THE HIT HAMMER: The Four Seasons' "Sherry"

(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post.)

The Four Seasons - "Sherry"

Hit Number 1: September 15, 1962

Stay at Number 1: 5 Weeks

"Sherry" is one of the fastest rising #1 hits of all time. It entered the Hot 100 at #65, rose all the way to #22 the next week, then to #11, and finally leaping all the way up to the top spot in just its fourth week on the chart. The song was originally titled "Jackie Baby" after then U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and was written by Bob Gaudio, who was the main man responsible for writing the Four Seasons' biggest hits in the 60s. When it was decided to possibly change the name of the song, there were several different ideas. "Terri Baby" was thrown around, as well as "Peri Baby", before it was decided to just go with name of "Sherry" without a "baby" at the end. Sherry was the name of Gaudio's best friend's daughter, Jack Spector, who was a DJ at a New York station.

It was when "Sherry" became a huge hit that America was introduced to the first true well-known falsetto voice in music history. Frankie Valli, who sang lead for the Four Seasons before branching out into a solo career in the 70s, used a falsetto voice in all of the Four Seasons' first big hits. You have to respect the talent that it takes to be able to sing that high when you're a grown man like that, but I will say, Valli's falsetto doesn't always sit quite right with me. It can be a bit much sometimes, and it seems like his falsetto is at the forefront more than it should be. Almost like he's trying to grab the spotlight, rather than blending in with his bandmates. You get a little bit of that on "Sherry".

"Sherry" is NOT a bad song however. In fact, I think it's pretty nice, even though I wish that Valli would calm down a bit on the song. Kind of like Tommy Roe's "Sheila" that came before it, "Sherry" is just an ode to a girl, with the narrator wanting her to come out and party with him. The song has a firm, steady beat and flow, and for the most part, the Four Seasons do blend together fairly well on the song. There are certainly some flaws though. Bass singer Nick Massi sounds kind of like that dumb bully in school on the track, so that part is certainly a little strange. And of course, there are some points where it sounds like Valli is screaming rather than singing. But despite that, the good majority of the song is nice enough, and it still remains a true 60s and oldies staple today.

GRADE: 6/10

JUST MISSED:

Nat King Cole barely missed a Hot 100 #1 hit with his "Ramblin' Rose". It peaked at #2 behind "Sherry", and it's an 9.

10 ALERT!!!!!:

Booker T. and the M.G.'s' "Green Onions" peaked at #3 behind "Sherry" and "Ramblin' Rose". There aren't many instrumentals quite like this one, and ones that have aged a lot better. It's an obvious 10.