The Four Tops - Classic Or Dud?

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Search: "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,"

Destroy: The Kraft Macaroni & Cheese commercial: "It's not the same! (not the same) Old side! (old side)" ("Side" as in "side dish.")

Motown's giddiness and Stubb's serious overstatement sometimes seemed a little...off. "Bernadette" especially. Never warmed to it. "Standing in the Shadows of Love" is its superior in the brooding department. "Reach Out" used to make me giddy, now it just sits there on the floor, playing dead. If I want my 60's Motown I'll usually reach out for Stevie's Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2.

You know, until one of the group died fairly recently, they incredibley had the same line-up for decades?

Michael Daddin, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

They were together with the same lineup (though a few different names early on) from, I believe, 1952 until 1999. They are among my all- time favourites. Levi Stubbs' fire was occasionally misplaced (they should never have covered lovely pop fluff like Daydream Believer), but on their best he sounded up there with the great soul singers, for me. Holland-Dozier-Holland were one of the great writing- producing teams too, on the Four Tops, the Supremes and then the Chairmen Of The Board. Actually, not much of the Four Tops' output after H-D-H split with Motown is up to much.

Martin Skidmore, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

I PREFER HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUENOTES.

Chris, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

What's their pre-Motown output like? I've always wondered about it.

Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Tuesday, 7 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Never heard any pre-Motown stuff but I have heard (and enjoyed greatly) the "Keeper of the Castle" LP they made for ABC-Dunhill in the 70s.

Dunhill?

Tim, Thursday, 9 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

six years pass...

http://blog.allmusic.com/2008/10/17/rip-levi-stubbs-of-the-four-tops/#more-1359

Levi Stubbs has died. Very sad news.

Cunga, Saturday, 18 October 2008 05:07 (fifteen years ago) link

This has reminded me of maybe my favorite Four Tops song: Do What You Gotta Do, which was a Jimmy Webb tune. Worth checking out for all you Webb heads on ILM

Cunga, Saturday, 18 October 2008 05:09 (fifteen years ago) link

As a singles band, Four Tops were more classic than most in the 60s. And even managed to come up with a few gems later on too, in the case of "A Simple Game" and "Loco In Acapulco".

Geir Hongro, Saturday, 18 October 2008 19:58 (fifteen years ago) link

Levi Stubbs R.I.P.

curmudgeon, Saturday, 18 October 2008 23:08 (fifteen years ago) link

I think the time of the Four Tops has passed. Kind of like Glenn Miller. I wouldn't say they aren't a classic - but it's time to move on.

― Dave225, Monday, May 6, 2002 5:00 PM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I think the music is decent, but not classic. I think their dance moves are the only classic thing about them.

― Chris, Monday, May 6, 2002 5:00 PM (6 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BAN^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ILX MOD (musically), Saturday, 18 October 2008 23:51 (fifteen years ago) link

two years pass...

i'm in a different world

dayo, Saturday, 16 July 2011 03:33 (twelve years ago) link

nine years pass...

Happy Birthday, Levi!

AP Chemirocha (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 6 June 2021 22:30 (two years ago) link

Destroy: The Kraft Macaroni & Cheese commercial: "It's not the same! (not the same) Old side! (old side)" ("Side" as in "side dish.")

Man, I forgot all about this. They were even in the ad!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwRV3Vzjkf8

blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 6 June 2021 23:05 (two years ago) link

Also want to say that the Reach Out LP is crazy loaded: The HDH 'Dramatic Quadrilogy' (title cut, SITSOL, Bernadette, and 7 Rooms); "I'll Turn To Stone" (flip to 7 Rooms and a Northern Soul fav); the Renee & If Were A Carpenter covers; and then lesser Monkees and Association covers.

blue whales on ambient (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 6 June 2021 23:11 (two years ago) link

one year passes...

One of the current Four Tops, Alexander Morris, while experiencing chest pains and difficulty breathing, was taken to a suburban Detroit hospital by ambulance, then told to "sit his back ass down" by a white security guard and put into a straight jacket to be transferred to the psych ward when he tried to tell them who he was. When his wife was reached & verified his identity, they offered him a $25 gift card as an apology. https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2023/04/25/four-tops-singer-claims-metro-detroit-hospital-racially-profiled-him-during-health-emergency/

BrianB, Tuesday, 25 April 2023 22:41 (eleven months ago) link

That's terrible

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 26 April 2023 01:28 (eleven months ago) link

fucking hell

Daniel_Rf, Wednesday, 26 April 2023 10:09 (eleven months ago) link


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