The Bob Crewe Generation- Music to Watch Girls By

DSCN0999This was in the $1 pile. I bought it for the title track as well as few others. It was formerly owned by one Al Lake who lost the sleeve along the way. The album is also out of print I believe.

Bob Crewe, I learned after the fact, was a heavyweight in the world of songwriting and producing. He co-wrote and produced most of the hit songs for Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons including “Walk Like a Man” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. Although I am told his character’s portrayal in Jersey Boys is exaggerated, it explains why an album titled Music to Watch Girls By has fifteen young men on the cover. Really, do you expect me to believe there were 15 clean cut, all white session musicians in the US in 1967? Regardless, he continued to write songs and produce records. “Can’t Take my Eyes off You’ and “Lady Marmalade” probably are his biggest accomplishments on that front. He died on Sept 11, 2014.DSCN1000

I believe this to be Crewe’s first record done under his name with the label, Dynovoice, which he founded in 1965. On it he picks an interesting choice of material to cover including musical numbers from movies, to songs he co-wrote, to music written and performed earlier on his label. I did not know this when I bought it, but this was the first real recorded version of the Title track. It was taken from a Diet Pepsi commercial. It went to #15 on the pop chart and was later covered by many including Al Hirt and a vocal version by Andy Williams. Also, in a gesture akin to Russian Peasant Theater, it has become the obligatory background music in movies and TV when they want to infer that someone is a ladies man. In regards to the rest of the songs, they showcase Crewe’s direction and arrangement skills by combining a rich mix of instrumentation as well as a variety of tempos. Most of the songs have prominent guitar parts as well. I think because of this in particular, I enjoyed this record.tumblr_mdqmv3psxZ1qiqzu8o1_500

Normally, I do not like using the hit song as an example, but I was stuck between either “Anna” or “Let’s Hang On” and could not break that tie. Plus, as a service to anyone who plans to throw a 60’s style swinger event in the near future, I present the title track.

This is a satisfactory record for me. I will play it again.

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