Bob Crewe, ‘Walk Like a Man’ writer, dead at 83

NEW YORK (AP) — Bob Crewe, co-writer of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” ”Big Girls Don’t Cry” and many other pop hits, died last week. He was 83.

Crewe’s brother, Dan Crewe, said Monday in an email that the producer, songwriter and “Jersey Boys” lyricist died Sept. 11 in Scarborough, Maine. The cause of death was unavailable.

Crewe co-wrote a number of memorable but minor hits, including Freddy Cannon’s “Tallahassee Lassie” before helping put together The Four Seasons and meeting future collaborator Bob Gaudio. Songs written by the two helped The Four Seasons define an era in music with radio hits like “Sherry,” ”Walk Like a Man,” ”Rag Doll” and “Ronnie” that not only resonated at the time, but also continue to pop up in film, television and as historic markers for the baby boomer generation.

The Newark, New Jersey-born Crewe was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.

Crewe teamed with Frank Slay while living in Philadelphia on a number of minor hits before issuing two solo albums of his own. He first met The Four Seasons when he hired them to provide backing vocals for demo recordings in the early 1960s.

Later in the decade Crewe scored a hit of his own with the instrumental “Music to Watch Girls By,” which was inspired by a Diet Pepsi jingle he heard.

Crewe also provided the lyrics for “Jersey Boys,” the Four Seasons Broadway musical that won the Tony Award for best musical and was recently released on film.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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