"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by

Bob Crewe Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Seasons ...

and

Bob Gaudio Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...

. It was recorded as a single by

Frankie Valli Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice. ...

. The song was among his biggest hits, earning a gold record and reaching No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for a week. Gaudio was a bandmate of Valli's in the Four Seasons. It was Valli's biggest solo hit until he hit No. 1 in 1975 with " My Eyes Adored You". Gaudio, an original member of the Four Seasons, refers to "Eyes" as "the one that almost got away" until

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the southe ...

, radio station CKLW (a station also serving the

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

metro on the American side of the border) intervened. In 1967, the record's producers urged Paul Drew, program director at the legendary station, to consider the tune for

rotation Rotation, or spin, is the circular movement of an object around a '' central axis''. A two-dimensional rotating object has only one possible central axis and can rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. A three-dimensional ...

. For much of the 1960s and 1970s, CKLW was credited with launching hit records via its powerful signal, blanketing the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...

region. Drew didn't warm to the song at first, but accepted an invitation to hear it live at the Roostertail, where Valli was performing a weeklong stint with the Four Seasons. Drew liked what he heard and added the song to his station's playlist. "The switchboards lit up, and the rest, as they say, is history," Gaudio recalls. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" has been recorded in many other arrangements, many of which have charted in different countries. The song is a staple of television and film soundtracks, even being featured as part of the plot of some films. Valli's version was also used by

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...

as a wake-up song on the STS-126 Space Shuttle mission, to celebrate the wedding anniversary of astronaut

Christopher Ferguson Christopher J. "Fergy" Ferguson (born September 1, 1961) is a Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Boeing commercial astronaut and a retired United States Navy Captain (naval), Captain and NASA astronaut. He was the pilot of Space Shuttle Atlantis, ...

, one of the mission's crew members.

Credits

The song was written by

and

. Melodic elements bear a similarity to passages from the ''Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia'' section of the 1956 ballet ''

Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...

'' (Suite No. 2) by Aram Khachaturian. The original recording, from an arrangement by Gaudio and Artie Schroeck, was made at A & R Studio 2 (formerly Columbia Studio A), at 799 7th Avenue in New York City, with Crewe producing and

Phil Ramone Philip Ramone (né Rabinowitz, January 5, 1934March 30, 2013) was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, who in 1958 co-founded A & R Recording, Inc., a recording studio with business ...

engineering.

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' described the single as "strong rhythm ballad material from the pen of Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio with an exceptional Valli vocal combined with an exciting Artie Schroeck arrangement." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...

'' called the single a "smooth, gentle, softly spoken romancer."

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Boys Town Gang version

In 1982, San Francisco-based

post-disco Post-disco (also called boogie, synth-funk, or electro-funk) is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1985, imprecisely beginning with an unprecedented backlash against disco music in the United States, leading t ...

band Boys Town Gang performed a

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

version of the song which reached the top spot in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain and number four in the United Kingdom. This version was also successful in Japan, receiving a gold digital certification by the

RIAJ The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include p ...

in 2011, and is also on games such as '' Just Dance 4''.

Track listings

7" single # "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - 3:28 # "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (Reprise) - 4:42 7" single # "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - 3:40 # "Disco Kicks" - 4:04

Charts

Lauryn Hill version

Lauryn Hill’s version of the song was recorded In 1997, while Hill was eight months pregnant with her first child. It was first featured in the movie ''Conspiracy Theory'' (1997). While the song wasn’t featured on the soundtrack, a radio jockey at

KMEL KMEL (106.1 FM) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to San Francisco, California, and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. KMEL has studios located in the SoMa district, and broadcas ...

in San Francisco put the song on a CD and began playing the song; more radio stations followed suit, causing a domino effect around the U.S., ultimately leading the song to peak at number two on the

Rhythmic Top 40 The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...

chart, despite Hill's label's not releasing the song as a single. Due to the popularity of the song it was added as a

hidden track In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as to ...

on '' The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill''. This version was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1999, becoming the first hidden track to ever receive a Grammy nomination. ''

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...

'' named it the best hidden track of all time. In 2014, VH1 also named it the best hidden track of all time.

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

–winning actor

Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. After making his f ...

was inspired to name his daughter True, after hearing Hill's version of the song.

Charts

Other cover versions

The song has been recorded by many artists. Among the most notable examples are the following: * In late 1967,

the Lettermen The Lettermen are an American male pop vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959. They have had two Top 10 singles (both No. 7), 16 Top 10 singles on the Adult Contempor ...

recorded the "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as a medley with "

Goin' Out of My Head "Goin' Out of My Head" is a song written by Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, initially recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials in 1964. Randazzo, a childhood friend of the group, wrote the song especially for them, having also supplied ...

". Their rendition reached number 7 on the U.S. ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

and number 2

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, ...

. * In

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

, A version by

Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...

made it to number 5 on the

UK singles chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

and number 8 on the

Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...

. The arranger and producer was Nick DeCaro and the conductor was Eddie Karam. This version is included in the soundtrack of the 2001 film '' Bridget Jones's Diary''. It is also included in the soundtrack for '' Black Mirror'' Season 5 Episode 2; Smithereens. In 2002 he recorded a new version of the song, as a duet with British actress and singer Denise van Outen, which reached number 23 in the UK singles charts. * In

, British singer Engelbert Humperdinck recorded his version for his third album, titled "A Man Without Lov

* In 1979 in music, 1979, Maureen McGovern (number 27 on the US Adult Contemporary chart in 1979; number 5 Canadian AC in 1980). * In 1991,

Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo ...

used part of the song on their version of U2's " Where the Streets Have No Name", which reached number 4 in the U.K. and number 72 in the U.S. * In

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment building in Amsterdam after two of its engin ...

, Dutch singers Gerard Joling and Tatjana Šimić recorded a duet version of the song (including a rap segment by Darrell Bell), which peaked at number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 charts. *In 1993, a cover by

A-ha A-ha (usually stylised as ''a-''h''a''; ) is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals), the band ro ...

frontman Morten Harket was featured in the final scene of the movie adaptation of ''

Coneheads The Coneheads are a fictional family of extraterrestrials with bald conical heads, created for a series of recurring sketches on ''Saturday Night Live'' (SNL). They first appeared on the January 15, 1977 episode hosted by Ralph Nader (episode 3 ...

''. *In

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...

, Heath Ledger's character, accompanied by his high school's

marching band A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, o ...

, sings a part of the song in the film ''

10 Things I Hate About You ''10 Things I Hate About You'' is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirs ...

,'' for which he was nominated in the 2000 MTV Movie Awards for Best Musical Performance. * In

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...

, Jennifer Peña recorded a Latin version of the song, "No Hay Nadie Igual Como Tú", which reached number 33 on the Latin charts. * In

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

, fans of the German football club 1. FC Union Berlin started using the melody for a chant for their player Torsten Mattuschka, inspired by

Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd), or simply United, is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in the Premier League, ...

fans who used it for their player Owen Hargreaves. * In

2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...

, Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones sang an acoustic version of the song in tribute to former

Wales national football team ) , Association = Football Association of Wales (FAW) , Confederation = UEFA (Europe) , Coach = Rob Page , Captain = Gareth Bale , Most caps = Gareth Bale (111) , Top scorer = Garet ...

manager Gary Speed. The song was adopted as an anthem for Welsh football fans during Speed's playing career with Wales after being used in a

BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, ...

promo for the 1994 World Cup qualifying campaign. * In

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

Surf Mesa Powell Aguirre (born April 10, 2000), known by the stage name Surf Mesa, is an American electronic musician from Seattle. He gained fame for the single " ILY (I Love You Baby)" (2019), a song which sampled a cover of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take ...

remixed a cover version of the song as a single under the title " ILY (I Love You Baby)". The single reached the Top 40 in over 30 countries and is certified Platinum in six countries. * In 2022,

Giovanni Zarrella Giovanni Zarrella (born 4 March 1978 in Hechingen) is a German-Italian singer and television presenter based in Germany. He was a singer on the pop group Bro'Sis Bro'Sis was a multicultural R&B/ pop group from Germany, which was formed th ...

remixed the melody with new Italian lyrics in his song "PER RICOMINCIARE". Despite the existence of a YouTube video with over 144 million views that claims the song was sung by

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

, no such recording exists, and the song that plays on that YouTube clip is merely Valli's version.

References

External links

Lyrics of this song

Retrieved 2010-2-16.
RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database
* * {{authority control 1967 songs 1967 singles 1968 singles 1969 singles 1982 singles Songs written by Bob Crewe Songs written by Bob Gaudio Frankie Valli songs The Four Seasons (band) songs Jay and the Americans songs Andy Williams songs Boys Town Gang songs Lauryn Hill songs Barry Manilow songs The Lettermen songs Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs Schlager songs Maureen McGovern songs Tatjana Šimić songs Oricon International Singles Chart number-one singles Song recordings produced by Bob Crewe Philips Records singles Cashbox number-one singles Dutch Top 40 number-one singles