Cover version of the month #88
Lauryn Hill covers Frankie Valli
My cover version of the month blog regularly leads to me discovering new facts about the origins of the song. I thought I knew this one. I was convinced that Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You was first recorded by Andy Williams, but in actual fact it was Frankie Valli.
Bob Gaudi, Valli's former bandmate in the Four Seasons, wrote the song with his friend Bob Crewe. Valli released the Can't Take My Eyes Off You in April 1967, just ahead of the Summer of Love. Coming in at 3-minutes 24 seconds, this really is a perfect song.
Easing in gently with strings and melancholic horns, the first two verses are feelings that people all over the world can relate to - that wonderful feeling of being head over heels in love when you can't take your eyes off someone and you can't believe it is really true.
At 1-minute 19 seconds there is a glorious jaunty horn led bridge to the chorus which absolutely explodes into life with Valli stretching his vocals in a joyful declaration of love.
I love you baby
And if it's quite alright I need you baby
To warm the lonely night, I love you baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me own I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
And let me love you baby
Let me love you
With no pause, we're back into the first verse, Valli's voice is absolutely gorgeous, as are the strings that swirl around him. Then it's back to the uplifting horn bridge that gets so many people up to dance at weddings and into that huge soulful and euphoric chorus. And it's over! With such a recognisable bridge and chorus it is almost difficult to believe that you only hear them twice!
Andy Williams covered the song in 1968 and took it to number 5 in the UK singles charts. So it's possible that his version is the version that is more widely known in the UK. Valli's version reached number 2 in the USA but doesn't appear to have been released over here.
Williams is a little more of a crooner than Valli. That said, I love the bass and the little scratch guitar riff in the intro and through the verses. That soulful undercurrent is lost a little for the bridge and chorus. It does become a little more 'loungey'.
I definitely prefer the Frankie Valli version to the Williams version that I thought was the original.
30-years on from Williams version, Lauryn Hill released her one and only solo album - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Coming on the back of Fugees 1996 album The Score, it's hard to believe that Hill hasn't released anything since! Hill was in an exceptionally rich vein of form, looking incredibly cool and singing heavenly.
Reading up on where she was at, it sounds like Hill was tired/exhausted of life in Fugees - the pressures resulting from the success of The Score and the conflict resulting from her relationship with Wyclef Jean. Jean married someone while still involved with Hill.
Hill found love with Rohan Marley (son of Bob) and it sounds like Lauryn was in a very happy place while recording her debut album, from June 96 - June 97. Hill and Marley became parents to young Zion in August 97.
Lauryn originally recorded the song to feature on the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory, however it wasn't actually included on the film soundtrack. That didn't stop a DJ in San Francisco from burning the song on to a CD and playing it on his show. It took off and other stations followed suit, eventually resulting in the song being a hidden track on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. In 1999, Hill's version became the first 'hidden song' to be nominated for a Grammy.
At the age of only 23, Hill was beautiful, cool, in love, a Mum and on top of the world musically in 1998. Her version is all kinds of cool, oozing confidence and soul. Hill takes out the bridge (beloved by all wedding attendees in Scotland) and goes straight to the chorus.
I can't find anything online about why Lauryn recorded this, but I like to think that it's because she was indeed head over heels in love. And it comes across in the song, her voice is simply sublime.
My friends Phil and Mary played this for their first dance when they got married. So, perhaps for sentimental reasons, this is my favourite version of the song. I do dig the Frankie Valli version more than the Andy Williams version that I thought was the original.
All of the above versions are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE
Previous covers of the month
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U
Lauryn Hill recorded
All previous cover version of the month blogs are listed below. To listen on Spotify, search for Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist, featuring all of the songs below, or CLICK HERE
Previous covers of the month
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U
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