"Big Girls Don't Cry" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and originally recorded by the Four Seasons. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 17, 1962, and, like its predecessor "Sherry", spent five weeks in the top position. The song also made it to number one, for three weeks, on Billboard's Rhythm and Blues survey. It was also the quartet's second single to make it to number one on the US R&B charts.

Background According to Gaudio, he was dozing off while watching the John Payne/Rhonda Fleming/Ronald Reagan movie Tennessee's Partner when he heard Payne's character slap Fleming in the face. After the slap, Fleming's character replied, "Big girls don't cry." Gaudio wrote the line on a scrap of paper, fell asleep, and wrote the song the next morning. with discussion of history of hits However, the line does not appear in that film. According to Bob Crewe, he was dozing off in his Manhattan home with the television on when he awoke to see Payne manhandling Fleming in Slightly Scarlet, a 1956 film noir based on a James M. Cain story. The line is heard in that film.

Like "Sherry", the lead in "Big Girls Don't Cry" is sung mostly in falsetto. With this song, the Four Seasons became the first rock-era act to hit the number one spot on the Hot 100 with their first two chart entries (their first single, "Bermuda"/"Spanish Lace", did not appear on any Billboard chart in 1961).

In 2015, "Big Girls Don't Cry" by The Four Seasons was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Personnel Partial credits.

The Four Seasons Frankie Valli – lead vocals, handclaps Tommy DeVito – harmony and backing vocals, guitar, handclaps Nick Massi – counterpoint, harmony and backing vocals, bass, handclaps Bob Gaudio – harmony and backing vocals, piano, handclaps Additional musician and production staff Panama Francis – drums Bob Crewe – producer Bruce Swedien – engineer

The father of co-arranger Charles Calello provides the song's trumpet solo.

Charts Weekly charts Chart (1962–1963)PeakpositionNew Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)Flavour of New Zealand, 17 January 19631UK Singles13U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - 1U.S. Billboard R&B1

All-time charts

Chart (2018) PositionUS Billboard Hot 100183

Certifications

References

External links Lyrics of this song