Walk Like a Man (The Four Seasons song)

"Walk Like a Man"
Single by The Four Seasons
from the album Big Girls Don't Cry And Twelve Others
B-side	Lucky Ladybug (from the same album)
Released	January 1963
Format	7"
Recorded	January 1963
Genre	Rock
Length	2:17
Label	Vee-Jay Records
Writer(s)	Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio
Producer(s)	Bob Crewe
The Four Seasons singles chronology
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (1962) "Walk Like a Man" (1963) "Ain't That a Shame!" (1963)

"Walk Like a Man" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and originally recorded by The Four Seasons.^[1]

The Four Seasons' version

The song features the counterpoint of Nick Massi's bass voice and the falsetto of lead singer Frankie Valli. It was their 3rd #1 hit, initially reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on March 2, 1963, remaining there for three weeks. "Walk Like a Man" also went to number three on the R&B singles chart ^[2]

During the sessions that produced the hit recording, the fire department received an emergency call from the Abbey Victoria Hotel (the building that housed the Stea-Phillips Recording Studios). As producer Bob Crewe was insisting upon recording the perfect take, smoke and water started to seep into the studio as the group repeated their efforts upon Crewe's insistence: the room directly above the studio was on fire, yet Crewe blocked the studio door and continued recording until a few firemen used their axes on it and pulled Crewe out.^[3]

Cover versions of the song have been recorded by other musicians such as the Mary Jane Girls (1986), Divine (1985), Dreamhouse and Jan & Dean (1963) off the album Jan & Dean Take Linda Surfin. Plastic Bertrand did a cover version in French, entitled C'est Le Rock 'n' Roll (1978) and Hungarian band Bon Bon also covered the song with the title Sexepilem (1999).

The song "Walk Like a Man" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.^[4]

Divine cover

"Walk Like a Man"
Single by Divine
from the album Maid in England
Released	1985
Format	CD single, Maxi single
Genre	Hi-NRG[5]
Label	Proto Records, Liberation Records
Writer(s)	Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio
Divine singles chronology
"T Shirts and Tight Blue Jeans" (1984) "Walk Like A Man" (1985) "Twistin' The Night Away" (1985)

Divine covered "Walk Like a Man" and released it as a single from the album Maid in England in 1985.

Track listing

1. "Walk Like a Man" - 3:50
2. "Man Talk" - 3:23

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6]	75
Irish Singles Chart	23
German Singles Chart[7]	52
Swiss Singles Chart[8]	28
UK Singles Chart[9]	23

References

1. The Four Seasons interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 212.
3. Sasfy, Joe. Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons: 1961-1967, Time-Life Records "The Rock 'N' Roll Era" (1987)
4. "500 Songs That Shaped Rock". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
5. Eddy, Chuck (15 January 2012). "The 25 Best "Bad" Cover Songs – 9. Divine "Walk Like A Man" (1985)". Complex. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 91. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
7. Divine - Singles Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
8. Divine - Discography Swiss Charts Online. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
9. "Divine". chartstats.com. Retrieved 2010-06-12.