to the mid- One Cares’ was ‘Tribute To point of this collection and what would You’(Warwick 671). A Laraine & Joy have been the last track of our double Darby penned track with Four album of 60’s memories if this had Seasons and unknown females on been on vinyl.’Goin’ To A Party’(ABC backing vocals the tracks pounds Paramount 10272) was another ‘Adventure’ its appearance on the B-side of Mitch (Diamond Ryder’s Dynovoice 901 release in 109) has 1967. The version by Hal Miller fea- unknown tures the same soulful arrangement girl backing but with the Four Seasons and Rag singers Dolls on backing vocal on a 1964 (possibly release. the Angels Lenny O’Henry (aka Daniel who Cannon/Troy Keyes) leads the High worked Keyes (a sound that could well be the with Crewe Four Seasons) on the tale of their a lot “One Horse Town” (Atco 6290). A around this bouncy mid-tempo arrangement by time)chanti- Charles Calello and penned by Troy ng “Follow Keyes himself. Me” with Although Miss Frankie Nolan’s classic support ‘duet’ with Frankie Valli on “I Still from the Care”(Early Fantastic Years SP CD - Four 99005) may have made us believe Seasons as she needed Frankie’s support to deliv- attempt by Bob to get his Sam Cooke he pleads for his girl to embark on the er her best vocal, we found her per- sound-alike noticed on the charts on a adventure of life with him on this Bob formance with backing by Nino & The self-penned song arranged by Crewe penned song.

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