Released - June 20, 1964
#1 for weeks of July 18 and 25, 1964.
We go from West Coast harmonies to East Coast harmonies with what I consider to be the finest hour of The Four Seasons, "Rag Doll". Primarily written by Bob Gaudio after an emotional encounter with a presumably homeless girl, "Rag Doll" certainly shows a more mature songwriting style and a nice evolution from the more lyrically straightforward "Sherry".
From the "Be My Baby" inspired drum intro complete with near-acapella vocals, it's clear that the seasons have changed. The 1950's doo-wop influence that was so predominant on their early hits has been replaced by a much more Brill Building and Wall Of Sound feel. The music track is still predominantly rock-based, with the xylophone adding some extra icing on the cake. Vocally, this is among the band's finest performances with Frankie Valli sounding at his best.
Interestingly, the final vocal stanza has Frankie Valli doing some Brian Wilson-esque wordless vocals. Since the two bands were considered rivals at the time and The Beach Boys had recorded "Surfers Rule" back in 1963 which featured some Four Seasons-esque vocals at the end, perhaps this was their way of saying, "Take That Beach Boys!"
Frankie Valli and co managed to have continued success up until about 1967. Despite recording a surprisingly underrated psychedelic album in late 1968, the band would just about disappear from the charts until 1975. Thus, It will be quite a while before the band's presence graces this list again.
Final Verdict - It is the combination of the band's best vocal arrangement so far, the touching lyrics, and the impressive music track that makes this song my favorite by The Four Seasons. A well-deserved #1 hit, and one that belongs in your record collection.
Coming Up Next - "A Hard Days Night" by The Beatles.
Until Next Time - I'm Dr. Rock, and all my music is hand me downs.
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