Monday, July 10, 2017

The Beatles vs The Four Season's

You Be the Judge and Jury

This epic battle happen in 1964 on a two record album release by the Vee Jay record label. It was the third time that "Introducing the Beatles" was repackaged and combined with the "Golden Hits of The Four Season's" which was repackaged for the second time. This Vee-Jay creation spent three weeks on the Billboard chart in October 1964 and peaked at number 142. Release Date: October 1, 1964.
The catalogue number for this two LP set was Vee Jay DX-30 for mono versions and Vee Jay DXS-30 for stereo versions. There were only 750 albums manufactured in stereo and from those approximately less than 50 examples are known to exist.

The resulting album titles The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons came with deluxe packaging. The front cover features a boxing theme billing the two record set as the “international battle of the century” with each group “delivering their greatest vocal punches”.


The back cover is a score card, complete with rules of contest, enabling the listener to assign points to twelve rounds of Beatles song pitted against Four Seasons songs. The "rules" of the contest are written in purple. 

The left inside gatefold liner notes recycle the Beatles liner notes from Songs, Pictures And Stories. The right inside part of the jacket contains the “4 Seasons Biography.”  (see About the Beatles )


Also included in the double LP "The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons" is a poster that measures 11 and half inches by 23 inches (the front cover of the album states that the free poster is 8 inches by 15 inches). This poster features the same drawings of the individual members of the Beatles as the ones used for the "Songs, Pictures and Stories of The Fabulous Beatles" cover. The poster has the drawings horizontally surrounded by a gold frame.


From 1962 to early 1964, only the Beach Boys matched the Four Seasons in record sales in the United States before the Beatles. The Golden Hits Of The Four Seasons was originally released by Vee Jay in August of 1963, and peaked at #15 on the Billboard Top LP's chart. 
This greatest hits album covered their phenomenal year from mid-1962 to mid-1963, including their three consecutive number one hits "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "Walk like A Man," the Top Ten hit "Candy Girl," the Top 40 hits "Ain't That a Shame" and "Marlena," and the chart entry "Soon (I'll Be Home Again)." 
The Four Season's have sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide. Frankie Vallie is still performing around the world at age 83 years.
Total number of Beatles albums sold is at 2,303,500,000. Date research was conducted: August 1, 2016. The two remaining Beatles, Paul McCartney age 75 and Ringo Starr age 77, continue to perform around the world.
A comprehensive review of this album by Bob Matonis can found at Classic Albums Of The 1960's.

as told by roman blazic

2 comments:

  1. Roman , the Four Seasons sold 100 million in 3 years .. now, today over 250 million and counting , because they own all the rights to there songs , Jersey Boys play , grossed to date , 3 Billion , the movie 400 million , FV/partner Bob Gaudio , grossed 82 million with all properties and shows , and productions , which are 7 ...and he still does a min of 90 concerts world wide .. Sorry Roman , they are in to different classes ... FV been preforming for 65yrs .. humble and grateful, gives back to his fans, the energy is amazing , bounces back and forth , from him to audience ..Wow , at 83 yrs ...

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    1. The 100 million record sales is based on figures from 2013. I was unable to find anything different. Yes, there's more than meets the eye of the FV/BG partnership especially their business and financial success.

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