Question for someone with SHARP ears... listen to this Four Tops tune...

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-01-2018, 07:27 PM

This is something that I've been wondering ever since I bought this album in the 80's. Is the pitch/speed of this song changing ever so slightly? Specifically at the 0:11-0:17 mark and again it seems to slow down just very VERY slightly near the end.

**TomatoTom123** · 06-01-2018, 07:47 PM

Damn, I can KINDA hear it, very vaguely. Is it the drums that make you think it's faster? I can almost hear the little drumroll thing as being slightly faster. Interesting...

**soulster** · 06-01-2018, 08:55 PM

It's obviously an edit between takes or different parts of the tape. It's also a very bad edit.

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-02-2018, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Damn, I can KINDA hear it, very vaguely. Is it the drums that make you think it's faster? I can almost hear the little drumroll thing as being slightly faster. Interesting...

It really is a vague thing and that's what gets me! You know how you THINK you heard something or saw something and then you wonder if you're just imagining it? But I've been hearing this for well over 30 years and I always think I hear this song speeding up just a bit in the exact same spots LOL! I don't think it's so much the drum roll because the song seems to even go up in pitch by just the teensiest.

I hope my craziness over this stuff isn't contagious!

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-02-2018, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by soulster

It's obviously an edit between takes or different parts of the tape. It's also a very bad edit.

Maybe that's it. I just thought the tape machine was in need of servicing that day!

**Motown Eddie** · 06-05-2018, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance

This is something that I've been wondering ever since I bought this album in the 80's. Is the pitch/speed of this song changing ever so slightly? Specifically at the 0:11-0:17 mark and again it seems to slow down just very VERY slightly near the end.

I've also noticed the pitch changes on The Four Tops' "Stay In My Lonely Arms". It sounds like the tape was dragging on the stereo version of the song. However, the mono version [[as included on the Until You Love Someone: More Of The Best CD on Rhino), the song plays perfectly without any pitch changes.

**jobucats** · 06-05-2018, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance

It really is a vague thing and that's what gets me! You know how you THINK you heard something or saw something and then you wonder if you're just imagining it? But I've been hearing this for well over 30 years and I always think I hear this song speeding up just a bit in the exact same spots LOL! I don't think it's so much the drum roll because the song seems to even go up in pitch by just the teensiest.

I hope my craziness over this stuff isn't contagious!

Though subtle, there does appear to be a slowing down in the part you mentioned. I love all of the HDH productions and I love the Four Tops even more, however, this is one of those releases that brings the word "intoxicated" to my mind. Is it the melody? Is it it the tempo? To add to what others have said, I actually used to think was this song recorded at a faster tempo and the producers came back later to slow it down by manipulating the recorders themselves. The song appears to be in the key of "C" Major. Playing the version from the actual YouTube clip above as I played my keyboard reveals they are not perfectly tuned with each other, however, they are close enough Of course, there are variances that occur in the process of uploading which may allow for the discrepancy. Musically, it does have a nice chord progression.

Additional info: the Elgins versions and the Supremes versions are also in the key of C Major just in case other music nerds [[like me) might want to know. Their versions have the recordings more on pitch than the Four Tops version. The plot thickens.

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-06-2018, 02:54 AM

Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

I've also noticed the pitch changes on The Four Tops' "Stay In My Lonely Arms". It sounds like the tape was dragging on the stereo version of the song. However, the mono version [[as included on the Until You Love Someone: More Of The Best CD on Rhino), the song plays perfectly without any pitch changes.

I missed your post- I'm now feeling something like vindication knowing it isn't just me. I had the thought that maybe the tape machine was in need of servicing or something that day, but it's interesting to note what you wrote about the mono version sounding fine. I'll have to go get that CD and check it out. Thanks!

**WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance** · 06-06-2018, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by jobucats

Though subtle, there does appear to be a slowing down in the part you mentioned. I love all of the HDH productions and I love the Four Tops even more, however, this is one of those releases that brings the word "intoxicated" to my mind. Is it the melody? Is it it the tempo? To add to what others have said, I actually used to think was this song recorded at a faster tempo and the producers came back later to slow it down by manipulating the recorders themselves. The song appears to be in the key of "C" Major. Playing the version from the actual YouTube clip above as I played my keyboard reveals they are not perfectly tuned with each other, however, they are close enough Of course, there are variances that occur in the process of uploading which may allow for the discrepancy. Musically, it does have a nice chord progression.

Additional info: the Elgins versions and the Supremes versions are also in the key of C Major just in case other music nerds [[like me) might want to know. Their versions have the recordings more on pitch than the Four Tops version. The plot thickens.

This is getting good. And your word "intoxicated" seems to fit very well. There is something marvelously weird about this one. It does have an odd sluggish feeling to it while at the same time, it sounds incredibly "hot" with the prominence of the tambourine and the drum's hi-hat ticking away like mad throughout. When the song hits those chord changes, the chime of the vibraphone adds that kind of dreamy "intoxicated" sound to it.

You may be onto something too about the speed being manipulated after it was recorded. There is a Marvelettes song, "Maybe I've Dried My Tears [[For The Last Time)" and I swear they sped the tape up by a tone or two, so maybe that's what's going on with this tune as well.

And I like that you note what key this and the other versions are in. I like that information. In fact, I have a favor to ask: have you heard the Gladys Knight & The Pips song, "In My Heart I Know It's Right" from the Motown Unreleased 1966 collection? That song is has such a torrid, storm-on-the-horizon intro. The key of the intro and the ending is oddly chilling and I love it. I don't know if I've guessed it right, but I think it's in F-Minor. If you get a chance to listen to it, I'd love to hear from you what key it actually is...