The 4 Seasons - "Let's Hang On" - The Ed Sullivan Show

[HillsBru]

Franki -- what a great job. Have just seen Jersey Boys -- great performance and confirmation of the excellence of Franki!

[meganbeeber]

I just seen the play "Jersey Boys" it was amazing

[ch1aka2]

They look like cast members from Jersey Shore. Don't get mad...just kidding.

[dasuit15]

thats not the orginal bassist. the original was nick massi and he died in 2006

[atp1962]

You got to love the base player !! Didnt he die? Does anyone know when the last time they actually performed together before the others retired? I know Franki had voice issues for sometime and didnt do the high parts. Ihard him on You Tube the other day and was really impressed with his voice

[o8bit0hero]

Its all about the money and one hits today!

[joedee1957]

Live lead Vocal over the studio track. It was done quite often in the 60's, so you could say it was a semi - live performance. Frankie was still great in his hey - day.

[osurecruiting]

I think with music from this era, the musicians left a piece of them with each song, it is great watching the passion. Now current music it is rare to see that.

[JohnnyGNV]

EVEN after seeing "Jersey Boys" I STILL get confused as to who left the group, and when. I recognize 2 original group members (besides Frankie of course) here. Sometime after 1967 it gets a little fuzzy to me as to who was still with the group.

[kimstar75]

@JohnnyGNV

On the left is Bob Gaudio on the keyboard. Then Joe Long on the bass, who joined the group in about '66. Third is Frankie, the fourth guy is Tommy DeVito. All are still living. The original bass player Nick Massi died about 10 years ago, he left the Seasons in '65 I think.

[tmass11]

They played their own instruments and wrote most of their own music. They were a real group.

[bsumattallica]

I cant imagine how much straining it takes to reach that vocal level.

[tmass11]

They did play their instruments and wrote most of their own music. They were a real group.

[MegaObserver1]

The 4 Seasons must have thought they had to look like the Beatles and at least appear to be playing instruments, although they actually were a vocal group

[pmoyer50]

Briefly scanned some whiner bemoaning. Careful for those fingers pointing are probably aiming back at your true heart. Ha! Good song for back then and I was in 8th grade when the Beatles hit the shores of America. Ideal time for an idealist. Special times for a person born in 1950. Witnessed all of rock and the stratas it held. Whoa and woe!

[dfolb39]

the music today fucking sucks.rap pop heavy metal its all gay.help bring back the oldies/doowhop.u know alot of kids never even heard of these songs.the 50's and 60's must have been great back in the day now its 2010 and the music sucks along with today.back then whites were dominant mostly italians like me were around then the niggas and spics had to come and fuck everything up.anyway help bring back the oldies music spread the word about it thanks

[xman4un]

@dfolb39 I still think there's great contemporary music out there in the Rock and pop genres -the Killers, Revolver, Train, U2...other European artists never even make it to the American market. The problem with music in predominantly minority areas is that it's VERY, VERY LIMITED...like stagnant water...it starts to stink! No ingenuity, no thinking differently and no exposure to variety. So I think everything is a reflection on your background as a person.

[dfolb39]

u got a point but but most music today sucks. its all the niggas and spics who dominate im an old school type of guy with italian back ground i guess thats y i like this music

[jmlbloom]

i like how a guy who wants to bring back oldies/doo-wop calls other music "gay."  You're such a bad ass doo-wop/oldies guy.

[webboffin]

Pity in 40 years time there will not be much to remember about. Today's music is just junk and about the money not the art. Who's going to in year 2055 going to get a lump in their throat listening to Snoop Dogg or Mariah Carey?

I hope that people will ask back for the talented artists and not today's piss artists.

[RitzyTrailer]

you know, I don't think I could have put that any better, Webboffin. How true!

[74sodapop]

@webboffin Can say that again. Oldies forever. 1990-2010 That crap will just be ignored. It already is

[bsumattallica]

@webboffin

I so agree!

Is the bassist's guitar a gibson? Kinda resembles the SG

[crowley24]

@webboffin I know exactly what you mean

[dunkarooo]

@webboffin couldn't have said it better myself! my parents and grandparents raised me on frankie valli and i'm so grateful they did. gave me huge appreciation for real music.

[sh1tw0lf3]

@webboffin

Pop music is pop music. I love this stuff and I'm way too young to have been around when it was out. But while Snoop doesn't have many songs that are thematically similar to this one, Mariah does, and I could definitely bust out a tear or two for the Four Seasons as well as Ms. Carey. In defense of your point, though, I will admit that I would be thrilled to actually hear this on the radio once in a while...

[joreis88]

@webboffin There are "piss" artists in ALL genres of music these days but interestingly enough, black artists or those that have a black style like Mariah, are usually singled out. I'm not even black but having to read so many similar comments are disturbing.

[RobM75]

@webboffin What about Ok Go? Or the Killers? or Regina Spektor? Or anything that isn't "rap" or "R&B"? You're just listening to the wrong music.

[chuckiejay]

Man.......why isn`t music this good anymore ???

[12me91]

@chuckiejay

Because the music companies don't care about good music anymore they just want a quick buck regardless if it comes from beautiful wonderful music like this or jonas bros or hanamoncraptastic. And now that that is startingto let them down they are pushing for a "performance" tax that really just gets the music companies more money.

[shoelover57]

Wow I haven't heard this song in a very long time, The old days.

[RedRoomNW]

fuzz tone is nuts. beats out Satisfaction in my book for coolest ever.

[millymille1]

Franke has such a nice high pitch voice

[sutcliffe62x]

that guitar lead-in is just....what did you people call it....boss?

[amsedelm]

Or, "tough". 8)

[DNF13LTFO]

This song and group is and always was about attitude. Faced with competion like the British- Beatles, Stones, Kinks etc, Motown, Beach Boys and Folk Rock, most of todays "posers" would run home to mama. Not the Four seasons, they came out swinging hard everytime taking on all contenders. Great clip! Great time for popular music only the best survived!

[asr53]

I think bassist Joe Long left the group prior to them getting hits again, mid 70's.

[MrJosealfaro]

nice video, i would like to know if you can download the sherry baby song

[ch1aka2]

Is this from The Sopranos?

[mzklover]

What are the names of the 4 band members here? I know there were changes throughout the years so I'm not sure which members are shown here.

[asloem]

great song, especially the bass line!

[mzklover]

One of my most favorite songs of all time. Great live singing on Frankie's part too.

[uszoninyc]

Bob Crewe's second only to Phil Spector as one of the MOST creative producer's of modern pop music (even Mr. Spector thinks so).

[dancervantes51]

great stuff

[jsbach15]

What a SOUND! 10+ stars!

[leng21]

Nice to see this performance by the Seasons from The Ed Sullivan Show back on YouTube. As some prior posters have noted, much of the instrumental and background vocals seem to be taken from the original hit recording. But, there is little doubt, the lead vocal of Frankie Valli is being performed live. Love this song and Frankie's rendition of it on live television!

[jupitr2]

I loved watching 'The Ed Sullivan Show' on Sunday nights. It was on after 'Lassie' and I remember seeing The Four Seasons make several appearances on the show. Also remember seeing The Carpenters, Topo Gigio and so many other acts. It was a Sunday night tradition to watch this. Sure, might flip over to NBC and watch 'The Wonderful World of Color' (Disney), but I remember Ed's show so well. TV entertainment today will never compare to the treasures we were able to watch.

[metalkrush77]

cool song! my mom's era for sure, she always bragged about watching The Ed Sullivan Show... I am still amazed she still has all these records from back then.

[reving19]

What's cool about the Four Seasons is that they were still making No. 1 hits after the British Invasion. Their popularity never ceased. They made hits all the way into the '70s.

[lucreziia]

Indeed people looked older for their age than they do now. However it was for none of the reasons Corn stated. People today are healthier because they eat fresher food and more fruit and veg, and the clothing and hairstyles then followed more rigid, formal rules and were less casual (note how jackets matched in bands - they all look refugees from the starship Enterprise!). Sitting in front of telly and computer all day as they do now probably keeps skin less wrinkled.

[74sodapop]

@lucreziia This is 1966. Frankie was 30 years old here and he looked about 35. A lot of time In The Sun ruins the skin.We know alot more about sun damage also a lot more are caring for the face,moisturizer etc.A lot of guys too.

[d4seasons]

i believe f. valli was 32 years old. he was born may 3rd, 1934. i believe stress & hard work could do that to you. f. valli is a true hardworking artist. enjoy.

[CarhornAshtray]

And that was about the most interesting reply I could come up with.

[CarhornAshtray]

I think it's cos people spent less time watching TV... or ate less processed food? Sorry, just wanted to reply to your interesting comment.

[thedarkarse]

How come everyone looked old at the age of 25 back in them days?

Sorry, I just wanted to submit a more interesting comment than just "This song is great" or "Great band - I LOVE this song"

...and that was about as interesting as I could come up with.

[hallwaypis]

Certified toughness by the Pis!

[dan97564]

fuck old ppl but this song is fuckin bomd nigga!!!

[richardr105]

lip synced or not the 4 Seasons were still great

[newerafrican]

Frankie's live but the instruments and the background vocals are definitely synched, at least until the end. Nice performance by Frankie, though. Just saw Jersey Boys and have a new appreciation for the Seasons, Frankie and Bob Gaudio.

[TheTransitCamera]

Thanks for posting this!

[xiz90]

Is that some weird Hagström bass? Sounds thumpy :D

[bassfiddlesteve]

Joe Long is playing a Hagstrom bass here but until the very end they are lip synching to the original recording. This song was recorded before Joe joined the band and I don't know who played bass on it (I'm not sure if orginal the bassist Nick Massi played bass on the records). I've always thought the bass sounded like a Fender Precision with flatwounds and mute. A nice, thumpy sound like James Jamerson.

[Jaybird1103]

Maybe the bass player on the record may have been Charlie Collelo, who was the player for the 4 Seasons between Nick Massi and Joe Long.

[bassfiddlesteve]

Perhaps. He's still active in music and has a website. Maybe I could ask him.

[TheFunnybone]

Lefty bass too O.O

[fenderpbass66]

SADLY, HE HAS SINCE PASSED.

[bassfiddlesteve]

No, Joe Long is the bass player in this video and he is still alive. The original bassist Nick Massi is the one who passed away and he played right handed.

[mzklover]

I posted a question about the names of the band members in the video. I just found this comment of yours regarding the bassist. Would you know who the others members are?

[bassfiddlesteve]

@mzklover Composer Bob Gaudio is on keyboards and Tommy DeVito is on guitar. They were both original members along with Franki Valli. Original bassist/bass singer Nick Massi was replaced by Joe Long in 1965. Joe stayed with them until the mid-70's and "Who Loves You Pretty Baby" was the last hit he played on.

[mzklover]

bassfiddlesteve: Thanks a bunch for the info. Despite their popularity, I still feel they were such an underrated group, as many truly talented musicians are.

[NuevoReNovado]

@mzklover Well, I only know of Frankie Valli xD