Did The Four Tops ever do funk?

[the_chicks_call_me__slick]

Levi Stubbs is a tremendous singer, but The Four Tops music isn't quit my cup of tea to be honest.

I would have loved to hear The Four Tops if they had been produced by Norman Whitfield, in the early 70's.

I know there will be plenty of Four Tops fans in the forum, and I don't want to upset anyone, but I would like to know if they ever recorded any social commentary, or just straight up funk tracks. like The Temptations did in the early 70's.

[marv2]

"Catfish" was pretty funky! LOL!

Everything they did was funky to me because they were just that good, but I know what you mean. Let me think about it for a bit.

[marv2]

As far as social commentary, I feel that "Keep of the Castle" would fit that category as would, "We All Got to Stick Together".

[Roger Polhill]

The only Norman Whitfield track that they recorded that I know of was "Don`t Let Him Take Your Love From Me" , funk really wasn`t their bag.They were more into Broadway type songs away from standard Motown.

[the_chicks_call_me__slick]

"Catfish" was pretty funky! LOL!

Everything they did was funky to me because they were just that good, but I know what you mean. Let me think about it for a bit.



I've just listened to Catfish. It sounded too much like disco for me. I meant songs like Masterpiece, ball of Confusion, Ain't No justice etc.

[the_chicks_call_me__slick]

The only Norman Whitfield track that they recorded that I know of was "Don`t Let Him Take Your Love From Me" , funk really wasn`t their bag.They were more into Broadway type songs away from standard Motown.


Thanks Roger.

As a big funk fan, it disappoints me that Levi Stubs didn't get to sing some real funk tracks.

[mannyc]

"Hay Man /We Got to Get You A Woman" was pretty much funk for me.

[MotownSteve]

I seem to remember a thread here about a Four Tops album produced by Norman Whitfield. I did a cursory Google search and found this: http://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/1019-APR%20MAY%2004/2737.html?1084163647 but not much else. But, as I said, I looked neither far nor deep.

[marv2]

I seem to remember a thread here about a Four Tops album produced by Norman Whitfield. I did a cursory Google search and found this: http://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/1019-APR%20MAY%2004/2737.html?1084163647 but not much else. But, as I said, I looked neither far nor deep.



I believe Spyder has a song he wrote on that album I recall.

[huntergettingcaptured]

I don't know if these will pass for funk, but they are definitely along the lines of social commentary: "Look Out Your Window", "Barbara's Boy", "Stop The World And Let Me Off" and "Pool Of Red" are all from the '69 album "Soul Spin". I wish the entire album had continued with songs like these. If you can find a way to hear those four, see what you think...

[uptight]

Okay, maybe there wasn't much funk in the Four Tops' records, but Levi's voice sure put a stank on 'em!

[copley]

What's a 'stank'?

How about this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW4aQvaSCbE&feature=related

'911', 'Dear John', 'Hoochie Momma Man', 'Can't Hep Myself' are the funkiest from 'The Whitfield Sessions' album.

[roger]

The "funkiest" Motown offering I can think of by them is "Don't Bring Back Memories" off their "Now" L.P. and the "B" side of "What Is A Man" .. hardly "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" like but kinda funky in a GK&TP "Nitty Gritty" way ..

FOUR TOPS - "Don't Bring Back Memories"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS09vWxY6lo

Roger//

[soulster]

Levi Stubbs is a tremendous singer, but The Four Tops music isn't quit my cup of tea to be honest.

I would have loved to hear The Four Tops if they had been produced by Norman Whitfield, in the early 70's.

I know there will be plenty of Four Tops fans in the forum, and I don't want to upset anyone, but I would like to know if they ever recorded any social commentary, or just straight up funk tracks. like The Temptations did in the early 70's.

I'm not sure they ever funked up. but they did lots of social commentary once they started recording for ABC/Dunhill in 1972.

[splanky]

I loved Hey Man We Got To Get You A Woman! So did Don Cornelius....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlnM3F6Ud64

[marv2]

Okay, maybe there wasn't much funk in the Four Tops' records, but Levi's voice sure put a stank on 'em!

He sure did put the stank on them. He didn't just put his foot in it, he put the whole leg! LOL!

Miss ya Levi!

[marv2]

I loved Hey Man We Got To Get You A Woman! So did Don Cornelius....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlnM3F6Ud64

That was a jam. Who did the original? I can't remember.

[Motown Eddie]

That was a jam. Who did the original? I can't remember.

The original version of "We Gotta Get You A Woman" was done by Todd Rundgren in 1970 on the album Runt. [[the "Hey Man" part of the medley was written by Frank Wilson, Leonard Caston, Renaldo Benson & Lawrence Payton).

[marv2]

The original version of "We Gotta Get You A Woman" was done by Todd Rundgren in 1970 on the album Runt. [[the "Hey Man" part of the medley was written by Frank Wilson, Leonard Caston, Renaldo Benson & Lawrence Payton).

Thank you Motown Eddie. I now actually recall the Todd Rundgren version of the song. Both were great.

[Sotosound]

When I think about funk, I think about early Kool And The Gang, or James Brown, or The Ohio Players, or Parliament, or Funkadelic, or Cameo etc.

Norman Whitfield did do some funky stuff with Edwin Starr, Rose Royce, Stargard etc. but whenever I think about Norman Whitfield, I think more about psychedelic soul and symphonic soul.

I don't think that the Tops ever went really funky, but they did do some stuff that was similar to Norman Whitfield's symphonic soul style. The closest that I recall the Tops getting to that style was "Whenever There's Blue" from Main Street People. This track seriously tips its hat in that direction, and ends with a fantastic instrumental jam led by strings and accompanied by a serious rhythm section.

Coincidentally, it's around that time that "Keep On Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks also gave us an extended instrumental jam led by strings and accompanied by a [[mainly different) serious rhythm section.

Great grooves created by real musicians playing together. Love it!

[the_chicks_call_me__slick]

"Hay Man /We Got to Get You A Woman" was pretty much funk for me.

I listened to that on You Tube. It's excellent.

[soulster]

When I think about funk, I think about early Kool And The Gang, or James Brown, or The Ohio Players, or Parliament, or Funkadelic, or Cameo etc.

Norman Whitfield did do some funky stuff with Edwin Starr, Rose Royce, Stargard etc. but whenever I think about Norman Whitfield, I think more about psychedelic soul and symphonic soul.

I don't think that the Tops ever went really funky, but they did do some stuff that was similar to Norman Whitfield's symphonic soul style. The closest that I recall the Tops getting to that style was "Whenever There's Blue" from Main Street People. This track seriously tips its hat in that direction, and ends with a fantastic instrumental jam led by strings and accompanied by a serious rhythm section.

Coincidentally, it's around that time that "Keep On Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks also gave us an extended instrumental jam led by strings and accompanied by a [[mainly different) serious rhythm section.

Great grooves created by real musicians playing together. Love it!


Unfortunately, we will never see the great funk music we had in the 70s again! Don't get rid of your slabs-o-funk!

[the_chicks_call_me__slick]

Unfortunately, we will never see the great funk music we had in the 70s again! Don't get rid of your slabs-o-funk!

It's tragic that we're highly unlikely to see the funk, and creativity, you got in black music in the late 60's, and early 70's.

I liked hip-hop when Public Enemy and Ice Cube etc were making it funky, but it's gone way downhill since then.

It's seems nowadays all you need is a drum machine, and a bad attitude problem, and you can sell millions.

[Hotspurman]

Last Saturday, in the ITV preview for the Chelsea v Birmingham FA Cup match, they did a feature about the beleaguered Chelsea manager and used The Four Tops 'Are You Man Enough' [[originally featured on the Shaft In Africa soundtrack) as the musical accompaniment. I'd forgotten about that track and did a quick search in my collection to check I had a copy - it appears on a compilation of their post-Motown material. Brilliant track and, I would venture, pretty funky too!

[ralpht]

Very interesting thread, guys. Wish I could add something.

[roger]

Last Saturday, in the ITV preview for the Chelsea v Birmingham FA Cup match, they did a feature about the beleaguered Chelsea manager and used The Four Tops 'Are You Man Enough' [[originally featured on the Shaft In Africa soundtrack) as the musical accompaniment. I'd forgotten about that track and did a quick search in my collection to check I had a copy - it appears on a compilation of their post-Motown material. Brilliant track and, I would venture, pretty funky too!

As the eventual winners of this tie will be hosting the team that I support I think this is a question that needs to be answered!!

:)

Roger

[Hotspurman]

As the eventual winners of this tie will be hosting the team that I support I think this is a question that needs to be answered!!

:)

Roger


Then the answer is 'It's All In The Game'!

[Hotspurman]

As the eventual winners of this tie will be hosting the team that I support I think this is a question that needs to be answered!!

:)

Roger

Or as you're playing away it should be 'Make Yourself Right At Home'!

[soulster]

It's tragic that we're highly unlikely to see the funk, and creativity, you got in black music in the late 60's, and early 70's.

I liked hip-hop when Public Enemy and Ice Cube etc were making it funky, but it's gone way downhill since then.

It's seems nowadays all you need is a drum machine, and a bad attitude problem, and you can sell millions.

Naw! That bad attitude thing is old school. Now you just need to act drunk and rap about naked women. They call it "crunk".