December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) - wikipedia December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) `` December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) '' Single by The Four Seasons from the album Who Loves You B - side `` Slip Away '' Released December 1975 Format 7 '' Recorded November 1975 Genre Rock, disco Length 3 : 36 3 : 20 ( single version ) Label Warner / Curb Songwriter ( s ) Bob Gaudio, Judy Parker Producer ( s ) Bob Gaudio The Four Seasons singles chronology `` Who Loves You '' ( 1975 ) `` December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) '' ( 1975 ) `` Silver Star '' ( 1976 ) `` Who Loves You '' ( 1975 ) `` December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) '' ( 1975 ) `` Silver Star '' ( 1976 ) `` December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) '' is a song by the Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group 's album, Who Loves You ( 1975 ). The song features drummer Gerry Polci on lead vocals, with the usual lead Frankie Valli singing the bridge sections and backing vocals, and bass player Don Ciccone ( former lead singer of The Critters ) singing the falsetto part ( And I felt a rush like a rolling ball of thunder / Spinning my head around and taking my body under ). Contents 1 Song origins 2 Composition 3 1975 release 4 1988 and 1993 remixes 5 Music video 6 Charts 6.1 Weekly charts 6.2 Year - end charts 7 Cover versions 7.1 French version as `` Cette année - là '' 8 References Song origins According to the co-writer and longtime group member Bob Gaudio, the song lyrics were originally set in 1933 with the title `` December 5th, 1933, '' and celebrated the repeal of Prohibition, but the lyrics were changed at the urgings of Frankie Valli and lyricist Parker to reposition the song as a nostalgic remembrance of a young man 's first affair with a woman, and, more specifically, Gaudio 's courtship with his wife, Judy Parker. Composition The song is an up - tempo, piano - led dance song with a distinct and easily recognizable opening drum and then piano riff. It is written in 4 / 4 and in the key of D - flat major. 1975 release The single was released in December 1975 and hit number one on the UK Singles Chart on February 21, 1976. It repeated the feat on the US Billboard Hot 100 on March 13, 1976, remaining in the top spot for three weeks and one week on Cash Box. Billboard ranked it as the No. 4 song for 1976. On April 10 the same year, it topped the RPM National Top Singles Chart in Canada. Drummer Gerry Polci sang lead with bassist Don Ciccone and long - time frontman Frankie Valli singing the bridge and refrain. It was the Four Seasons ' final song, as a group, to reach number one. ( Valli would have one final chart - topper as a solo act in 1978 with the theme song to the film Grease. ) 1988 and 1993 remixes In both 1988 and 1993, Dutch DJ and producer Ben Liebrand remixed the song and re-released it as a single. The 1993 re-release spent 27 weeks on the Hot 100 ( matching the chart life of the original 1975 single ). The peak position of the 1993 remix version was # 14. Adding together the two 27 - week chart runs for the 1975 original single and the 1993 remix version ( for a combined total of 54 weeks, two more weeks than a full year ) gave the song the longest tenure ever on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart up to that time. The tenure has since been surpassed many times. Music video A music video was produced to accompany the original 1975 release. The video used the edited single version, which had a Phaser effect during Frankie 's vocals, not heard on any other version of the song. Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1975 - 76 ) Peak position Canada UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) US New Zealand Australia Belgium Netherlands Norway 6 Sweden 11 Germany 16 Ireland Chart ( 1994 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 14 Year - end charts Chart ( 1976 ) Rank Australia 22 Canada 13 New Zealand 8 US Billboard Hot 100 Chart ( 1994 ) Rank US Billboard Hot 100 89 Chart ( 1995 ) Position New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 46 Cover versions ( Chronological ) The Fatback Band recorded a cover of the song for the closing track of their LP Night Fever ( 1976 ). Change recorded a cover of the song on their third album Sharing Your Love ( 1982 ) and released it as a single. In 1995 the Mexican banda group Banda Vallarta Show recorded a Spanish version called Diciembre del ' 63 for their last album La Fiesta. In 1996, British dance duo Clock took it to # 13 in the UK chart. Singer Vitamin C released her own version of the song in the 1999 which heavily sampled instrumentation and vocals -- including those of Valli -- from the original song and removed most of the original lyrics. This version was used as a brand image theme by the American television network The WB in image spots, promos, and interstitials during the 2000 - 01 television season. Slovene singer Tomaž Domicelj covered the song on his album Na planini je živel ; his version was titled `` Jamajka '' ( `` Jamaica '' ). Whether it is a cover of the original song or Claude François ' is unclear. Mr. Vegas ( together with singer Jackie ) did a cover of this song which was featured on his album Damn Right ( 2001 ). Wyclef Jean produced a hip - hop version of this song, titled `` What a Night '', about his journey as a hip - hop artist, released on the album Masquerade ( June 18, 2002 ). In 2006 Cam'ron sampled the song on a track called `` Oh What A Night ''... The full version was finally released in 2007 but never made a release album due to sample clearance issues. John Barrowman covered this song, which was featured on his album John Barrowman ( 2010 ). In 2011, Football song parodist James Daly wrote a reworded version of this in reaction to Crystal Palace 's 3 - 1 victory over fierce rivals Brighton and Hove Albion. In 2012, Ball Park Music covered the song during their set at Splendour in the Grass. In the 2014 film Jersey Boys, the cast sings the song during the closing credits. In 2016 Kat DeLuna sampled the song on a track called What a Night featuring Jeremih in her album Loading ( February 26, 2016 ). French version as `` Cette année - là '' French singer Claude François covered the song on his album Le Vagabond ( 1976 ) ; his version was titled `` Cette année - là '' ( `` That Year '' ). Incorporating new lyrics reminiscing François ' own beginnings in show business in 1962, the song became a hit in Europe. In 2000, rapper Yannick produced another French version, titled `` Ces soirées - là '' ( `` Those Nights '' ), based on Claude François ' song. It peaked at # 1 in France and Belgium. The lyrics recount the fun had at a certain night club. This rap is featured at the beginning of the Broadway musical Jersey Boys. In 1998, Thomas Bangalter, of house music duo Daft Punk fame, sampled the bridge from Claude François ' version of the song in his track `` Colossus ''. In 2003, singers of musical Belles belles belles covered Claude François ' song. In 2016, the French singer M. Pokora released a remake of the French language version originally done by Claude François in 1976. Pokora 's version known as `` Cette année - là ( 2016 ) '' charted on SNEP, the official French Singles Chart peaking at number 7. References Jump up ^ `` December 1963 ( Oh What a Night ) ''. Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2010 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Gaudio put words in Valli 's mouth ''. Sun-setinel.com. Retrieved 2014 - 12 - 16. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 323. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Frankie Valli & Four Seasons, The - December 1963 ( Oh, What A Night ) ( Ben Liebrand Re-mix ) ( CD ) at Discogs ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Four Seasons, The - December 1963 ( Oh, What A Night ) ( Vinyl ) at Discogs ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ Billboard.com review of album `` Oh, What a Night '' Jump up ^ `` The Four Seasons - December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) ''. YouTube. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Top Singles -- Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977 ''. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2017. Jump up ^ http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3865 Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1976 ''. Longboredsurfer.com. Archived from the original on 2010 - 01 - 05. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Top 100 - 1994 ''. Longboredsurfer.com. Archived from the original on 2009 - 03 - 01. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 27. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 1995 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017. Jump up ^ `` François ''. Rfimusique.com. Retrieved 2012 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. `` M. Pokora - Cette année - là ''. Lescharts.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 10. Preceded by `` Forever and Ever '' by Slik UK number - one single February 21, 1976 ( two weeks ) Succeeded by `` I Love to Love ( But My Baby Loves to Dance ) '' by Tina Charles Preceded by `` Love Machine '' by The Miracles Billboard Hot 100 number - one single March 13, 1976 - March 27, 1976 ( three weeks ) Succeeded by `` Disco Lady '' by Johnnie Taylor Preceded by `` All by Myself '' by Eric Carmen Cash Box Top 100 singles March 20, 1976 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Dream Weaver '' by Gary Wright Preceded by `` Dream Weaver '' by Gary Wright RPM number - one single ( Canada ) April 10, 1976 ( one week ) Succeeded by `` Lonely Night ( Angel Face ) '' by Captain and Tennille The Four Seasons Frankie Valli Tommy DeVito Bob Gaudio Nick Massi Charles Calello Joe Long Gerry Polci Albums Sherry & 11 Others ( 1962 ) The 4 Seasons Greetings ( 1962 ) Big Girls Do n't Cry and Twelve Others ( 1963 ) The 4 Seasons Sing Ai n't That a Shame and 11 Others ( 1963 ) Golden Hits of the 4 Seasons ( 1963 ) Dawn ( 1964 ) Rag Doll ( 1964 ) Born to Wonder ( 1964 ) Stay and Other Great Hits ( 1964 ) The 4 Seasons Sing Big Hits by Burt Bacharach... Hal David... Bob Dylan ( 1965 ) 4 Seasons Entertain You ( 1965 ) Lets Hang On ( 1965 ) Working My Way Back to You ( 1965 ) On Stage with The Four Seasons ( 1965 ) New Gold Hits ( 1967 ) Edizione D'Oro ( Gold Edition ) ( 1968 ) The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette ( 1969 ) Half and Half ( 1970 ) Chameleon ( 1972 ) Who Loves You ( 1975 ) Helicon ( 1977 ) The Very Best of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons ( 2002 ) Singles `` Bermuda '' `` Sherry '' `` Big Girls Do n't Cry '' `` Santa Claus Is Coming to Town '' `` Walk Like a Man '' `` Ai n't That a Shame '' `` Candy Girl '' `` New Mexican Rose '' `` Dawn ( Go Away ) '' `` Stay '' `` Ronnie '' `` Rag Doll '' `` Alone ( Why Must I Be Alone ) '' `` Save It for Me '' `` Sincerely '' `` Big Man in Town '' `` I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus '' `` Bye, Bye, Baby ( Baby Goodbye ) '' `` Since I Do n't Have You '' `` Girl Come Running '' `` The Sun Ai n't Gonna Shine ( Anymore ) '' `` Let 's Hang On ! '' `` Do n't Think Twice '' `` Working My Way Back to You '' `` Opus 17 ( Do n't You Worry ' bout Me ) '' `` On the Good Ship Lollipop '' `` I 've Got You Under My Skin '' `` The Proud One '' `` Tell It to the Rain '' `` Beggin ' '' `` Ca n't Take My Eyes Off You '' `` C'mon Marianne '' `` Lonesome Road '' `` Watch the Flowers Grow '' `` Will You Love Me Tomorrow '' `` My Eyes Adored You '' `` Our Day Will Come '' `` Who Loves You '' `` December, 1963 ( Oh, What a Night ) '' `` Silver Star '' `` Grease '' Related topics Discography Members Albums Songs The Four Lovers The Wonder Who ? Bob Crewe `` Ces soirées - là '' Jersey Boys : Original Broadway Cast Recording Jersey Boys ( musical ) Jersey Boys ( film ) Book : The Four Seasons Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=December,_1963_(Oh,_What_a_Night)&oldid=817392768 '' Categories : 1975 singles 1976 singles 1994 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles The Four Seasons ( band ) songs Songs written by Bob Gaudio Song recordings produced by Bob Gaudio Disco songs 1975 songs Warner Bros. Records singles Curb Records singles Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from January 2012 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2014 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Italiano 日本 語 Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 28 December 2017, at 03 : 04. About Wikipedia

Question: who played bass on oh what a night
Answer: Don Ciccone