Walk Like a Man is the Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio single that gave The Four Seasons their third straight US No. 1.
Vee-Jay released it in January 1963, and it reached the top of the Hot 100 on March 2.
It was written to sound tougher than the hits before it.
Table of Contents
The Story Behind Walk Like a Man
A Tougher Follow-Up
"Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" had both gone to No. 1 in 1962.
Both were softer, more wounded songs.
Gaudio said that after "Big Girls Don't Cry," he and Crewe "made a conscious effort to toughen the sound of the record a little."
He added that the shift "wasn't purposely done."
A Song for Frankie Valli
Gaudio said he wrote it "for the best use of Frankie's voice."
He wanted to "maximize his full range."
In the lyric, a man is belittled by his girlfriend.
He follows his father's advice and walks away to keep his dignity.
Gaudio recalled the full-voice parts as "a little tougher, a little edgier."
Cash Box still heard the group's falsetto gimmick, riding a cha-cha beat.
It also praised an arrangement by Charles Calello.
Recording Day
The Sound
Wikipedia lists this lineup on the record.
- Frankie Valli on lead vocals.
- Tommy DeVito on guitar and harmony.
- Nick Massi on bass and harmony.
- Bob Gaudio on piano and harmony.
- Panama Francis on drums.
All four members also clap along.
Stereogum's Tom Breihan notes there are no strings and no "aah"-ing backing vocals.
He hears a "brittle and hard-strutting rhythm section" instead.
Smoke at the Studio
The best-known story is that Crewe kept the tape rolling through a fire.
Session guitarist Vinnie Bell recalled that Crewe had locked the studio door.
Smoke came in, and Crewe refused to stop until firefighters broke the door down.
Wikipedia places the session at Stea-Phillips Recording Studios, in the Abbey Victoria Hotel.
We found no source that says which take ended up on the record.
How It Charted
Three Weeks on Top
The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 2, 1963.
It held that spot for three weeks.
It also reached No. 3 on the R&B chart and No. 12 in the UK.
The B-side was "Lucky Ladybug," and the album was Big Girls Don't Cry and Twelve Others.
| Chart | Year | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 1963 | No. 1 (three weeks) |
| Billboard R&B | 1963 | No. 3 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade) | 1963 | No. 1 |
| UK Singles | 1963 | No. 12 |
Covers and Screen Moments
Honors and Covers
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lists it among its 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
- Jan & Dean covered it in 1963.
- Divine's 1985 Hi-NRG version reached No. 23 in the UK and Ireland.
On Screen and Stage
The record opens the credits of The Wanderers (1979).
It also appears in Heart and Souls and Mrs. Doubtfire (both 1993), and in Sleepers (1996).
It is in the musical Jersey Boys and its 2014 film.
Where It Fits
The single belongs to 1963, the year the group became a fixture on the radio.
The full story is in our Four Seasons biography.
For the wider sound, see the Pop and Brill Building hub.
You can also hear the year on the 1963 Radio Dial.
FAQ
Who wrote this song?
Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio wrote it, and Crewe produced the record for Vee-Jay.
When did it reach number one?
It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 2, 1963, and stayed there for three weeks.
It was the group's third straight chart-topper.
What is the song about?
A man is belittled by his girlfriend.
He follows his father's advice and walks away to keep his dignity.
Was the song really recorded during a fire?
Session guitarist Vinnie Bell said so.
In his account Crewe kept recording while smoke came in, until firefighters broke the door down.
We found no source that says which take was used.
Who has covered the song?
Jan & Dean recorded it in 1963.
Divine's 1985 Hi-NRG version reached number 23 in the UK.
Wikipedia's entry on the song covers the charts and covers in more depth.
Gaudio put it simply: "when the smoke cleared, it was just a good record."
Press play above and hear Walk Like a Man for yourself.