About the song
If you are a fan of the 1960s pop music, you might be familiar with the song “Sherry” by The Four Seasons. This song was the first nationally released single and the first number one hit for the group, which featured the distinctive falsetto voice of Frankie Valli. In this blog post, we will provide some detailed information about this song, but we will not present or add any lyrics to the article.
The song was written by Bob Gaudio, one of the members of The Four Seasons, who later became their main songwriter and producer. According to Gaudio, he wrote the song in about 15 minutes and was inspired by the 1961 hit “Hey! Baby” by Bruce Channel. The song was originally titled “Jackie Baby” in honor of Jacqueline Kennedy, the First Lady at the time. However, at the studio, the name was changed several times, until it was finally settled on “Sherry”, after the daughter of Jack Spector, a New York DJ and a friend of Gaudio’s.
The song was recorded in July 1962 and released in August 1962 by Vee-Jay Records, an independent label that gave The Four Seasons more artistic freedom than the major labels. The song was an instant success, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on September 15, 1962, and staying there for five consecutive weeks. It also reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart, making it the first single by The Four Seasons to do so. The song sold over a million copies and earned a gold record.
The song is a classic example of doo-wop, pop and pop rock genres, featuring a catchy melody, a simple chord progression, a prominent bass line and a lively rhythm. The song showcases Valli’s vocal range and ability to switch from his natural tenor voice to his high-pitched falsetto. The song also features harmonies and backing vocals by the other members of the group: Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio.
The song has been covered by many artists over the years, such as Adrian Baker, Robert John and Dreamhouse. It has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, such as Stealing Home, The Help and Two and a Half Men. In 2023, the song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.
Oldies Music