Song #86 - "Walk Like A Man" - The Four Seasons

#1 for weeks of March 2, 9, and 16th, 1963. 

     The third #1 from The Four Seasons, and also their best one so far in my opinion  This song is just one of their many tunes that is nearly impossible not to like due it being incredibly catchy and full of hooks. 

     Underneath the song's very cheerful and upbeat nature lies a rather frightening real life story. During the recording of this song in November 1962 at Stea-Phillips Recording Studios, the hotel that the studio was housed in caught on fire. The Four Seasons were kept locked in the studio by their producer Bob Crewe while the room above them was in flames! 

     In the end, the manager was forcefully removed from the room by firemen and the group escaped as well. Whether the master take of the song was recorded in this smokey atmosphere remains a mystery. Either way, it's quite astounding that the band kept Bob Crewe after this incident.

     Musically, the band is firing on all the right cylinders with a drum intro that hooks you right into the song from the get-go. "Walk Like A Man" features some nice rhythm guitars and plenty of handclaps to keep the listener's toes tapping throughout the song. 

     Vocally, the song once again offers great counterpoints between Frankie Valli's falsetto/tenor lead vocals and Nick Massi's bass vocals. I think "Walk Like A Man" sounds the best out of their three #1 hits so far, even though all three have slightly similar arrangements. Perhaps it's those wordless vocals in the intro, or the extra vocal gusto in the verses. Either way, it's an exciting song to listen to!

     The Four Seasons of course were not even remotely close to finishing up their chart success. Even through the British Invasion, the group continued to have hits and it wasn't until the psychedelic era that the band saw their commercial success dwindle. It goes without saying though that their first golden era from 1962 til 1966 produced lots of classic songs. 

Final Verdict - One of my favorite Four Seasons songs. It contains tons of hooks and goodies throughout. It's musically very entertaining, and I for one love giving it multiple listens. 

     Coming Up Next - "Our Day Will Come" by Ruby And The Romantics. 

             Until Next Time - Why don't you walk like Dr. Rock.