I am a Newarker too born and raised. Everytime I hear this particular song, I think of my days in the local playground blasting WABC AM Radio over the speakers. And for some reason everytime I entered the playground this song would be playing. Nice memories of my days in Newark!!!
I came from the same neighborhood as Frankie and the Seasons in Newark Nj. When I was in H.S in early to the mid sixties. The Seasons were the greatest in our neck of the woods.
So sorry you had to go through that.Kids(people) can be so terrible.Heres hoping you came out of that even stronger and taught your children well.I dedicate this song to you.
@@ronm7394 that’s ok. The worst thing was when the teacher in the next grade would ask what your father did for a job. There was only myself and one other boy in a single parent household. I just used to say he was a truck-driver, which he was. I saw him twice in ten years.
It was July 1, 1964, little did the Four Seasons know that those guys from England weren't finished. It sure looked like it. How can any group be more popular then the Beatles were for 5 months but we thought it was cute and a past trend, then BOOM, they released A HARD DAYS NIGHT", Don't these guys know how to take a break?, and we all fell in love with the Beatles all over again. Meanwhile the Four Seasons still had a number one song in July 1964 called RAG DOLL!
A #1 song for The Four Seasons in the summer of 1964. I will always feel that if it had not been for The Beatles, The Four Seasons would have been the breakout act of the 1960's. Even though The Beatles dominated that decade, The Four Seasons also made their mark.
Back in the 60s the 4 Seasons were voted the number one group of America. I don't know how long they held that status and that was about a year after the Beatles hit the charts. They did some great music!
Its great to be old enough to remember these songs before they became back ground music, or silly commercials...but at least they are still being played.
I cry everytime I listen to these signs wishing i was back in my teens. But, It doesn't matter at this point. I'm 72 and I will only listen to 60's music because it is the very best music ever and puts these today songs to absolute shame. The 4 seasons, the crystals, the Ronettes, Roy Orbison, the Monkees, The mcCoys, Manfred Mann and many other keep by bawling my eyes out. I loved them then and I love them now. And I will til the day i die
But they can't save your soul on judgement day. If you don't know and love Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior then you will spend eternity in the lake of fire with satan and all of his followers and those who never believer or accepted what Jesus Christ did on the cross for our sin. Making people happy will not save your soul.
The artists throughout the 60s to the 80s really were several levels skill above any of today's artists.We will never see pure raw talent ever again. Sadly,all these amazing artists are slowly passing away now but the recordings will always be here
The woman Valli is singing to is one of the "Action Kids" from "Where the Action is", which, as others have noted, was a Dick Clark production in the mid-60's that aired daily in the afternoons. Her stage name was Jeri Lyn. Her real name is Jerilyn Stapleton. Today, she resides in Southern California and is active in the Hollywood chapter of the National Organization of Women. Her "trademark" ponytail and white bow made her stand out from the other Action Kids.
I was born in '79 and i would have put every last dollar, penny, dime on a bet if someone asked me what year this song is and i would have lost it all because i would have said it's from the 50's 100% 😲 I was very surprised it was from the 60's because it has the 50's sound.
Rag Doll made number one within two weeks from its release. Bob Gaudio wrote this song when a poor girl in NYC approached his car to clean his windshield for money. He gave her money, but the event stayed on his mind and Bob wrote the song which became a huge hit in 1964
I saw Gaudio give an interview after this song came out in the US and that is exactly what he said about the origin of the song, ..but I thought it was a much larger note,..the only thing he had which he gave to the girl who tried to give it back thinking he made a mistake and when he insisted, she began crying....it makes the song all the more wonderful.
I remember when this song was #1 on WABC, WINS, WLGI radios in NYC are (June/July 1964). We (my friends & family) went to the beach (Jones) and as we walked down the beach, every radio was tuned to this song ... it was like something out of "Where Were You In '64." What was even stranger, was that this was just months after the "British Invasion" began. I'll never forget that as long as I live, or any of the great songs of the 4 Seasons!
Im 15, almost 16, and Ive beeen listening to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and this type of good music since I can remember, because I have cool old parents, anyhow yesterday after saying to one of my "friends" I was buying tickets to see him I actually had to explain who Frankie Valli was, and then I actually got laughed at for it!
This was released during my birth year.......I'm proud to have such a great song to accompany my birth! ( It's so amazing seeing how the world has changed since then)
Did any of you notice the little girl with other kids in 1:17 to 1:23 of this video?? She certainly really likes this song!! LOL!! There are lots of toddlers, preschoolers, and little kids (under age 8) that love oldies music even today. I have been in numerous preschools/daycares over the years, and have 'found out that most have oldies music in their tapes & CDs they have for children. I'm 33 years old, and have Autism, but I love oldies, and think toddlers should bring oldies back!! Preston
This song was written by bob gaudio after he stopped a lights and girl washed his windscreen - he wrote it because she was dressed in rags but had such a beautiful face. Now thats special to her if she knows who she is ...
This song always reminds me of working at the auto parts store when I was in high school. Heard it quite often. That was only back in 2001!!!! :-) Long live the oldies!!!!
Everything about this vid is awesome, great voice great band, i love the old style clothing and simply the way things were back then u dont see it these days, it really takes me back to the times before i was born.
Just saw Jersey Boys on DVD. The back story gave new meaning to some of the songs, but not Rag Doll. Went to sleep many nights during Basic Training at Fort Jackson with my 9-transistor radio making my heart ache with the Four Seasons.
the song was written about a little girl who was with a bunch of poor people who stood at a intersection to wipe off windows at a stop light for money. i think it was Bob who encountered her one morning, and all he has was a ten dollar bill or something like that. he couldn't forget her face and wrote the song when he got to the studio
As "Jennifur" said. It was a girl about 5 y/o in rags cleaning Windows for spare change. Bob didn't have anything less than 20$ so he gave her one. She was so little that she only managed to clean the driver side mirror. So sad.
Good Day! There is still a loyal following of BIG 4 seasons fans here in Ontario, eh, AND, I might add, of ALL AGES!!! Good music, and great talent does not go "out of style",eh! Notice how "crap", "flashes in the pan",...& fade into history. There are many stations playing them, & other good groups like them daily! 560CFOS, 1150CKOC, 1460CJOY, (Easy)101.3, "Operating on the belief that all the good songs have already been recorded,...We're 1380CKPC"... My late mom was a fan too!
This was film on the Brooklyn Hts Promenade as I was there with a friend, it was part of Dick Clarks "Where the Action Is" the spot was flag pole just up from the the foot of Montague St. in another song tape there Frankie rides off with my friends bike
"Rag Doll" is the group's best song and is one of the best records of the rock era. I always sing with Valli and the group when I play it in my car or at home. I try-and come up short-to hit the notes Valli is able to do in falsetto.
Jeri Lyn was my favorite Action Kids dancer. If somebody would remaster this series and release it on DVD everybody would see how totally awesome she was.
@Moshpith wow you are absolutly right about Peter, what energy on stage, I was sooo impressed! would love to see Frankie , especially after seeing Jersey Boys, Amazing Story!!!
@hugatag it was filmed in Brooklyn Heights. the most expensive area in Brooklyn, New York on Montague St. near the water. the song was in 1964 a great year. this was actually filmed in 1965. Joe Long joined the group later on.
they had some fantastic competitors back in the day... the beatles, beach boys, elvis among many others greats. so many great artists that were so good that they probably werent recognized as much as they should have been.
I am glad that they have been given a second look by music fans due to the show and movie. Looking back they were kind of an east coast Beach Boys or the Beach Boys were a west coast Frankie. Brian also sang in a falsetto. Both are great groups.
I love this song cause we always wore hand me down clothes. I learned how to work with what showed up. I am grateful for the clothes I would get and the creativity it taught me. I also know that God provides and he believes in recycling. God always took care of me. He has given me so much stuff that I have come to learn that it is all stuff. He will always provide and stuff isn't what it is all about. It is about the journey and God providing every step of the way. It is also about honoring him.
I had a boyfriend who claimed this song reminded him of me, but it wasn't because of me having hand-me-downs. (Iwas an only child so got basically what I wanted) but because his mom didn't approve of me because I am hispanic and he is polish. We we in middle school back then. I have been married for 34 years and he went on to become a friar. We have always kept in touch and our love went from what it was then to best friends and always there for one another. EVOL (love-backwards) Tommy
No. The Bobby Vee video appears to be from "American Bandstand" and the woman a member of the studio audience. As others have noted, this is from another Dick Clark production, "Where the Action Is", which aired weekdays in the afternoon during the mid-60's. The woman Valli is singing to is one of the Action Dancers, Jeri Lyn, whose real name is Jerilyn Stapleton. Today, she resides in So. California and is active in the Hollywood chapter of the National Organization of Women.
Where The Action is did so many Locations. In Detroit, A Country Club where The Temptations and Four Tops performed, A Marina for The Mamas & The Papas, Marvin Gaye, An Amusement Park, & The Supremes A Ski Lodge. They even did one with The Yardbirds after Eric Clapton left with Jeff Beck where it was 1:00 PM in California and about 6:00 PM in London.
So great! A fine Nr.1 in the US Charts from August 1964. These guys could afford to put another monster track on the flipside: SILENCE IS GOLDEN was a Nr.1 in many countries in Europe, made by THE TREMELOES
