Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) (Official Music Video)

The Four Seasons merged their history with the events happening in 1976. The song “Oh What a Night” had an attractive Genesis; the original music, December 5th, 1933, was about celebrating the end of prohibition. But as fate would have it, the bandmates were not thrilled with the lyrics.

Gaudio and Judy Parker rewrote the song with some nostalgic reverie; Gaudio later said that the song was all about his courtship with his wife. It’s sweet if you think about it.

The drummer, Greg Polci, sings lead, even though he doesn’t have the easily identifiable tone of Valli. He does, however, bring a lot of enthusiasm to the song, which seems to be a recollection of a sexual experience that Gaudio had with his future wife, Judy Parker.

Fun Facts

• According to longtime group member Bob Gaudio, the original song’s lyrics celebrated the repeal of prohibition, but it was later recomposed as a nostalgic memory of a young man’s first affair with a woman. The lady in reference is Gaudio’s wife, Judy Parker.

• “Oh, What a Night” topped the UK Singles Chart after its release in 1975 and was on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.

• “Oh, What a Night” was the final Four Seasons’ No. 1 song, although Valli later had one last solo chart-topper in 1978, the theme song to the film Grease.

• Four Seasons recorded the famous song at Warner Bros Records.

• “Oh, What a Night” was the flavor of the 70’s rock with a disco feel. It had one of the sweetest melodies, was easy to sing along to, and had an unforgettable bass line.

Lyrics

Oh, what a night

Late December back in sixty three

What a very special time for me

As I remember, what a night

Oh, what a night, you know I didn’t even know her name

But I was never gonna be the same

What a lady, what a night

Oh, I, I got a funny feelin‘ when she walked in the room

And my, as I recall it ended much too soon

Oh what a night, hypnotizin’ mesmerizing me

She was ev’rything I dreamed she’d be

Sweet surrender, what a night

I felt a rush like a rollin’ ball of thunder

Spinnin’ my head around and takin’ my body under

Oh, what a night

Oh, I, I got a funny feelin‘ when she walked in the room

And my, as I recall it ended much too soon

Oh, what a night

Why’d it take so long to see the light?

Seemed so wrong, but now it seems so right

What a lady, what a night

Oh I felt a rush like a rollin’ ball of thunder

Spinnin’ my head around and takin’ my body under

Oh what a night

Do-do-do, do-do-do

Do-do-do-do, oh what a night

Do-do-do, do-do-do

Do-do-do-do-do-do, oh what a night

Do-do-do, do-do-do

Do-do-do-do-do-do, oh what a night

Do-do-do, do-do-do

Do-do-do-do-do-do, oh what a night