The song was released in 1975 and peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100, UK and the Canadian charts. It was off the album Who Loves You and the title single peaked at #3.
It was written by keyboard player Bob Gaudio and Judy Parker.
From Songfacts
According to the co-writer and longtime group member Bob Gaudio, the song was originally set in 1933 with the title “December 5th, 1933,” and celebrated the repeal of Prohibition. Neither lead singer Frankie Valli nor co-writer (and later, Gaudio’s wife) Judy Parker were thrilled about the lyrics (and Valli objected to parts of the melody) so Gaudio redid the words and Parker redid the melody until all were content with the finished product. It ended up being a nostalgic love song.
“December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)”
Oh, what a night
Late December, back in ’63
What a very special time for me
As I remember, what a night
Oh, what a night
You know, I didn’t even know her name
But I was never gonna be the same
What a lady, what a night
Oh, I
I got a funny feeling when she walked in the room
Hey, my
As I recall, it ended much too soon
Oh, what a night
Hypnotizing, mesmerizing me
She was everything I dreamed she’d be
Sweet surrender, what a night
And I felt a rush like a rolling bolt of thunder
Spinning my head around and taking my body under
Oh, what a night
Oh, I
Got a funny feeling when she walked in the room
Hey, my
As I recall, it ended much too soon
Oh, what a night
Why’d it take so long to see the light?
Seemed so wrong, but now it seems so right
What a lady, what a night
Oh, I felt a rush like a rolling bolt of thunder
Spinning my head around and taking my body under
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do)
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Great track. Glad it still gets a lot of airplay !
I liked it the first time I heard it when I was a kid
This one’s a real crowd pleaser. It’s irresistible pop in the vein of The Raspberries. The Four Seasons are just good.
It is catchy from the word go. It doesn’t have to grow on you.
True. It has hit written all over it. That said, I prefer the ones that have to grow on you…They end up being some of my favorites like, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, the antithesis of Oh What a Night. Ha! I
Dear Mr. Fantasy had to grow on me…I get what you are saying.
I have always detested The Four Seasons- their music makes me cringe- but this was a pretty good song I must admit.
It’s Frankie Valli I don’t like…that high annoying voice. He is kept at bay on this one.
Yes it is Valli you are correct-
I was doing some wishful thinking because I thought this was their last big hit….nope…I forgot about Grease…cause I wanted to block it out probably….I’m not sure if that was just him or with the Four Seasons.
Grease was just Frankie…. I was not a fan of the movie- or the music from the movie…
I wasn’t either… I remember Grease was everywhere at the time. I had 3 teenage cousins (three sisters) and they had Grease posters, records. etc…
It was big- not Saturday Night Fever big but big. Didn’t care for either of them but SNF was good in comparison.
Off Topic but before I forget I wanted to share this with you. I broke out laughing all the way through it. Beatles humor unguarded… really interesting 18 minutes…
I will look it up! TY