Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) by The Four Seasons

Album: The Four Seasons Collection (1966)

Charted: 20 13

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This song was written by Denny Randell and Sandy Linzer, who are the same guys who brought us "A Lover's Concerto" by The Toys. Once again, they used elements of classical music and gave it a title to reflect that, although this one is subtitled with a phrase that's in the lyrics. In our interview with Denny Randell, he explained: "Although the melody I wrote there was totally original, I purposely gave it a classical feel. And again, the title for 'Opus 17' does not actually appear in the song. It's more of the way they titled classical pieces. But in this case, because I wanted to play up the hook, you know, 'don't worry about me.' I also put that in as a secondary title, so it's 'Opus 17, Don't Worry About Me.'"

Comments: 10

J.paul from PittsburghPaul from Orlando has it right. The number 17 appears to be based on 4 rules: 1. "Sherry" is the official debut single. 2. No holiday songs. 3. Record artist is "The 4 Seasons", no solo releases or pseudonyms. 4. No Vee-Jay releases after the group signed with Philips. So now Marcus' list looks like this:
1. Sherry
2. Big Girls Don't Cry
[Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - holiday]
3. Walk Like A Man
4. Ain't That A Shame
5. Candy Girl
6. New Mexican Rose (last official single with Vee-Jay)
7. Dawn (Go Away) (first single with Philips)
[Stay - Vee-Jay milking their back catalog]
8. Ronnie
[Alone (Why Must I Be Alone) - Vee-Jay m.t.b.c]
9. Rag Doll
10. Save It For Me
11. Big Man In Town
12. Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)
13. Toy Soldier
14. Girl Come Running
[The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - Frankie Valli solo]
15. Let's Hang On!
[Don't Think Twice (It's Alright) - The Wonder Who?]
[Little Boy (In Grown-Up Clothes) - Vee-Jay m.t.b.c]
[(You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself - Frankie Valli solo]
16. Working My Way Back To You
[You're Ready Now - Frankie Valli solo]
17. Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)
Edg from Los AngelesWhy is Opus 17 sometimes called Sundown?
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1966 {May 30th} the Four Seasons were guests on the nationally syndicated television program, 'The Mike Douglas Show'...
At the time their "Opus 17 (Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me)" was at position #19 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, three weeks later it would peak at #13 {for 1 week} and it spent eight weeks on the Top 100...
Between 1962 and 1994 the New Jersey quartet had forty-two records on the Top 100 chart, fourteen made the the Top 10 with five reaching #1, "Sherry" for 5 weeks in 1962, "Big Girls Don't Cry" for 5 weeks in 1962, "Walk Like A Man" for 3 weeks in 1963, "Rag Doll" for 2 weeks in 1964, and "December 1963 {Oh What A Night}" for 3 weeks in 1976...
Their forty-second and last charted record was a re-mix of "December 1963", it peaked at #14 in 1994...
And as the Wonder Who? they had four records make the Top 100 chart, with their covered version of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" peaking at #12 in 1965...
In 1956 using the name, the Four Lovers, they reached #62 with "You're the Apple of My Eye"...
Original bass singer/bass guitarist Nick Massi, born Nicholas Macioci, passed away at the age of 65 on December 24th, 2000...
May he R.I.P.
Robin Roland from Cincinnati, OhioI think one of the reasons they didn't perform this live is it changes key something like five times. That makes it harder to sing a long with , too. That may be why it wasn’t a bigger hit. But I think it’s a superbly written, performed and arranged song. 2nd 45 I ever bought.
Paul from OrlandoActually let me explain how its the 4seasons 17th hit single...first of all, as far as i am concerned (and probably the song writers) ...eliminate santa claus as its seasonal, now do not count stay, alone, little boy in grown up clothes-VEEJAY records which once had the recording rights to both the seasons and the beatles started mining for hits from the previous 3 NEW albums the seasons recorded for VJ: Sherry, Big Girls & Aint that A shame and unreleased vj stuff, eliminate the wonder who, and eliminate frankie valli and you have a "pure 4 seasons 17th hit single...ok? hope this settles the debate :)
Paul from OrlandoActually opus 17 was not a random title....if you count carefully starting from sherry on...this was their 17thsingle-45rpm (remember when?)
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 15th 1966, Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'About Me)" by the Four Season entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #63; five weeks later on July 19th it would peak at #13 {for 1 week} and it spent 8 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #10 {for 1 week} on September 26th, 1966 on Canada's Toronto 'CHUM' Singles chart...
It was preceded and succeeded on the Top 100 by "Working My Way Back to You" and "I've Got You Under My Skin"; and both those records peaked at #9 on the chart.
Marcus from Highland Mills, Ny"Opus 17" was actually not the band's 17th singles release. Let's go through all of them up to "Opus 17", starting with "Sherry":

1. Sherry
2. Big Girls Don't Cry
3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
4. Walk Like A Man
5. Ain't That A Shame
6. Candy Girl
7. New Mexican Rose
8. Dawn (Go Away)
9. Stay
10. Ronnie
11. Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)
12. Rag Doll
13. Save It For Me
14. Big Man In Town
15. Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)
16. Toy Soldier
17. Girl Come Running
18. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
19. Let's Hang On!
20. Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)
21. Little Boy (In Grown-Up Clothes)
22. (You're Gonna) Hurt Yourself
23. Working My Way Back To You
24. You're Ready Now
25. Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me) (!!)

Aha! Not 17th, 25th! "Opus 17" is indeed the band's 25th notable singles release. Not only that, but there were obscure ones both in between "Sherry' and "Opus 17", and those that came before "Sherry" (like "Bermuda").

I have a theory: "Opus" is derived from classical music standards, and "17" is derived from the age that Four Seasons member and key songwriter Bob Gaudio joined the band (which was late in 1959). Also, the band formed in early 1960, when Nick Massi rejoined and Gaudio was still 17.
Matthew from Toronto, OnSomeone suggested the title "Opus 17" refers to the fact it was the group's 17th singles release. I tried counting them all from "Sherry," and I agree with this numbering sequence; try it yourself. This is a great song for karaoke: try screaming out the pleading, whining, wheedling Frankie Valli vocals, and the song becomes a gem. The one time I saw this group in person (in the 70's), I was so disappointed that this the one song from their repetoire of hits that they didn't perform live--even though we all screamed "Do Opus 17!"
Reg from Kemptville, OnThe above explanation gives me more respect for this song. It was written as something more than just another pop song.

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