Four Seasons - Tell It To The Rain

I don't see this discussed in any other topics...

There are two different stereo mixes of Tell It To The Rain available on cd, each with different lead vocals.

One of them contains the correct 45rpm vocal, but the other contains an alternate lead vocal that apparently didn't show up until the cd era (or so I've been told).

The alternate vocals are very noticable between the two versions when the first chorus kicks in (and also with the Yeahs around 1:21 in the song). As I only have mp3s of the two versions to go on, I can only go by what their id tags say. In fact, I hadn't known that a version with the 45rpm vocals in stereo had existed until recently, I had always assumed that all copies on cd were the alternate vocal take. At least now all of these cds are worth taking a look at again to determine what vocal version (45 or alternate) is on each cd.

According to the mp3 tags, the version of the song that has the alternate vocal take is available on:

(S) (2:29) Time-Life 2RNR-15 Rock 'N' Roll Era - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 1962-1967

While the version with the 45rpm vocal take, only lists it from "Anthology" so it could be either:

(S) (2:35) Rhino 71490 Anthology   
(S) (2:35) Rhino 74266 In Season - The Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons Anthology    

Edited by TomDiehl1

The music is identical between the two, i had done a sync up between my 45 and the alternate vocal take version for a friend of mine who insisted his copy was the stereo 45 version...which is how i discovered the stereo 45 version even existed.

Thanks Pat.....that just goes to show that I picked the wrong mp3 to download, lol.

Actually I used to get the Rock And Roll Era albums on cassette when i was younger (early 90s), but when the Four Seasons one came, my mother (who was the one paying for them), thought i wouldnt know enough songs on it, and she sent it back!

Speaking of Four Seasons, all the pre-1966 singles are in mono on the new Four Seasons "Jersey Beat" boxed set. Sadly, "Tell It to the Rain" is stereo.

The set is on MusicGiants, for anyone who only wants select tracks.

Todd Ireland wrote: Thought I'd bump this since "Tell It to the Rain" has come up on another thread. Was it ever determined if the 45 pressing running 2:28 contained the alternate vocal take?

I can't answer that one, but the alternate vocal version was definitely around in 1967. I have their "New Gold Hits" album (which was not a GH collection, just a regular release) that's stereo and has a different vocal than the 45. I can't say for sure, but the backing track sounds different too, especially the thunder.