The Four Freshmen - Their Hearts Were Full of Spring

[DNAngelFan22]

i cried

[lmelvina58]

One person has winter in his heart.

[Timophonic1]

Rest in peace Bob Flannigan

[Javier23gol]

The Four Feshmen + Brian Wilson=The Beach Boys

[deweypug]

So nice to hear one of Brian Wilson's influences... The high register that Brian sang was amazing.

[signalcorp4]

Great sound. Smooth. 

[cruzman3608]

Brian Wilson's Elvis and Eddie Guthrie.

[gymyg7]

Great to hear them again...haven't since the 60s.

Interesting anecdote, perhaps: they performed at the US Air Force Academy in Arnold Hall at some point in the 60s; four of we USAF Academy Band-types had a quartet; and did transcrition of Hearts in our shows. We got to jam with the FFMN back-stage; Hearts as an Octet great fun, and a fond memory. They’ve got to be getting just a little old by now, too.

Thanks Freshmen gentlemen, and best wishes to all the Freshmen fans.

gymyg

[49jubilee]

I didn't know that Bobby Troup, the guy who played the doctor on Emergency wrote this song as well as Route 66 for Nat King Cole--I knew Julie London was a singer though who played the nurse on the show

[NatePinkyVideos]

this is some beautiful harmony!!!

[gaffer]

The Beach Boys do not come close to the Four Freshmen. This version was recorded almost 25 years before the Beach boys did it. The Four Freshman's intonation is so much better and much more musical.

Many may not know that the Beach Boys consulted with Bob Flanagan as they were creating their style of music.

If it wasn't for the Freshmen, the Beach Boys probably wouldn't exist as they are today.

Sorry, I had to vent.

[gregormann7]

@gaffer Not even CLOSE? Are you trying to be funny? What compels people to make gratuitous negative comparisons all the time on YT. No one can do anything without someone putting them down as inferior to someone THEY know all about. If you knew anything about THE MUSICIAL GENIUS named Brian Wilson, you would know the HE has said endless times that tFF were MAJOR influences on him. So what's your point in saying it again?

[SPzero06]

@gaffer

Very true, but Brian Wilson has always been honest and humble about that. Have you heard some of their stuff of of Smile though? The vocal harmonies are some of the most unique and creative I've heard of any vocal group. The Four Seasons had some great harmonies too.

[M3town3]

@SPzero06 Yeah I love the four seasons too! from sheery baby to Grease!

[OropherThranduil]

@gaffer

well, that may be right.

but saying the freshmen are more musical is utter bullshit.

good vibrations for example is much more complex, musical and melodic than any freshmen track, he has up to 3 different harmony vocals going on behind the lead, and everything sounds perfect, nothing rushed or cramped in, and the backing track makes it one of the greatest songs of all time.

[ambarnag]

many thanks for posting the info on alan deane's awesome site!

[belladeballe]

Such a beautiful song. I hadn't heard either the 4 Freshman or BB version until today. I'd only knew of the melody as used in the BB "A Young Man Is Gone"...that melody always makes me cry...and both sets of lyrics are simply lovely.

[BeachBoysGuy1]

To me personally, the melody is clearly the top part ( first tenor) all the way through the song, whether it's Bob Flanagan or Brian Wilson, Bruce johnston, Al Jardine or whoever. Anyway, it's a beautiful song and arrangement. this particular recording sounds slow to me, but that's purely subjective. Thanks JHP

[chankagogo12]

@BeachBoysGuy1 you are right. the fact that the melody is sung by the highest voice is what distinguishes the four freshmen, the beach boys et all from barbershop where the melody is sung by the 2nd highest voice.

[fourfreshmanmad]

Of the (very) many Four Freshmen tracks I now have, this is my favourite; it is so moving. I will have it played at my funeral. First saw FF in Liverpool UK 1962, then again in London 1992 (met Bob Flanagan). Saw present foursome (the best) in Florida in February; going back there to see them next March. Wonderful!

[Dalxien]

The beachboys sang this in concert pretty recently. :3

[BeachBoysGuy1]

They've been doing it for decades, off and on. It was best when the originasl group did it, but the current tribute Beach Boys does a nice job too. They sang it on The Andy Williams Show in 1965

[relhctis]

In spring 2007 the Freshmen sang in Worland WY on a civic concert tour. I drove the 440 miles from Denver to hear them. At break I requested "Hearts". They usually charge $100 for a request, but since I had driven from Denver, they did it for free. And it was lovely.

[aaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaaqaa]

@relhctis: "Charge 100"---wow, that is the spirit of music! Yay capitalism!

[wildnites558]

It's amazing when you listen to the FF sing this, you really can hear the influence they had on Brian Wilson and the BB's. Listening to them they nearly sound like the BB's (or the other way around). That high-tenor Al Jardine vocal is almost identical to the BB's.

[fastragger]

If you like the great harmony of these guys or the Beach Boys (my fav) you should listen to some of what Barbershoppers are singing these days. It will make ALL your hair curl!

[Rygads]

I was so flattered when my choral director gave me the 1st tenor part for this. Most fun I've ever had singing a four part male piece, hands down.

[jpe19940]

Wow

I have to admitt as much as i have read about "the four freshmen' in Brian Wilson Books and documentaries I had never heard them. They are great!

I can see why Brian liked them so much and the influence they have had on him is so obvious to me now I wish i had have found this earlier thanks for putting it up and my 2 cents is that as much as i love the BB thisi s a much more polished and much more tonal version - I like both versions but they 4F did it first

I'm a new fan

Marty

[bricology]

This is a fine version. It should be pointed out that the _original_ version isn't that of the Beach Boys (as much as I like their treatment), but of the song's composer, Bobby Troup, whose version (available elsewhere on YouTube) really shines. And I have to disagree with the poster who said that the song lacks a "tune". The melody is instantly memorable, once you hear it done by Mr. Troup, even though he performs it very languidly. Sped up, it has almost the hook of a Colonial marching tune!

[musnick13]

Great! But I do prefer The Beach Boys version. But you gotta give props to the originators

[SharnCedar]

really great harmony music has several characteristics - one of which is a quality tune by one or more parts, meaning if you sing the parts separately they hold up. This music is technically good, but doesn't have a tune. Also, if you were to play the chord progression on say a guitar, it would be complicated, however muddy and uninteresting, it doesn't tell a story.

So technical competence an A, musical story-telling a C.

[Willco5114]

You have a point to a point. There are ensemble writing techniques in which the individual lines do not hold up. I think they are also valid - maybe not as much fun to sing. You didn't say it but I cannot relate to the lyrics of this song - I wish I knew how it came to be written.

[BeachBoysGuy]

You make intersting observations, but to say this song has no 'tune' ?? The melody is clearly on top when sung by the Beach Boys. This 4 Freshmen version , whom the BBs revered and who did it first, is very stiff to me. Please explain what you mean by no 'tune' thank you JHP

[retread01]

I think your rigid set of rules on what 'great harmony music has' are getting in the way of you enjoying music. No music has to 'have' anything. There are no rules and to cling to some is leading you down a blind alley.

[stumptacular]

I was going to say the same thing.... music has no rules... and i believe the separate parts would and do stand by themselves... you dont have to think so hard about it... ENJOY IT! just like when Mike Love said "your fucking with the formula"... he was wrong. Formulas are the kiss of death to serious art. The Rules are: There are NO rules. and this song is PURE MAGIC. Like the BB's version better but this is the orig and its an AAA+++ absolutely humbling piece. can c why brian was a big

fan

[SPzero06]

@SharnCedar

I respect what you're trying to say, but artistically that is not really a good critique. I know what you mean, but what's a quality tune? What's "great" harmony music as opposed to others? And if there are characteristics that by default make it great, can you explain them please? Complicated doesn't mean technical and you haven't explained how or why the lines not holding up are related to musical story telling.

[jazzbandball]

awsome

[randywong]

The Beach Boys were different - Brian tweaked the arrangement because of the unique harmonics of group. Their version just hilights that, especially Brian's soaring falsetto. "Better" is just a matter of personal preference.

[Willco5114]

The Beach Boys were not better than this. They borrowed the Freshmen arrangement and their vocals are not in any way this rich. You can all compare for yourselves.

[wgb01001]

sorry. the beah boys' version IS better. it just is.

[truslerve]

Have you ever heard the Suntones barbershop group do this song? It actually is breathtaking and I like very much the Beach Boys version. The chords are basically the same but listen to the Suntones and I'm sure you'll agree. BobbyRay

[CtrlRm]

brian wilson wouldnt have written such great stuff if it werent for his influence from the 4 freshman

[iwojima654]

The beach boys sound better, but this is good

LONG LIVE THE BEACH BOYS The best band EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[videoeshmideo]

Great song, great arrangement, great performance. Superb musicianship. These guys are true artists. This is as good as it gets.

[gerryged86]

cant thank you enough for posting this

[dalerobertz]

Thank you very much for posting this gem.

[caraphyllis]

Thank you so much for posting this gorgeous original. Brian Wilson said when he first heard the Four Freshmen, he felt purged and cleansed of his emotional pain. Then, his fever to decipher the Four Freshmen's harmonies led to his development as one of pop music's greatest geniuses. Imagine that!

[mashuornot]

bravo! i wanted it for so long.

[gerryged86]

cant thank you enough for posting this

[gerryged86]

hahah sorry i was suppose to reply to you saying that i been wanting this for so long too, i been typing in after i heard my favourite band the beach boys video of the same song, but i've grown to like some freshmen songs to. I wanted to know wat brian wilson was so obsessed about listening to it all the time.