[[Early) Four Tops - Could It Be You

[marv2]

We lost Levi Stubbs October 17, 2008. Remember him and the Four Tops through some of their early recordings. "Could It Be You!"


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

[biggestfourtops fan]

We need a CD release of ALL their pre Motown material released and not released songs

[marv2]

We need a CD release of ALL their pre Motown material released and not released songs

I would love that. I still feel that they have been fully recognized for their immense talents and contributions to music.

[woodward]

Pre-Motown details are scattered and not easy to come by. As a result of Marv2's posting, I decided to try to determine everything that was recorded prior to Motown. Here is my best shot.

Chateau 2001 [[1956)
Baby Say You Love Me b/w Really
by Carolyn Hayes with the Four Tops

Chateau 2001 [[1956)
Everybody Knows b/w I Just Can't Keep The Tears from Tumblin' Down
by Delores Carroll with the Four Tops

I do not know of any releases for either of these Chateau records.

Chess 1623 Could It Be You b/w Kiss Me Baby May 1956
Chess Note I Woke Up This Morning
Note: Apparently this was a Chess recording that was never assigned a Chess catalog number. I have records of all Chess recordings and the only Four Tops I could locate was Chess 1623. This song, I Woke Up This Morning was included in a Hip-O-Select released Street Corner Essentials [[314 556 264-2)

Columbia 41755 Ain't That Love b/w Lonely Summer 7/1960

Riverside 4534 Pennies from Heaven b/w Where Are You 7/1960

The Four Tops Fourever 4-CD release [[Hip-O-Select) set from 2001 includes Could It Be You, Ain't That Love, and Pennies From Heaven.
There are several previously unreleased Four Tops songs in this great collection: Until I Met You, Just a Little Move [[Before My Life Is Over), My Heart Is Calling You, No Good Without You, Brenda, Just Another Lonely Night with the Temptations, Oh, I've Been Blessed, Levi and the Vandellas, Stranded On the Road of Love with Edwin Starr, Ballad to the One I Love, A Simple Game, Tonight I'm Going To Love You All Over, and the Four of Us. A total of 85 songs on the 4 CDs.

[marv2]

Woodward I have the Fourever Box Set. That's where i first heard the early recordings. I'm thinking if the existing early recordings were combined with the Jazz Workshop album recorded at Motown they could come up with a nice set for hardcore fans.

[drewschultz88]

Additionally, this one popped up on a Chess Vocal Group compilation a while back, it's sweet:

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

[marv2]

Additionally, this one popped up on a Chess Vocal Group compilation a while back, it's sweet:

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

Hey thanks Drew!

[marv2]

Additionally, this one popped up on a Chess Vocal Group compilation a while back, it's sweet:

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

Levi sounds a bit like Louis Jordan on this one. This is so far removed from their more popular, well known recordings.

[marv2]

Here's one of the unreleased Chess Records recordings. It's actually quite good and very much in the style that was popular in the mid- 50s. "Country Girl" by Four Tops 1956:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf2vcu5PG_4

[marv2]

I can't remember, but was this song included in the box set "Fourever"? It is a tremendous unreleased recording in my opinion:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLj4sikuL4

[144man]

I can't remember, but was this song included in the box set "Fourever"? It is a tremendous unreleased recording in my opinion:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRLj4sikuL4

Yes, Marv. It's included in "Fourever". There are other fine versions of this song by Marvin Gaye and by Chuck Jackson.

[marv2]

Yes, Marv. It's included in "Fourever". There are other fine versions of this song by Marvin Gaye and by Chuck Jackson.

I have the box set and usually play it on long distance drives which I have not done in a while. I am sure the other versions are nice too, but I cannot imagine anyone doing this song as great as the Tops did it! Why it was not released back in the day is just plain insanity. LOL!

[noel181]

"Country Girl" was previously unreleased and included in the 4CD Boxset "Chess Rhythm & Roll"
Another unreleased Chess track "I Wish You Would" is on CD The Best Of Chess Vocal Groups Vol. 1

[marv2]

"Country Girl" was previously unreleased and included in the 4CD Boxset "Chess Rhythm & Roll"
Another unreleased Chess track "I Wish You Would" is on CD The Best Of Chess Vocal Groups Vol. 1

I must try to find those. Thank you noel181.

[luke]

Omg how did I miss all this and last month too!!thx!

[marv2]

Omg how did I miss all this and last month too!!thx!

You are welcome. I am always interested in artists earliest works.

[fourtopsjim]

I know I'm late to the party but they also recorded All My Life for Chess in 1956.
Supposedly, they recorded one record as the Four Aims on Grady Records [[#012):
If Only I Had Known/She Gave Me Love
The Grady Recordings are the only ones I cannot find.

[booty]

Pre-Motown details are scattered and not easy to come by. As a result of Marv2's posting, I decided to try to determine everything that was recorded prior to Motown. Here is my best shot.

Chateau 2001 [[1956)
Baby Say You Love Me b/w Really
by Carolyn Hayes with the Four Tops

Chateau 2001 [[1956)
Everybody Knows b/w I Just Can't Keep The Tears from Tumblin' Down
by Delores Carroll with the Four Tops

I do not know of any releases for either of these Chateau records.

Chess 1623 Could It Be You b/w Kiss Me Baby May 1956
Chess Note I Woke Up This Morning
Note: Apparently this was a Chess recording that was never assigned a Chess catalog number. I have records of all Chess recordings and the only Four Tops I could locate was Chess 1623. This song, I Woke Up This Morning was included in a Hip-O-Select released Street Corner Essentials [[314 556 264-2)

Columbia 41755 Ain't That Love b/w Lonely Summer 7/1960

Riverside 4534 Pennies from Heaven b/w Where Are You 7/1960

The Four Tops Fourever 4-CD release [[Hip-O-Select) set from 2001 includes Could It Be You, Ain't That Love, and Pennies From Heaven.
There are several previously unreleased Four Tops songs in this great collection: Until I Met You, Just a Little Move [[Before My Life Is Over), My Heart Is Calling You, No Good Without You, Brenda, Just Another Lonely Night with the Temptations, Oh, I've Been Blessed, Levi and the Vandellas, Stranded On the Road of Love with Edwin Starr, Ballad to the One I Love, A Simple Game, Tonight I'm Going To Love You All Over, and the Four of Us. A total of 85 songs on the 4 CDs.

15894

Pre-Motown recordings from 2007. ISIS-254

[booty]

01 Everybody Knows [Chateau 2002A] [[1955) Delores Carroll With Maurice King & His Wolverines ; Vocals by Delores Carroll & The Four Tops

02 I Just Cant Keep These Tears From Tumbling Down [Chateau 2002B] [[1955) Delores Carroll With Maurice King & His Wolverines ; Vocals by Delores Carroll & The Four Tops

03 Baby Say You Love Me [Chateau 2001A] [[1956) Carolyn Hayes & The Four Tops

04 Really [Chateau 2001B] [[1956) Carolyn Hayes & The Four Tops

05 All My Life [Chess Records - Unissued] [[1955) The Four Tops

06 Woke Up This Morning [Chess Records - Unissued] [[1955) The Four Tops

07 Could It Be You [Chess Records 1653A] [[1956) The Four Tops

08 Kiss Me Baby [Chess 1623B] [[1956) The Four Tops

09 Ain't That Love [Columbia 43356A] [[1960) The Four Tops

10 Lonely Summer [Columbia 43356A] [[1960) The Four Tops

11 Pennies From Heaven [Riverside 4534A] [[1962) The Four Top

12 Where You Are [Riverside 4534A] [[1962) The Four Tops

[sup_fan]

love the Tops. but if i had to choose for additional material or vault content, i'd vote for whatever alt versions or unreleased tracks there are from their Frank Wilson era. Still Waters [[the lp) is superb and would love an Expanded Edition on it. Nature Planned it is my 2nd fav. Changing Times is pretty good but not as strong IMO and i don't listen to it much

[marv2]

love the Tops. but if i had to choose for additional material or vault content, i'd vote for whatever alt versions or unreleased tracks there are from their Frank Wilson era. Still Waters [[the lp) is superb and would love an Expanded Edition on it. Nature Planned it is my 2nd fav. Changing Times is pretty good but not as strong IMO and i don't listen to it much

Yes, understood, but this thread is about their early recordings prior to signing with Motown. The Four Tops made some great recordings, in my opinion before they hooked up with Motown. The Tops had been around before Motown was even a company. Give a listen to some of their Pre-Motown records and you can easily see that the talent was always there from the start.

[woodward]

BOOTY: Where did you obtain the Genisis CD of their pre-Motown recordings? I want to get one of these. Please advise. Thank you.

[fourtopsjim]

The Tops' pre-Motown recordings are excellent! They were able to sing Doo-Wop, Rock and Roll, Standards, and do it all flawlessly. We'll be doing a show on the Pre-Motown/Breaking Through recordings soon at fourevertops.podbean.com. hope you all join us, especially those of you who haven't heard these gems.

[marv2]

The Tops' pre-Motown recordings are excellent! They were able to sing Doo-Wop, Rock and Roll, Standards, and do it all flawlessly. We'll be doing a show on the Pre-Motown/Breaking Through recordings soon at fourevertops.podbean.com. hope you all join us, especially those of you who haven't heard these gems.

If folks listen to the Fourever Four Tops podcast, they will get to here how expertly the Tops handle Jazz! They were amazing! They still surprise me with their overall vocal abilities. I do not believe any of the guys were formally trained singers and they just happened to meet up that one night at that house party in North Detroit. Whew.....

[booty]

BOOTY: Where did you obtain the Genisis CD of their pre-Motown recordings? I want to get one of these. Please advise. Thank you.

Downloaded about 5 years ago from some US website.

[TomatoTom123]

Does a physical CD exist of that album of pre-Motown recordings? Or is it a digital only album? I can't find much about it online.