Four Tops Cover Versions of Other Songs

[marv2]

Four Tops were probably the most versatile group to ever record for Motown, yet they always retained their unique vocal style. Here are some of the great covers they record of some pretty well known songs by others:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umHzHjwGzH0

[marv2]

Brilliant!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oILe4oTgVBk

[marv2]

The Tops sing The Supremes:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWua54OYY_w

[marv2]

The Tommy Edwards classic .......


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpru7TscCZ0

[Mark Desjardines]

Don't forget the TOPS incredible version of Richard Harris' McArthur Park!

https://youtu.be/mIUFUG5g6oY

[kenneth]

And the early, early 4 Tops like the "Breaking Out" sessions. I love that CD. They were true song stylists. I mean, Levi obviously could shout it out with the best of 'em, but there were so many layers to their style. I love all the Jazz and American Songbook standards on "Breaking Out" as well as "On Broadway." In fact, while I was writing this post I looked up the track list for the Broadway album. It includes "For Once In My Life," a Motown original written to sound like a Broadway ballad! Love it.

[marv2]

Don't forget the TOPS incredible version of Richard Harris' McArthur Park!

https://youtu.be/mIUFUG5g6oY

Oh most definitely. If you've ever heard them do it in concert, you would never forget it!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2XvIyapxo8

[marv2]

And the early, early 4 Tops like the "Breaking Out" sessions. I love that CD. They were true song stylists. I mean, Levi obviously could shout it out with the best of 'em, but there were so many layers to their style. I love all the Jazz and American Songbook standards on "Breaking Out" as well as "On Broadway." In fact, while I was writing this post I looked up the track list for the Broadway album. It includes "For Once In My Life," a Motown original written to sound like a Broadway ballad! Love it.

Kenneth, check this out!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4T9yCdo72s

[marv2]

And the early, early 4 Tops like the "Breaking Out" sessions. I love that CD. They were true song stylists. I mean, Levi obviously could shout it out with the best of 'em, but there were so many layers to their style. I love all the Jazz and American Songbook standards on "Breaking Out" as well as "On Broadway." In fact, while I was writing this post I looked up the track list for the Broadway album. It includes "For Once In My Life," a Motown original written to sound like a Broadway ballad! Love it.

I have that too but have not heard it in many years. It's in storage.

[masterblaster]

I love the Tops version of "Do What You Gotta Do" originally by Johnnie River I think. Love the orchestration and how the leads switch between Stubbs and Payton.

[marv2]

Masterblaster, here it is. This one does not get much play, but it is GREAT!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0svbAv8bDQ

[masterblaster]

Masterblaster, here it is. This one does not get much play, but it is GREAT!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0svbAv8bDQ

Thanks for that Marv, great memories. This was released as a single in the UK peaking at number 11 in 1969. Puzzled why it was not released in the US, think 'Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me' was preferred.

[kenneth]

@Marv2, Fabulous clips. I always love the Hollywood Palace clips because most of them seem to be truly live performances with very good arrangements. I think the Tops more than any other Motown group, even the Supremes and Marvin Gaye, easily transferred their skills to the supper club circuit because that really was part of their early, more jazz oriented roots. They easily rocked back and forth between the "Copa" material, their Motown hits, and covers of contemporary songs such as "Macarthur Park" and "Eleanor Rigby." The Supremes might have been more versatile, in that Gordy pushed them into recording wider and more diverse styles, [[i.e., Sam Cooke, Liverpool, C&W, Copa) but the Tops just seemed to make it all seem so easy. What a talented group!

I play "Breaking Out" a lot but I still miss some of their later albums not having a CD release, such as "Four Tops Now" [[which I think was the album rechristened "Mcarthur Park") and "Soul Spin." I think some of the Tops albums appeared on the UK 2-fers which were very good quality, but I don't think they did the entire Tops Motown catalog as they did with the Sups [[well not the full catalog but most of it), Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. That's a shame!

Thanks for finding great clips, marv, as you always do.

[marv2]

Thanks for that Marv, great memories. This was released as a single in the UK peaking at number 11 in 1969. Puzzled why it was not released in the US, think 'Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me' was preferred.

I don't know either. I actually prefer "Do What You Gotta Do".

[marv2]

@Marv2, Fabulous clips. I always love the Hollywood Palace clips because most of them seem to be truly live performances with very good arrangements. I think the Tops more than any other Motown group, even the Supremes and Marvin Gaye, easily transferred their skills to the supper club circuit because that really was part of their early, more jazz oriented roots. They easily rocked back and forth between the "Copa" material, their Motown hits, and covers of contemporary songs such as "Macarthur Park" and "Eleanor Rigby." The Supremes might have been more versatile, in that Gordy pushed them into recording wider and more diverse styles, [[i.e., Sam Cooke, Liverpool, C&W, Copa) but the Tops just seemed to make it all seem so easy. What a talented group!

I play "Breaking Out" a lot but I still miss some of their later albums not having a CD release, such as "Four Tops Now" [[which I think was the album rechristened "Mcarthur Park") and "Soul Spin." I think some of the Tops albums appeared on the UK 2-fers which were very good quality, but I don't think they did the entire Tops Motown catalog as they did with the Sups [[well not the full catalog but most of it), Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. That's a shame!

Thanks for finding great clips, marv, as you always do.

Kenneth, you are most welcome!

[marv2]

From "The Sound of Music" , "Climb Every Mountain":


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLCXdK_sFi0

[arr&bee]

Great post,the tops are great with the standards,just listen to their version of[once upon a time]from the lp[yesterday's dreams.

[arr&bee]

They also did a great job with the beatles[michelle].

[marv2]

They also did a great job with the beatles[michelle].

Now I remember that:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZM5eEohDho

[marv2]

Hows this for harmony from 1970 "Look of Love"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTrF0gga5Pc

[marv2]

"Sunny"!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFFqC-S9Dg

[kenneth]

Hows this for harmony from 1970 "Look of Love"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTrF0gga5Pc

They sound so good on this!

[arr&bee]

The four tops had the best harmony of all the motown groups[temps included].

[marv2]

The four tops had the best harmony of all the motown groups[temps included].

They absolutely had the best harmony at Motown. They also were down to Earth and complete professionals. They would sing background when asked on the recordings of other Motown artists.

[Bluebrock]

Thanks for that Marv, great memories. This was released as a single in the UK peaking at number 11 in 1969. Puzzled why it was not released in the US, think 'Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me' was preferred.
It still gets regular airplay in the UK. I heard it on Steve Wright's afternoon show on radio 2 very recently, and i also heard it on smooth. One of their very finest in my opinion.

[marv2]

Four Tops were probably the most versatile group to ever record for Motown, yet they always retained their unique vocal style. Here are some of the great covers they record of some pretty well known songs by others:

[platters81]

my fave
https://youtu.be/M8bgM7tfdYQ

really like this extended version and photo of the Andantes......who were on this withithe Detroit Symphony Orch and Funk Bros

[marv2]

my fave
https://youtu.be/M8bgM7tfdYQ

really like this extended version and photo of the Andantes......who were on this withithe Detroit Symphony Orch and Funk Bros

That was great. Thanks Platters81