Correct Pronunciation

[calvin]

I always heard people say "the Four Tops", and of course when someone is speaking you can't tell if "the" is capitalized or not. I thought it was "The Four Tops" until about 15 years ago.

In many contexts, hearing "Four Tops" without an article sounds a bit jarring, so I still say "the Four Tops."

On the classic Motown website, the first sentence for the group is: "Levi Stubbs’ awesome lead vocals bestow upon the Four Tops a powerful identity as well as commercial authority..."

The first Motown album I bought as a child was "The Motown Story" and on the box their songs are credited to "The Four Tops". I'm pretty sure the narrator says it as well. That's probably why I thought it was part of the name for so long.

https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-...U6MjUyNjEwMzk=