Swearin' to God

Last updated
"Swearin' to God"
Swearin' to God - Frankie Valli.jpg
German release single
Single by Frankie Valli
from the album Closeup
B-side "Why"
ReleasedApril 1975 (1975-04) [1]
Genre Disco [2]
Length
  • 10:09 (album version)
  • 4:05 (single)
Label Private Stock
Songwriter(s) Bob Crewe, Denny Randell
Producer(s) Bob Crewe
Frankie Valli singles chronology
"My Eyes Adored You"
(1974)		"Swearin' to God"
(1975)		"Our Day Will Come"
(1975)
Alternative release
Swearin' To God Frankie Valli 45 rpm.png
Side A of the US single

"Swearin' to God" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Denny Randell. It was recorded by Frankie Valli and released in May 1975 as a single from his album Closeup . [3] [4] [5] [6] It is a love song whose lyrical hook is a more literal use of the expression "I swear to God" (i.e., "I mean this sincerely"):

Contents

I'm swearin' to God / So glad He's givin' me you

The first Valli song to incorporate the disco style (it runs four minutes as a single but just over ten minutes on the album), [5] "Swearin' to God" features Patti Austin singing a response to Valli's praise in the bridge. [3] [6] "Swearin' to God" hit number 6 on the U.S. Billboard charts [4] and also charted #31 in the UK. [7]

Cash Box said of the edited single version that "Frankie's distinct vocal delivery meets a big, brassy arrangement and the result is a song that will surely skyrocket to the top." [8]

Chart history

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)</span> 1975 single by the Four Seasons

"December, 1963 " is a song originally performed by the Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's album Who Loves You (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)</span> 1965 song by The Four Seasons

"Bye, Bye, Baby " is a popular song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, a member of The Four Seasons, whose version of the song made it to No. 1 in Canada and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1965. On the original issue of the single, the title was "Bye Bye Baby". However, on the album, The 4 Seasons Entertain You, and on later issues of the song, the name was changed to the longer, more familiar one. The song is about saying goodbye, not because the person is unloved but rather because the relationship is adulterous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laughter in the Rain</span> 1974 single by Neil Sedaka

"Laughter in the Rain" is a song composed and recorded by Neil Sedaka, with lyrics by Phil Cody. It includes a 20-second saxophone solo by Jim Horn. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Eyes Adored You</span> 1974 single by Frankie Valli

"My Eyes Adored You" is a 1974 song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan. It was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in early 1974. After the Motown label balked at the idea of releasing it, the recording was sold to lead singer Frankie Valli for $4000. After rejections by Capitol and Atlantic Records, Valli succeeded in getting the recording released on Private Stock Records, but the owner/founder of the label, Larry Uttal, wanted only Valli's name on the label. It is from the album Closeup. The single was released in the US in November 1974 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1975. "My Eyes Adored You" also went to number 2 on the Easy Listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 5 song for 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montego Bay (song)</span> 1970 single by Bobby Bloom

"Montego Bay" is a song co-written and performed by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica of the same name. The song was a top ten hit for Bloom in the Fall of 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, No. 7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was co-written and produced by Jeff Barry. In the master tape of the song, Bloom breaks into a chorus of "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" at the end of the recording. The song features a whistler, as well as Jamaican instruments in a calypso style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Loves You (song)</span> 1975 single by The Four Seasons

"Who Loves You" is the title song of a 1975 album by The Four Seasons. It was composed by Bob Gaudio and Judy Parker and produced by Gaudio. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Hang On!</span> 1965 song performed by The Four Seasons

"Let's Hang On!" is a song composed by Bob Crewe, Sandy Linzer, and Denny Randell that was popularized by the Four Seasons in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'bout Me)</span> 1966 single by The Four Seasons

"Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'bout Me)" is a song composed by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell and recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966 for their album Working My Way Back to You.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tell It to the Rain</span> 1966 single by The Four Seasons

"Tell It to the Rain" is a song composed by Mike Petrillo and Chubby Cifelli and popularized by The Four Seasons in 1966 and early 1967. The single reached the #10 position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Ballad (L.T.D. song)</span>

"Love Ballad" is a song by R&B/Funk band L.T.D. Jeffrey Osborne is the lead singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Believe You</span> 1978 single by The Carpenters

"I Believe You" is a love ballad composed by Don and Dick Addrisi which was a 1977 single for Dorothy Moore; taken from her self-titled Dorothy Moore album. "I Believe You" reached #5 R&B and crossed over to the US Pop Top 30 at number 27. The track also reached number 20 in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like</span> 1974 single by Tom Jones

"Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like" is a popular song written by guitarist Richard Supa in the early 1970s. The version by Tom Jones reached No. 36 in the UK in 1974. Glen Campbell and Rita Coolidge reached No. 42 in the US with their recording of the song in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morning Side of the Mountain</span>

"Morning Side of the Mountain" is a song written by Larry Stock and Dick Manning and first recorded in 1951 by Tommy Edwards. It settled at #24 on the pop chart. Edwards re-recorded it in 1959, reaching #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. The re-release was featured as the B-side of Edwards' other hit, a cover of Johnnie Ray's 1952 success, "Please Mr. Sun."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's a Miracle (Barry Manilow song)</span> 1975 single by Barry Manilow

"It's a Miracle" is a 1975 single by Barry Manilow and was the second release from his album, Barry Manilow II. "It's a Miracle" went to number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was Manilow's second number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart, spending one week at number one in April 1975. The single also peaked at number fifteen on the disco/dance chart, and was the first of four entries on the chart. "It's a Miracle" was followed by "Could It Be Magic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Proud One</span> 1975 single by The Osmonds

"The Proud One" is a 1966 single written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe and originally performed by Frankie Valli as part of his debut solo album, The 4 Seasons Present Frankie Valli Solo. Valli's version, which featured the Seasons on instrumental backing but not vocals, peaked at #68 in the U.S. and #64 in Canada. Billboard claimed that "the electric sound of Valli is used to perfection in this powerful ballad, stating that the "easy-go dance beat [is] effective." Cash Box said that it is a "powerhouse" and that "the Valli sound holds the moving, teen-oriented tale of love together and the sweeping arrangement adds a must spin again quality to it."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gypsy Woman (The Impressions song)</span>

"Gypsy Woman" is a 1961 rhythm and blues song written by Curtis Mayfield and recorded by his group the Impressions. The group's first single following the departure of lead singer Jerry Butler, it reached No. 2 on the US Billboard R&B chart, No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Cash Box chart. It also appeared on the group's 1963 eponymous debut album. Joe Bataan (1967), Brian Hyland (1970), Bobby Womack (1985), Steve Marriott (1989), and Santana (1990) covered this song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)</span> 1975 single by Leo Sayer

"Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)" is a 1974 song by Leo Sayer, co-written with David Courtney. It was released in the United Kingdom in late 1974, becoming Sayer's third hit record on both the British and Irish singles charts and reaching number four in both nations. It was included on Sayer's album Just a Boy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Live a Dream</span> 1976 single by The Osmond Brothers

"I Can't Live a Dream" is a 1976 single by The Osmonds as the first track on their Brainstorm LP..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fallen Angel (Rogue song)</span> 1975 single by Rogue

"Fallen Angel" is a song by British soft rock band Rogue from their debut album Fallen Angels. Produced by band member Guy Fletcher, it was released as a single in 1975 and was a hit in the Netherlands, peaking at No. 12 on the Dutch Top 40. In the U.S., the song missed the Billboard Hot 100 by 8 places, reaching No. 108 in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Time, Another Place (Engelbert Humperdinck song)</span> 1971 single by Engelbert Humperdinck

"Another Time, Another Place" is a song by Engelbert Humperdinck, the title track of his 1971 LP. It became an international hit, reaching No. 13 in the United Kingdom and No. 16 in Canada.

References

  1. ↑ The Four Seasons; Frankie Valli (1991), Greatest Hits, Volume 2, Internet Archive, Warner Special Products, retrieved 2023-01-30
  2. ↑ Burke, Ken (January 1, 1998). "Frankie Valli/Four Seasons". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 465–466.
  3. 1 2 Viglione, Joe. "Franki Valli: Closeup". Allmusic.com . Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  4. 1 2 Bronson, Fred (October 1, 2003). "Grease (RSO 897): Frankie Valli". The Billboard Book of Number One Hits: Updated and Expanded 5th Edition. Random House Digital. p. 488. ISBN   0823076776 . Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  5. 1 2 Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001). "Four Seasons, The". The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. p. 296. ISBN   0879728213 . Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  6. 1 2 CWMartin (December 18, 2010). "Step into My Time Machine Week Thirty-Four" (blog). Tilting at Windmills. Blogspot . Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  7. ↑ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  8. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 3, 1975. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  9. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 319. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  10. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-07-12. Retrieved 2018-01-04.
  11. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1975-07-19. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  12. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  13. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 245.
  14. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 2, 1975". Archived from the original on June 20, 2015. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  16. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013.
  17. ↑ Musicoutfitters.com
  18. ↑ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1975". Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2018.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.