Four Tops - 7 Rooms Of Gloom

**theboyfromxtown** · 01-23-2015, 04:57 PM

Have you guys seen this

**bradburger** · 01-23-2015, 05:05 PM

Very interesting.

A great find John, and thanks for posting!

I wonder if Motown did anymore of these?

Cheers

Paul

**Methuselah2** · 01-23-2015, 05:15 PM

How strange but how tasty. "May I have some more, sir?" A real rarity, I'd say. Thank you Tbfxt. Well done.

**fatmaninthethirdrow** · 01-23-2015, 06:08 PM

Johnny - this is high class stuff

Do you know who the nice lady featured is?

And SECONDLY....you hound, the version of this song is different at the end to any version I've heard before! Was it released and if so where??

x

**jobucats** · 01-23-2015, 06:11 PM

This indeed, was a great find. The song itself, although not a major hit, is what I consider one of the HDH/4Tops masterpieces musically. I look at this as one of those productions that were a little too complex and "out of the box" for most of the listening audience at that time. A mystery to me is what the background voices are singing at just after Levi sings, "I keep waiting, waiting till your voice again I see."

**alexstassi** · 01-23-2015, 06:19 PM

Really enjoyed that. Nice alternate version

**Roger Polhill** · 01-23-2015, 06:31 PM

Thanks John. This is a track from "Reach Out Definitive Performances 1965 - 1973" Surely all of you out there own this dvd .If not, why not!

**mowest** · 01-23-2015, 07:15 PM

"The song itself, although not a major hit..."

It actually was a pretty sizeable hit: #14 on Billboard Pop [[8 weeks), #9 on Cashbox [[9 weeks), #10 on Billboard R&B [[9 weeks), #9 on Record World [[9 weeks) and #12 on Record Retailer [[UK, 9 weeks).

It probably suffered from a little listener fatigue as it was the fourth song in the "Reach Out" singles . The formula was running a little thin.

**reese** · 01-23-2015, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by fatmaninthethirdrow

Johnny - this is high class stuff

Do you know who the nice lady featured is?

And SECONDLY....you hound, the version of this song is different at the end to any version I've heard before! Was it released and if so where??

x

I believe the woman is Diana Ross' sister Rita.

**psychedelic jacques** · 01-23-2015, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by fatmaninthethirdrow

Johnny - this is high class stuff

Do you know who the nice lady featured is?

And SECONDLY....you hound, the version of this song is different at the end to any version I've heard before! Was it released and if so where??

x

...and I think it's a different mix of the alternate version released on the FourEver box set [[with the additional Levi vocals on the fade) - I don't like this mix much, as the intrumentation feels drowned out by the vocals, but I love the video.

**blackguy69** · 01-23-2015, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

Have you guys seen this

this is from the Four DVD performances. i have this already

**jobucats** · 01-23-2015, 09:39 PM

When I wrote "The song itself, although not a major hit...", I was aware of the chart numbers, however, I took in to account that I don't recall it being performed in their live concerts consistently. My concept of 'major' is, rightfully so, different than the guy's down the street.

Also, my comment , "A mystery to me is what the background voices are singing just after Levi sings, 'I keep waiting, waiting till your voice again I see' is in reference to the single itself, not to this video version.

**MotownLover** · 01-23-2015, 10:07 PM

Really liked the Tops on Motown especially so during the HDH era. In retrospect about this single release, could the fact that the flip side of this single also got airplay and charted: "I'll Turn To Stone" have had a negative impact on the "7-Rooms Of Gloom" highest chart position? In those days, did a double-sided hit help propel the favored side up the charts further or not? Often wondered about this. I liked both sides myself.

Note that although I've stated that I favor their HDH produced material, there were some exceptions. For example, "Yesterday's Dreams" grew on me over the years, and really liked some of Frank Wilson's work with them such as "Still Water Runs Deep".

**mowest** · 01-23-2015, 11:31 PM

"In those days, did a double-sided hit help propel the favored side up the charts further or not?"

"Split airplay" has been blamed for preventing both sides of a record from being really big hits. "You Lost The Sweetest Boy"/"What's Easy For Two..." by Mary Wells comes to mind.

**144man** · 01-24-2015, 12:27 PM

I've never been quite sure what's being sung on the fadeout, but it sounds very much like "You have to come back."

**jobucats** · 01-24-2015, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by 144man

I've never been quite sure what's being sung on the fadeout, but it sounds very much like "You have to come back."

Thanks, 144man, I agree...sounds like those words to me and they fit perfectly.

**tmd** · 01-24-2015, 08:45 PM

They often refer to the trilogy of Reach Out, Standing in the Shadows of Love and Bernadette.
I disagree it was a quartet, and this song is amazing, the music and the singing are great- one of James Jameson's best.
How they had so many great songs in such a little time is remarkable

**Philles/Motown Gary** · 01-25-2015, 06:21 AM

I've always loved "7 Rooms Of Gloom". Great melody and top-notch production in a minor key, and a super performance by the Tops & The Andantes.

**arr&bee** · 01-27-2015, 06:42 PM

Haaaaaaaaaaaa,loved it very cute,looks like the guys were on the golf course during this shoot.

**midnight johnny** · 01-28-2015, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by 144man

I've never been quite sure what's being sung on the fadeout, but it sounds very much like "You have to come back."

Martin....I know what you mean....so I went on a search....found Pat Benetar's version that I didn't know existed. I also found a few set's of lyrics. I don't always trust those lyric sites, but a few were consistent in what lyrics they gave.....so here's what I found........ And all the windows are painted black, I'll wait right here 'til you get back I keep waitin' and waitin', 'til your face again I see[[I want you back now) I keep waitin' and waitin', I want you back now[[I want you back now) I keep waitin' and waitin', c'mon back nowI keep waitin' and waitin' and waitin', waitin', waitin', waitin'[[I want you back now) C'mon back now

Lyrics: http://ambilyrics.com/f/the-four-tops/7-rooms-of-gloom BTW....on the alternate mix of "7ROG" that's a wee bit longer, the lyrics go "I'll keep waiting....waiting 'til your face again I see, I'll Keep waiting....waiting until you come back to me"

**Mark Desjardines** · 01-28-2015, 05:12 PM

John; There's another very cool cover of "7 Rooms of Gloom" not currently up on youtube, that I have on a 2001 remaster Blondie CD "East to the Beat" with "extra" cuts. Well worth seeking out! Pat Benetar and Blondie definitely knew a what a HOT song H-D-H and the Four Tops threw down!

**midnight johnny** · 01-28-2015, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Mark Desjardines

John; There's another very cool cover of "7 Rooms of Gloom" not currently up on youtube, that I have on a 2001 remaster Blondie CD "East to the Beat" with "extra" cuts. Well worth seeking out! Pat Benetar and Blondie definitely knew a what a HOT song H-D-H and the Four Tops threw down!

Mark....would love to hear the Blondie's version!