Background "The Proud One" was the first single released in an effort to relaunch Valli's solo career as a
side project from The 4 Seasons. (Valli had briefly been a solo artist in the 1950s, most successfully with the minor hit "My Mother's Eyes," before joining
The Four Lovers, the group Valli fronted before the formation of The 4 Seasons.) Valli and Gaudio had originally planned on releasing "
Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as the lead-off single from the new project, but reluctance on the part of the Seasons' label
Philips Records (stemming from concerns about the band's stability after
Nick Massi's 1965 resignation) prompted them to release "The Proud One," a record more in line with the Seasons' established stylings and sound, as the lead-off single.
Chart performance Valli's version, which featured the Seasons on instrumental backing but not vocals, peaked at #68 in the U.S. and #64 in Canada.
Reception Billboard claimed that "the electric sound of Valli is used to perfection in this powerful ballad, stating that the "easy-go dance beat [is] effective."
Cash Box said that it is a "powerhouse" and that "the Valli sound holds the moving, teen-oriented tale of love together and the sweeping
arrangement adds a must spin again quality to it." ==The Osmonds cover==