Four Tops - Walk Away Renee [[1968)

[marv2]

The Four Tops were an amazing group on many levels. One of the reasons they stood out is because they could handle just about any material handed to them and do an incredibly good job. Here they are from 1968 with a favorite of mine......"Walk Away Renee".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu5ynjOlnOg&NR=1&feature=endscreen

[Kamasu_Jr]

I don't know why but it works for the Tops, possibly because of the Funks. An entire compilation of Four Tops cobvers would have been a good idea.

[BigAl]

It really puzzled me when the Tops released two covers: "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Walk Away, Renée" as singles — the former just a year after Bobby Darin had a substantial hit with it, and the latter barely two years after the Left Banke's original. I had just assumed the songs were fillers for the Reach Out album and when they were subsequently released as singles I remember thinking, "Well, those won't chart very high. What are they thinking?" It was virtually unheard of at the time for Motown to release non-Jobete songs as singles. Then, lo and behold, both made very good chart showings, attesting to the versatility of the artists involved. The Tops could do it all.

[marv2]

It really puzzled me when the Tops released two covers: "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Walk Away, Renée" as singles — the former just a year after Bobby Darin had a substantial hit with it, and the latter barely two years after the Left Banke's original. I had just assumed the songs were fillers for the Reach Out album and when they were subsequently released as singles I remember thinking, "Well, those won't chart very high. What are they thinking?" It was virtually unheard of at the time for Motown to release non-Jobete songs as singles. Then, lo and behold, both made very good chart showings, attesting to the versatility of the artists involved. The Tops could do it all.

I think the fact that both records sounded so, so good trumped them being Jobete published songs. The Tops were just that bad! They could almost any song and make it sound like it was originally written for them. Check this one out. Another favorite of mine..."Light My Fire":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ibjg053Ho

[marv2]

Then they could take other Motown originals such as "Reflections" and just dissolve into their own, unique soulful sound. This could have easily have been written for them [[sorry Supremes) :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq4PunYOknE

[rovereab]

As if Walk Away Reneee and If I Were A Carpenter were different choices for the Four Tops they then went on to score a massive hit in the UK with the Moody Blues' A Simple Game without the Funk Bros!

Talk about versatility!

[TheMotownManiac]

Totally dig the Tops' Renee', Carpenter and Reflections. Their Muzak-minus one Light My Fire, however, is the most banal, atrocious cover of that song I have ever heard - [[yes - that includes The Ray Coniff Singers!)

[marv2]

As if Walk Away Reneee and If I Were A Carpenter were different choices for the Four Tops they then went on to score a massive hit in the UK with the Moody Blues' A Simple Game without the Funk Bros!

Talk about versatility!

Rovereab! That was exactly my point! The Four Tops could sing just about anything and not have it sound contrived. They were amazingling versatile in the vocal talents.

[marv2]

Listen to them cover the Beatles and "The Fool on the Hill". Even with Lawrence in the lead, they do a great job. His vocals always had a Curtis Mayfield feel to them. The magnificent Four Tops!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcqqko8AqWA

[MotownSteve]

I could not find on you tube the studio version of Woman Woman which is on the two disc set Lost & Found. I think it is great example of what has been said above: They could take almost any song and make it theirs.

I did find this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yylmBZVbNno

[marv2]

I could not find on you tube the studio version of Woman Woman which is on the two disc set Lost & Found. I think it is great example of what has been said above: They could take almost any song and make it theirs.

I did find this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yylmBZVbNno


Being the biggest Four Tops fan in the World, I am embarrassed to say that I had never heard their take on Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's hit. I think they nailed it. Levi sang it just right, the instrumentation isn't quiet right though.

[lakedistrictlad1]

In my opinion you could take off the title 'Reach Out' from the album of that name - and replace it with 'Greatest Hits'.
There's not one second of filler on that album.
Both Walk Away Renee and If I Were A Carpenter were better than the original versions for me.
Four Tops Reach Out has always been my all time favourite 'Desert Island' Motown lp.

[MotownSteve]

Being the biggest Four Tops fan in the World, I am embarrassed to say that I had never heard their take on Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's hit. I think they nailed it. Levi sang it just right, the instrumentation isn't quiet right though.

Are you talking about the youtube version or the version on Lost & Found? I never found anything lacking on the latter.

[marv2]

Are you talking about the youtube version or the version on Lost & Found? I never found anything lacking on the latter.

I am referring to the Youtube version. I don't have the Lost & Found CD.

[marv2]

The Four Tops and "Climb Every Mountain":


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

[MotownSteve]

I am referring to the Youtube version. I don't have the Lost & Found CD.

It is a very good collection and worth having. It seems to be only available for download for about $19.00. What is surprising is that the original single disc Lost and Found, recorded before Baby I Need Your Loving, is readily available as a disc.

[marybrewster]

It really puzzled me when the Tops released two covers: "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Walk Away, Renée" as singles — the former just a year after Bobby Darin had a substantial hit with it, and the latter barely two years after the Left Banke's original.

Interestingly enough, isn't this around the same time that the Marvelettes released their cover of "When You're Young and In Love" and the DRATS were supposedly going to release a cover of "What the World Needs Now is Love"?

On a side note, in '67-'68: The Temptations and the Supremes released "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" which was a cover of a Dee Dee Warwick hit, and the Temptations alone released "I've Been Good to You" which was a cover of a Miracles song.

Seems like a lot of cover songs in a short period of time.....