By TD (68.69.127.2) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 10:16 am:

Lets hear from all of you on your top ten Tops songs.

1. I Can't Help Myself- # one song in 65 and perhaps the most recognize song in music.
2. Reach Out- In my humble opinion, the greatest song ever made, it has everything you could want. Not to mention one of the great Jamerson bass lines.
3. Ask The Lonely- My all time favorite ballad. Can anyone top Levi Stubbs or the fantastic backup by the Adantes.
4. Still Waters- a great Smokey Robinson song that still brings chills when I hear it.
5. Baby I Need Your Loving- The first hit and one of the best love songs of all time.
6. When She Was My Girl- The Tops made one of the great comebacks of all time with this beautiful song- I made sure that it was played at my daughters wedding- which we danced to.
7. If I Were a Carpenter- One of the all time great remakes, you wouldnt even be able to recognize the original.
8. Bernadette- I have come to appreciate this song much more since I have heard the classic Jamerson bass in all its nakededness on the SITSOM c.d.
9. Without the One You Love- minor hit but major song. I use to think that the line "Like a dark soul needs a kin" was "Like a bar of soap needs a kid"- it made sense to me.
10. I believe In you and Me. Should have been a hit. I was watching a tribute to Denzel Washington a few years ago and his wife surprised him with their favorite song and Levi Stubbs sang it to them- Do I need to say more.

Happy 50 years and many more

TD

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 10:42 am:

Nice choices TD

By Edgar (200.46.12.77) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 10:47 am:

My contribution: My Top Tops:

1. Reach Out, I'll Be There
2. Standing In the Shadows of Love
3. Keeper of the Castle
4. Still Water (Love)
5. I Can't Help Myself
6. River Deep, Mountain High / With The Supremes
7. Indestructible
8. Bernadette
9. Baby, I Need Your Loving
10. Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 10:49 am:

Nice also Edgar. I guess any 4 Tops song is a winner.

By Rhythm and Blues Showcase (65.229.41.69) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:31 pm:

1.Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All over
2.Mc Arthur Park
3.Aint no Woman Like the One I Got
4.Ask the Lonely
5.Sad Souveneirs

By STUBASS (206.135.204.254) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:36 pm:

7 ROOMS OF GLOOM...
SAME OLD SONG...
ASK THE LONLEY...
LOVING YOU IS SWEETER...
BERNADETTE...
CAN'T HELP MYSELF...
SHAKE ME...WAKE ME...
REACH OUT...
STILL WATERS...
BABY I NEED YOU LOVIN...
THATS 10...STUBASS

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.73) on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 02:19 pm:

impossible TD
I cant name a top anything
but 2 tracks that I Play a lot at the moment leaving there well known greats aside are these
'Tea-house in china-town'
and
'sweeter as the days go by'
regards
mel(andthensome)

By medusa (66.73.8.192) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 12:05 am:

I Love the flip side of Bernadette, "I Gotta Feeling" and Mr. Jamarson is really walking his bass on that one 2.

By JSmith (195.93.50.10) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 12:40 am:

There will be 2 Four Tops tracks included on the next CD to be released in the UK in the Soul Satisfaction series (SS4).
These will be........"Then" and "Can't Seem To Get You Out of My Mind" -- this CD will be released in about 2 months time.
On SS3 there were 4 Four Tops tracks (all gems)..this time it was "Love Fools Like Fire", "Where Did You Go", "Tea House In China Town" and "Don't Bring Back Memories".
Prompted by the title of the last track above, I just have to say the following.....
4 singers made a lasting impression on me during my teenage years. 3 of these singers have now passed (Curtis Mayfield, David Ruffin & Marvin Gaye) so I have to say to the 4th; Mr Levi Stubbs,
the profound effect your singing made on me, both in my formative years and since, has truly enriched my life.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 10:55 am:

Mine are:

Baby I Need Your Loving
Ask The Lonely
You Keep Running Away
Reach Out, I'll Be There
Sad Souvenirs
Helpless
Still Waters (Love)
Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got (originally done by The Friends Of Distinction)
Keeper of the Castle
I Believe in You & Me

Handsome

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 11:17 am:

Can't really add to anything.....you guys got it covered.

While I love the Tops early stuff, I really dig their material from the early 70s......both Motown and non-Motown.

"Still Waters (Love)" may be my all-time favorite. That song sums up what soul music is all about so well. I like "Main Street" a lot as well. Their version of "Macarthur Park" is awesome.

But did they ever record a bad one? I never heard it if they did.

By STUBASS (206.135.204.254) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 01:10 pm:

ANOTHER REAL NICE FOUR TOPS TUNE THAT RARELY GETS MENTIONED IS "SOMETHING ABOUT YOU"!!!...NICE POCKET...AND REALLY NICE WORK BY THE "FUNKS"!!!...STUBASS

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.101) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 01:12 pm:

Hey Stu
that sound has been one of the biggest dancers ever over here on the club scene.
What a record.
mel.

By Nish (170.224.224.102) on Monday, August 04, 2003 - 02:37 pm:

1. The Way Nature Planned It - classic F.Wilson production, quite innovative and underrated, and Levi's delivery is so tender, sigh.
2. Baby I Need Your Lovin'
3. Bernadette
4. Still Water (Love)
5. Where Did You Go?
6. Can't Help Myself
7. 7 Rooms of Gloom
8. Shake Me Wake Me
9. Then
10. Reach Out

By Margie (68.164.115.47) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 12:42 am:

Till You Return to Me
The Four of Us
Walk Away Renee
If My Heart Could Sing
The Christmas Song
In The Still of the Night
plus the 100 or so other songs they have recorded over the years.

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 01:34 am:

Just in case anyone is interested in the full track listing for the SS4 CD, here it is....
Sherri Taylor and Singing Sammy Ward - Oh Lover
LaBrenda Ben and the Beljeans - Chaperone
Satintones - My Kind of Love
Mable John - Who Wouldn't Love a Man like That v2
Marvelettes - You're my remedy
Stevie Wonder - Music Talk
Marvelettes - Your Cheating Ways
Stevie Wonder - Love a gogo
Four Tops - Then
Isley Brothers - Seek and you shall find
Edwin Starr - I have faith in you
Marvin Gaye - So Long
Monitors - Time is passing by
Chris Clark - I love you
Fantastic Four - I feel like I'm falling in love again
Martha Reeves - Show me the way
Four Tops - Can't seem to get you out of my mind
Stevie Wonder - I'd be a fool right now
Chuck Jackson - Ain't no sun since you've been gone
Gladys Knight - The Stranger
Diana Ross and Supremes - Loving you is better than ever
David Ruffin - You can come right back to me
Bottom and Co - Gonna find a true love
Dynamic Superiors - One Nighter
NOT A BAD SELECTION & the Tops tracks are guduns !!

By Aljaydu (172.201.165.191) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:11 am:

1. Main Street People
2. Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
3. Tell Me You Love Me (Lawerance Payton Vocals)
4. Sexy Ways
5. I Believe In You and Me
6. Meeting Of The Minds
7. H.E.L.P.
8. Ain't No Woman
9. Catfish
10. Hello Stranger (with Supremes)
11. I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life(Lawerance on Lead)
12. Strung Out For Your Love (Obie, Lawerance and Levi)
13. Still Water Peace and Love
14. Nature Planned it
15. Right On Brother
16. No Sad Song (Mr. Payton on Vocals)
17. The Good Lord Knows (Obie and Levi)
18. Do What You Gotta Do (Mr. Stubbs and Mr. Payton)
19. Everything on Motown
20. Everything on Dunhill, ABC, Casablanca, back to Motown and Arista...

I didn't go overboard, did I?

Uh...Handsome, Uh...Friends of Distinction...Ain't No Woman...Originally done by them????? Uh...I...don't...think so...

By TD (68.169.46.67) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 09:57 am:

Top Ten post-60's Motown Four Tops

1. When She Was My Girl
2, I Believe In You and Me
3. Please Rember What I told You To Forget
4. Sweet Undersatanding Love
5. Indestructable
6. Change Of Heart
7. Don't Walk Away
8. Keeper Of The Castle
9. Good Lord Knows
10. I Just Can't walk Away

By FLB (68.73.54.178) on Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 02:53 am:

I'LL NEVER EVER LEAVE AGAIN.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 10:52 am:

Aljaydu: I have the Friends of Distinction cd, where this song was recorded in '71. The Four Tops didn't record this song until like '73. I know it was sometime after. Just because FOD didn't have the hit with it, doesn't mean it wasn't recorded. What sources are you going by?

Handsome

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 11:25 am:

Aljaydu: Here is some more info on The Friends Of Distinction

HIT SONGS
Grazin in the Grass
Love or Let Me Be Lonely
Going In Circles
I Really Hope You Do
Time Waits For No One
Check It Out
I Need You
Great Day
That's Not the Way We Planned It
Ain�t No Woman Like the one I Got
It Don�t Matter to Me

CD�S
Friends of Distinction Greatest Hits
The Sullivan Years - The Mod Sound
Friends of Distinction Golden Classics
The Best of Friends of Distinction RCA-BMG

Sorry SDF, I know this thread is supposed to be about the Four Tops.

Handsome

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.192.183) on Tuesday, August 12, 2003 - 11:51 am:

Another great cut by the 4 Tops
that I am playing a lot which was on an Acetate at the time is the brilliant
'Just a little Love'
regards
mel.

By rovereab (195.92.67.209) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 02:38 pm:

I really like Just A Little Love - what a great emotional performance by Levi. Amazing that this track did not get released in the first place.

Regards.

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 03:17 pm:

1) I Can't Help Myself
2) Something About You
3) Shake Me, Wake Me
4) I'm in A Different World
5) Still Water (Love)
6) Ain't No Woman Like The One I've Got
7) Sweet Understanding Love
8) Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
9) I Am Your Man (live version)
10) Seven Lonely Nights

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.194.8) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 03:23 pm:

roverab
have you heard Levi and the tops on another acetate cut called
'sweeter as the days go by?'
this and
'just a little love'
are on a par with one another.
Lyric wise
they are both way way up there(andthensome)
with Levi as usual up there with it.
mel.

By Russ Terrana (198.178.8.81) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 03:46 pm:

I had the joy of working and mixing alot of the 4 Tops songs. Even today, the "Still Waters" album is my all time favorite project. Frank Wilson and I had a great time and every song was classic.
It was alway fun working with the guys in the studio as well. The Tops are still Tops with me!!

By John Lester (81.132.218.142) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 04:37 pm:

Russ

As much as I love that Tops album (and I know this is the Tops thread), my favourite Russ Terrana album was the Temps "Psychedelic Shack".

Mel - "Sweeter as The days go by" also had Frank Wilson involvement

By rovereab (195.92.67.68) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 04:42 pm:

Mel - I've not heard "Sweeter" has it been released on CD?

By Stephanie (68.50.216.139) on Wednesday, August 13, 2003 - 08:45 pm:

this is one of the hardest threads in the world because the Tops put out so much good stuff but here it goes.
I think the best songs are
Keeper of the Castle
Without the One you Love
Bernadette
Catfish (only because it was a stretch for them and they pulled off that silly song) when I saw them do it on Soul Train I couldnt believe they were trying (well not trying) but it was like the poor mans Ojays) what was funny is I thought the record was stupid and I wound up liking it a lot.....when I think it was Lawrence back there going well like Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players or Cameo I had to give the boys credit.
When she Was My Girl
My all time FAVE is the heart wrenching Seven Rooms of Gloom I have to say other than Ask the Lonely that music and that vocal has to be one of the greatest Levi Stubbs vocals in the Tops history just the emotion...but I think all would agree that Just Ask the Lonely is the best out of the whole output.

Something About You was redone by Dave Edmunds and he did a good job on it..nice to hear a rocker doing it to death.

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.192.37) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 12:12 am:

rovereab
I dont know if it ever got released on cd or not.
sorry,perhaps someone can tell us?

John
thanks for that.

regards
mel.

By TD (68.69.127.98) on Thursday, August 14, 2003 - 08:41 pm:

Steph

Agree with you entirely on Ask The Lonely, as I recall it was also Mike M. favorite.

TD

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:08 am:

SHAKE ME,WAKE ME..IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG..WITHOUT THE ONE YOU LOVE..DON'T TELL ME THAT IT'S OVER..SOMETHING ABOUT YOU..BODY AND SOUL..YOUR LOVE'S AMAZIN..I CAN'T HELP MYSELF..MCARTHUR PARK..BERNADETTE.

By TD (67.20.49.28) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 11:49 pm:

11-20
Standing In The shadows
Seven rooms Of Gloom
I'll turn To Stone
Don't Let Him take Your Love
It's The Same Old Song
Shake Me wake Me
In These Changing Times
A Simple Game
Ain't No Woman
All In The Game
TD

By marv (152.163.252.68) on Sunday, August 17, 2003 - 03:22 am:

The Four Tops Top 10 in my opinion:

1. Baby I Need Your Loving (simply the best and my all time favorite)

2. Ain't No Woman Like the One I Got (learned all the parts and all the lyrics back in Jr. High! LOL)

3. I'll Turn To Stone ( some of cleverist lyrics since Smokey. "without your love, I'd be like a statue in a park, cold and alone. A man with no heart!" Please......

4. MacArthurs Park ( in concert or on record, a masterpiece)

5. I'm In A Different World

6. Ask The Lonely

7. Sexy Ways (the Tops entered the 80's without missing a beat)

8. Something About You ( If you can resist tapping your foot, or snapping your fingers to this one, it's time to call a doctor or a priest! LOL)

9. Still Waters Run Deep


10. I Believe In You and Me.


This was a very tough list to put together as the Four Tops have never released a bad record in my opinion.

By JoB (204.42.12.2) on Sunday, August 17, 2003 - 03:45 am:

Keeper of the Castle
Ain't no Woman
(Ain't it weird that my top two favs aren't even Motown cuts?? :o)
Baby I need your Loving
Bernadette
Ask the Lonely
Are you man enough
Midnight Flower
You keep running Away
Reach out I'll be there
I Believe in you and me