Another great song you gave me life

[anthony]

A new favourite You Gave me life, just love this song, it has a real rock edge to it , wished the Hollies did a few more of this type of number, sounds like Tony’s sitar guitar comes into play. Funny the next song playing on you tube is a Hollies classic, Mad Professor Blyth, does anyone know much about this song. 

[thejanitor]

I've always thought the psychedelic tinges (the phasing of the drums and Tony's electric sitar) to this song were interesting, considering the style was very much out of fashion by 1975. Can't really think of any of their 60s contemporaries still trying it out at that point, aside from maybe Gene Clark's No Other album from the previous year. The Four Seasons album Helicon from '77 also has some unusual trippy arrangements and guitar/keyboard effects throughout.

[gee]

'You Gave Me Life (With That Look in Your Eyes)' was a Clarke-Sylvester song cut over 12-15 August 1974, it may have been written a bit before as were a few tracks penned by the pair on the 'Another Night' album before Tony joined them for the full Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester team on the remaining tracks and besides the odd song like Allan's 'Samuel' the trio were credited as providing their original material from then on up to 1978

while gentler harmony / acoustics styled songs were quite strongly featured on the 'Another Night' album some driving electric tracks such as this, 'Time Machine Jive' and 'Look Out Johnny' plus the title track balanced the set out well, and those powering tracks maybe got a bit overlooked compared to 'Sandy', 'I'm Down', 'Give Me Time' etc...?

The Four Seasons 'Helicon' (1977)

- is a somewhat overlooked more 'Rockier' styled album that saw more harder edged songs chiefly sung by drummer Gerry Polci  (who had sung 'Silver Star' and the main lead on 'Dec '63 Oh What A Night') and bass guitarist Don Ciccone (formerly lead vocalist of The Critters)

John Paiva's guitar features too and special guest Gregg Allman played organ on 'Rhapsody'

the album was unusual in that Frankie Valli decided to take a back seat largely, being absent from four songs, and taking a brief couple of bridge vocal lines, alternating with Don on both 'Put A Little Away' and 'New York Street Song (No Easy Way)' tracks that were largely sung by Gerry - tho' the latter features two unaccompanied vocal sections with Valli clearly standing out over the Seasons harmonies on the drug themed number



Frankie sang the short but charming closing song 'I Believe in You' and took the soaring chorus lead vocal over the Seasons harmonies on 'Rhapsody' while Don sang the verses on the track that closed the vinyl album's first side

- each side of the album effectively builds up to Frankie Valli's chief lead vocal contributions

Gerry sang 'Long Ago' and 'Down The Hall' , Don sang 'Let's Get it Right' while Gerry / Don sang each of the vinyl album's sides opening tracks; 'If We Should Lose Our Love' and the title track 'Helicon'

all songs were written by 'classic' Four Seasons supremo Bob Gaudio with Judy Parker - produced by Gaudio, (by then a 'studio Season' only) and whilst playing keyboards throughout Gaudio only sings harmonies and backing vocals on tracks that Valli does not sing on

the only non singing 'Four Season' Lee Shapiro plays keyboards, synth' and did the arrangements

both 'Rhapsody' and 'Down The Hall' charted as singles in the UK but alot of 'set in their ways' older Seasons fans were unhappy about Valli cutting his vocal role back so significantly together with the 'rockier' style with more upbeat arrangements, more featured guitar, keyboard solos, and Polci's thundering drums...and the album was not a great seller at the time

Some Seasons fans still pretty much shun the album but I have always really enjoyed it - Gerry and Don were fine lead singers while cutting Frankie's vocal role back only made him stand out all the more..!

most of the vocal harmonies feature Polci, Ciccone, Paiva and Gaudio who were mega tight, while Valli of course always stands out even in just a backup vocal role

I think the sleeve vocal credits re backing harmony vocalists are mixed up between the two songs; 'Lets Get it Right' (which sounds like just Gerry, Don and John - but no evidence of Frankie) and 'Put A Little Away' where you can clearly hear Valli's voice in the background harmonies (even just singing 'oooohhhh' !) and it's probably Gerry, Don, Frankie, John combining voices on this track
 

'Helicon' might have been another significant Seasons experiment like 'Genuine Imitation Life Gazette' back in 1969 (an album John Lennon apparently loved but which also upset some 'older' Seasons fans probably wanting more 'Rag Dolls', 'Walk Like A Man', and 'Bye Bye Babys'??)  but it remains a fine seventies album in my view

[gee]

Rhapsody


Lead vocals; Frankie Valli, Don Ciccone

Organ; Gregg Allman

[gee]

Down The Hall

Lead Vocal; Gerry Polci

[gee]

Put A Little Away

Lead vocals; Gerry Polci, Frankie Valli, Don Ciccone

Backing harmonies; Gerry Polci, Don Ciccone, Frankie Valli, John Paiva