The Four Tops - A Simple Game

**marv2** · 09-20-2012, 11:09 AM

This should have been a much bigger hit.........

**roger** · 09-20-2012, 12:14 PM

It reached #3 on the U.K. "Pop" chart in late 1971 Marv2.

My understanding is that when the FOUR TOPS were on tour in Britain Mike Pinder of THE MOODY BLUES suggested that they should record one of his songs, studio time was booked and the single was rush-released in Britain [[in the U.S. Motown were going with "Macarthur Park"). Following the U.K. success of the tune Motown in the U.S. decided to give it a release a few months later but with only limited success [[#34 R&B and #90 Pop, according to Joel Whitburn/Billboard).

I suppose the combination of Soft-Rock'n'Soul appealed more the British audience than the U.S. one. A Pity really, as I think it is a very powerful performance.

This is the version by THE MOODY BLUES ..

Roger

**marv2** · 09-20-2012, 03:56 PM

Well I guess it was a hit! Thanks Roger.

stopinthenameoflove · 09-20-2012, 04:54 PM

Wasn't 'So Deep Within You' recorded at the same session?

**marv2** · 09-20-2012, 06:48 PM

I really wished they were recording songs like this today. Songs with a deep meaning, inspirational. Oh well......

**bankhousedave** · 09-21-2012, 11:39 AM

The Tops version was arranged by the great Art Greenslade, responsible for the Immediate roster under Andrew Oldham, including Chris Farlowe [[Out of Time, etc) and Pat Arnold [[The First Cut is the Deepest). Art's son, Dave, led a successful band in the 70s.

**BayouMotownMan** · 09-21-2012, 12:47 PM

I love this song, but at the time of its issue Motown was negotiating with the Tops for renewal and not happy that the group was entertaining another label. Also, it was a non-Motown production which meant royalties belonged outside the company...another no-no for a Motown artist. The Supremes suffered the same fate around this same time with a Jimmy Webb-produced album

**rovereab** · 09-21-2012, 02:08 PM

Which country was the video of the song from please?

**Jimi LaLumia** · 09-21-2012, 02:23 PM

The Supremes did an entire album of Rodgers & Hart which went to #20 Pop and #3 on the R&B chart[[and Lady Sings The Blues double album was certainly not Motown catalog)..The Four Tops had big hits with "If I were a Carpenter", "Walk Away Renee", and Stevie Wonder hit with "We Can Work It Out" by The Beatles, so I think something else was going on during this period..

**carole cucumber** · 09-21-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jimi LaLumia

The Supremes did an entire album of Rodgers & Hart which went to #20 Pop and #3 on the R&B chart[[and Lady Sings The Blues double album was certainly not Motown catalog)..The Four Tops had big hits with "If I were a Carpenter", "Walk Away Renee", and Stevie Wonder hit with "We Can Work It Out" by The Beatles, so I think something else was going on during this period..

Something else may have ALSO been going on, but BayouMotownMan's point is valid.
Tony Clarke produced "A Simple Game" and Jimmy Webb "The Supremes" M- 756L.

Berry Gordy & Gil Askey produced 'The Supremes Sing Rogers & Hart" and Gil Askey "Lady Sings The Blues" double lp.
Charles Koppelman & Don Rubin did not produce "If I Were A Carpenter" and Harry Lookofsky, Steve & Bill Jerome did not produce "Walk Away Renee" for the Four Tops. Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier did.
Nor did George Martin produce Stevie Wonder's version of "We Can Work It Out" Stevie Wonder did.

**Jimi LaLumia** · 09-21-2012, 04:54 PM

Gordy's/Motown's key interest was publishing, the royalties that go with song writing,keeping the money for Motown compositions, paying out royalties to non Motown compositions..
who the producer was is the least of it in Gordy ville, which is all about publishing $$$$

**BayouMotownMan** · 09-21-2012, 08:32 PM

Thank you for getting my point Carole.

**144man** · 09-22-2012, 02:00 AM

The Tops were always good when covering pop hits. Their version of the Yardbirds' "For Your Love" on ABC is particularly strong.

**BayouMotownMan** · 09-22-2012, 08:34 AM

They usually were quite adept at covers, Last Train To Clarksville, Light My Fire, I'm A Believer, Cherish. But sometimes, not so hot [[Daydream Believer)

**marv2** · 09-22-2012, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by 144man

The Tops were always good when covering pop hits. Their version of the Yardbirds' "For Your Love" on ABC is particularly strong.

My favorite cover the Tops did was "Light My Fire" superb!

**MotownSteve** · 09-22-2012, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by rovereab

Which country was the video of the song from please?

I have this on a DVD and I'm confident the video is from France or England but I'm not sure which. I do know the song was done by the Moody Blues first and I think it was also written by Mike Pinder of that group. In fact, the Moodly Blues are the backing band and provided background vocals and a producer, Tony Clarke

**soulwally** · 09-24-2012, 05:09 PM

Marv, thanks for posting this video, I really, really enjoyed it.

roverab, according to the clip details on youtube, it's a Dutch video from 1972.

stopinthenameoflove, according to the notes in the Four Tops Fourever box set, Simple Game, its flip You Stole My Love, and So Deep Within You [[released as a UK=only single in May 1973), were recorded in London on May 5, 1971.