Amerykański kwartet wokalny. Zadebiutował w 1954 r. na prywatce w Detroit w składzie:
(właśc. Levi Stubbles, ur. 6.06.1936 r. w Detroit w stanie Michigan, USA),
(ur. 1937 r. w Detroit),
(ur. 1938 r. w Detroit) i
(ur. 26.12.1935 r. w Detroit).
kontynuowali występy w miejscowych nocnych lokalach, wykonując jazzowe i popularne standardy.
W 1967 r. The Four Tops rozszerzyli repertuar o soulowe interpretacje popularnych przebojów "Walk Away Renee" grupy Left Banke i "If I Were A Carpenter" Tima Hardina.
Odejście spółki autorskiej Holland-Dozier-Holland z Motown spowodowało
regres w działalności zespołu. Powrót do łask słuchaczy nastąpił dopiero
w 1970 r. nagraniami starego przeboju Tommy'ego Edwardsa "It's All In The Game" i poruszającej tematykę społeczną ballady "Still Water (Love)".
W tym samym roku The Four Tops nagrali pierwszy z trzech wykonywanych wspólnie z The Supremes albumów - The Magnificent 7.
W 1971 r. przypomnieli kolejny stary przebój - "MacArthur Park" Richarda Harrisa, a kompozycja Renaldo Bensona "What's Going On" odniosła singlowy sukces w wykonaniu Marvina Gaye'a. Mimo to, po współpracy z The Moody Blues w realizacji piosenki "A Simple Game", The Four Tops postanowili w 1972 r. opuścić wytwórnię Motown, kiedy jej centrum przeniesiono z Detroit do Kalifornii.
W 1983 r. w telewizyjnym programie z okazji dwudziestopięciolecia
wytwórni Motown The Four Tops stoczyli fascynujący pojedynek na stare
przeboje z grupą The Temptations. Dla dawnej firmy nagrali album pod wymownym tytułem Back Where I Belong, wypełniony na jednej stronie kompozycjami Hollandów i Doziera.
Rynkowe niepowodzenie płyty w połączeniu ze sporami o muzyczny kierunek,
w jakim powinni zmierzać, doprowadziły do kolejnego zerwania kontraktu z
Motown i przejścia do wytwórni Arista.
Dwa pierwsze nagrane tam single: "Indestructible" i "Loco In Acapulco" (drugi ze ścieżki dźwiękowej z filmu "Buster") odniosły w 1988 r. błyskawiczny sukces.
The Four Tops, śpiewający od powstania w niezmienionym składzie, dzięki
profesjonalnym tanecznym i wokalnym umiejętnościom pozostają od połowy
lat sześćdziesiątych do dziś scenicznymi ulubieńcami zwłaszcza w Anglii i
na kontynencie europejskim, gdzie zawsze przyjmowano ich z większą, niż
w ojczyźnie, estymą.
Single
|
| Tytuł |
Wykonawca | Data wydania |
UK |
US |
Wytwórnia
[UK/US] |
Komentarz |
| Baby i need your loving/Without The One You Love (Life's Not Worthwhile) | Four Tops | 08.1964 | - | 11[12] | Stateside SS 336/Motown 1062 | [Written by: Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier][4[14].R&B Chart] |
| Without the one you love [Life's not worth while]/Love has gone | Four Tops | 11.1964 | - | 43[5] | Stateside SS 371/Motown 1069 | [Written by: Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland][17[6].R&B Chart] |
| Ask the lonely/I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) | Four Tops | 02.1965 | - | 24[8] | Tamla Motown TMG 507/Motown 1073 | [9[11].R&B; Chart][Written by: W. Stevenson-I. Hunter][Produced by: W. Stevenson-I. Hunter] |
| I can' t help myself/Sad souvenirs side B in UK:Ask the lonely | Four Tops | 05.1965 | 23[9] | 1[2][14] | Tamla Motown TMG 515/Motown 1076 | [1[9][18].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| It' s the same old song/Your love is amazing side B in UK: Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever | Four Tops | 07.1965 | 34[8] | 5[9] | Tamla Motown TMG 528/Motown 1081 | [2[13].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| Ain' t that love/Lonely summer | Four Tops | 07.1965 | - | 93[1] | -/Columbia 43 356 | [Written by: Levi Stubbs ] |
| Something about you/Darling,I hum our song | Four Tops | 11.1965 | - | 19[7] | Tamla Motown TMG 542/Motown 1084 | [9[10].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| Shake me,wake me [When it' s over]/Just as long as you needed me | Four Tops | 02.1966 | - | 18[9] | Tamla Motown TMG 553/Motown 1090 | [Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][5[9].R&B; Chart] |
| Loving you is sweeter than ever/ I Like Everything About You | Four Tops | 05.1966 | 21[12] | 45[8] | Tamla Motown TMG 568/Motown 1096 | [12[7].R&B; Chart][Written by: I. Hunter-S. Wonder][Produced by: Ivy Hunter] |
| Reach out i' ll be there/Until you love someone side B in UK: Standing in the Shadows of Love | Four Tops | 09.1966 | 1[3][16] | 1[2][15] | Tamla Motown TMG 579/Motown 1098 | [gold-US][1[2][14].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| Standing in the shadows of love/Since you've been gone | Four Tops | 12.1966 | 6[8] | 6[10] | Tamla Motown TMG 589/Motown 1102 | [Written by: Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland ][Produced by: Holland-Dozier][2[12].R&B; Chart] |
| Bernadette/I Got A Feeling | Four Tops | 03.1967 | 8[10] | 4[10] | Tamla Motown TMG 601/Motown 1104 | [Written by: Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier][3[11].R&B; Chart] |
| Seven rooms of gloom/ I'll Turn To Stone | Four Tops | 05.1967 | 12[9] | 14[8] side B:76[5] | Tamla Motown TMG 612/Motown 1110 | [A:10[9].R&B; Chart][B:50[2].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland ][Produced by: Holland-Dozier][side B written:Holland-Dozier-Holland-R. Dean Taylor] |
| You keep running away/If you don't want my love | Four Tops | 09.1967 | 26[7] | 19[8] | Tamla Motown TMG 623/Motown 1113 | [Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: Holland-Dozier][7[10].R&B; Chart] |
| Walk away Renee/Your love is wonderful | Four Tops | 02.1968 | 3[11] | 14[8] | Tamla Motown TMG 634/Motown 1119 | [66 US hit-Left Banke][15[7].R&B; Chart][Written by: Mike Brown/Bob Calilli/Tony Sansone][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| If i were a Carpenter/Wonderful baby | Four Tops | 04.1968 | 7[11] | 20[10] | Tamla Motown TMG 647/Motown 1124 | [17[8].R&B; Chart][66 hit-Bobby Darin][Written by: T. Hardin][Produced by: Holland-Dozier] |
| Yesterday' s dreams/For once in my life side B in UK: In These Changing Times | Four Tops | 07.1968 | 23[15] | 49[6] | Tamla Motown TMG 665/Motown 1127 | [31[6].R&B; Chart][Written by: Vernon Bullock/Jack Goga/Ivy Hunter/Pam Sawyer ][Produced by: Ivy Hunter] |
| I' m in a different world/Remember when | Four Tops | 10.1968 | 27[13] | 51[6] | Tamla Motown TMG 675/Motown 1132 | [23[5].R&B; Chart][Written by: Holland-Dozier-Holland][Produced by: R. Dean Taylor-Holland-Dozier] |
| What is a man ?/Don't Bring Back Memories | Four Tops | 05.1969 | 16[11] | 53[7] | Tamla Motown TMG 698/Motown 1147 | [Written by: Johnny Bristol/Doris McNeil][Produced by: Johnny Bristol] |
| Don' t let him take your love from me/ The Key | Four Tops | 12.1969 | - | 45[7] | -/Motown 1159 | [25.R&B; Chart][Written by:Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield ][Produced by: Norman Whitfield][25[5].R&B; Chart] |
| It' s all in the game/Love [Is the answer] side B in UK:Still Water (Love) | Four Tops | 04.1970 | 5[14] | 24[13] | Tamla Motown TMG 736/Motown 1164 | [58 hit-Tommy Edwards][6[13].R&B; Chart][Written by:Charles Dawes/Carl Sigman][Produced by: Frank Wilson] |
| Still water [love]/Still water [Peace] | Four Tops | 08.1970 | 10[12] | 11[14] | Tamla Motown TMG 752/Motown 1170 | [Written by: Smokey Robinson/Frank Wilson][Produced by: Frank Wilson][4[13].R&B; Chart] |
| River deep,mountain high/Together we can make such sweet music | Four Tops & The Supremes | 11.1970 | - | 14[10] | -/Motown 1173 | [Written by: Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector ][Produced by: Ashford, Simpson][7[9].R&B; Chart] |
| Just seven numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)/ I Wish I Were Your Mirror | Four Tops | 01.1971 | 36[5] | 40[8] | Tamla Motown TMG 770/Motown 1175 | [9[9].R&B; Chart][Written by: P. Sawyer-T. Ware ][Produced by: Frank Wilson] |
| You gotta have love in your heart/I'm glad about me | Four Tops & The Supremes | 06.1971 | - | 55[5] | -/Motown 1181 | [Written by: Dino Fekaris/Nick Zesses][produced by Clay McMurray][41[4].R&B; Chart] |
| In these changing times/Right before my eyes side B in UK:Yesterday's Dreams | Four Tops | 07.1971 | - | 70[4] | -/Motown 1185 | [28[7].R&B; Chart][Written by: P. Sawyer-F. Wilson][Produced by: Frank Wilson] |
| MacArthur Park [Part II]/[Part I] | Four Tops | 09.1971 | - | 38[8] | -/Motown 1189 | [68 hit-Richard Harris][written by Jimmy Webb][Produced by: Frank Wilson][27[7].R&B; Chart] |
| A simple game/L.A. [My town] | Four Tops | 02.1972 | 3[11] | 90[3] | Tamla Motown TMG 785/Motown 1196 | [utwór z repertuaru Moody Blues][Written by: Mike Pinder ][Produced by: Tony Clarke][34[3].R&B; Chart] |
| Bernadette/ I Got A Feeling/It's The Same Old Song | Four Tops | 03.1972 | 23[7] | - | Tamla Motown TMG 803/- | - |
| I Can't Quit Your Love/(It's The Way) Nature Planned It | Four Tops | 05.1972 | - | 102[3] | -/Motown 1198 | [Written by: K. Wakefield-L. Caston][Produced by: Frank Wilson] |
| Walk with me talk with me darling/L.A. (My Town) | Four Tops | 08.1972 | 32[6] | - | Tamla Motown TMG 823/- | [Written by: McMurray, Dean, Glover][Produced by: Frank Wilson] |
| (It's The Way)Nature planned itI'll never change | Four Tops | 09.1972 | - | 53[7] | -/Motown 1210 | [8[9].R&B; Chart][Written by: F. Wilson-P. Sawyer][Produced by: Frank Wilson, Arranged by Jerry Long] |
| Keeper of the castle/Jubilee With Soul | Four Tops | 11.1972 | 18[9] | 10[12] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4330 | [7[13].R&B; Chart][Written by: D. Lambert-B. Potter][Produced by: S. Barri-D. Lambert-B. Potter] |
| Ain' t no woman [Like the one i' ve got]/The Good Lord Knows | Four Tops | 02.1973 | - | 4[15] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4339 | [gold-US]][2[14].R&B; Chart][Written by: D. Lambert-B. Potter][Produced by: S. Barri-D. Lambert-B. Potter] |
| Are you man enough/Peace Of Mind | Four Tops | 06.1973 | - | 15[13] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4354 | [2[13].R&B; Chart][Written by: D. Lambert-B. Potter][Produced by: Steve Barri-Dennis Lambert-Brian Potter][piosenka z filmu "Shaft in Africa"] |
| Sweet understanding love/Main Street people | Four Tops | 10.1973 | 29[10] | 33[9] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4366 | [Written by: Renaldo Benson/Val Benson/Ivy Hunter][Produced by: Steve Barri-Dennis Lambert-Brian Potter][10[13].R&B; Chart] |
| I just can' t get you out of my mind/Am i my brother's keeper | Four Tops | 01.1974 | - | 62[8] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4377 | [Written by: Dennis Lambert/Brian Potter ][Produced by: Steve Barri-Dennis Lambert-Brian Potter][18[14].R&B; Chart] |
| One chain don' t make no prison/Turn on the light of your love side B in UK:Catfish | Four Tops | 05.1974 | - | 41[8] | -/Dunhill/ABC 4386 | [3[15].R&B; Chart][Written by: D. Lambert-B. Potter][Produced by: S. Barri-D. Lambert-B. Potter] |
| Midnight flower/All my love | Four Tops | 08.1974 | - | 55[7] | -/Dunhill/ABC 15 005 [US] | [Written by: Reggie Dozier/McKinley Jackson][Produced by: S. Barri-D. Lambert-B. Potter][5[15].R&B; Chart] |
| Seven lonely nights/I can't hold on much longer | Four Tops | 05.1975 | - | 71[4] | -/ABC 12 096 | [written by J.R. Bailey/Rudy Clark/Ken Williams ][Produced by: Steve Barri, Lawrence Payton, Jr.][13[12].R&B; Chart] |
| We all gotta stick together/[If would almost] Drive me out of my mind | Four Tops | 12.1975 | - | 97[1] | -/ABC 12 123 | [Written by: Richard Beasley/Fred Bridges/Richard Knight/Lawrence Payton][Produced by: Steve Barri, Lawrence Payton, Jr.][17[15].R&B; Chart] |
| Mama you're all right with me/I'm glad you you walked into my life | Four Tops | 01.1976 | - | 107[1] | -/ABC 12 155 | [72[3].R&B; Chart][side B:76[6].R&B; Chart][A:Written by: D. Lambert, B. Potter][B:Written by: Lawrence Payton, L. E. Lee, Gil Askey][Produced by: Steve Barri, Lawrence Payton, Jr.] |
| Catfish/Look at my baby side B in UK: One Chain Don't Make No Prison | Four Tops | 10.1976 | - | 71[6] | -/ABC 12 214 | [7[21].R&B; Chart][Written by: L. Payton-F. Bridges-M. Farrow][Produced by: Lawrence Payton] |
| Feel Free/I Know You Like It | Four Tops | 01.1977 | - | - | -/ABC 12 236 | [29[10].R&B; Chart][Written by: L. Payton, F. Bridges, D. D. MacNeil][Produced by: Lawrence Payton] |
| The Show Must Go On/Runnin' From Your Love | Four Tops | 11.1977 | - | - | -/ABC 12 315 | [84[7].R&B; Chart][Written by: Lawrence Payton, Fred L. Bridges, Lawrence R. Payton][Produced by: Lawrence Payton] |
| H.E.L.P./Inside A Brokenhearted Man | Four Tops | 11.1978 | - | - | -/ABC 12 427 | [38[11].R&B; Chart][Written by: Norman Harris, Ron Tyson][Produced by: Norman Harris, Ron Tyson] |
| When she was my girl/Something to rememeber side B in UK:I Believe In You And Me | Four Tops | 08.1981 | 3[10] | 11[22] | Casablanca CAN 1005/Casablanca 2338 | [1[2][19].R&B; Chart][Written by: M. Blatte-L. Gottleib][Produced by: D. Wolfert] |
| Don' t walk away/ I'll Never Ever Leave Again | Four Tops | 12.1981 | 16[11] | - | Casablanca CAN 1006/- | [Written by: J. Knight][Produced by: D. Wolfert] |
| Let Me Set You Free/From A Distance | Four Tops | 12.1981 | - | - | -/Casablanca NB 2344 | [Written by: David Wolfert, Sandy Linzer][Produced by: D. Wolfert][71[6].R&B; Chart] |
| Tonight i'm gonna love you all over/From A Distance | Four Tops | 03.1982 | 43[4] | - | Casablanca CAN 1008/- | [Written by: Williams, Ferguson][Produced by: David Wolfert, Charles Koppelman][32[10].R&B Chart] |
| Back to the school again/Rock-A-Hula-Luau [Summer is coming] | Four Tops | 05.1982 | 62[2] | 71[7] | -/RSO 1069 | [Written by: Howard Greenfield/Louis St. Louis][Produced by: Louis St. Louis][piosenka z filmu "Grease 2"] |
| Sad hearts/I believe in you and me | Four Tops | 08.1982 | - | 84[3] | -/Casablanca 2353 | [A:Written by: Marc Blatte/Larry Gottlieb][B:Written by: David Wolfert, Sandy Linzer][Produced by: David Wolfert][A:40[8].R&B Chart][B:40[16].R&B Chart] |
| I just can' t walk away/Hang | Four Tops | 10.1983 | - | 71[9] | -/Motown 1706 | [Written by: Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland][Produced by: Holland, Dozier, Holland][36[14].R&B Chart] |
| Reach out i' ll be there [reissue]/Standing In The Shadows Of Love | Four Tops | 07.1988 | 11[9] | - | Tamla Motown ZB 41943/- | |
| Sexy Ways/Body And Soul | Four Tops | 06.1985 | - | - | -/Motown 1790 | [Written by: W. Hutch, V. Johns][Produced by: Willie Hutch][21[14].R&B Chart] |
| Indestructible/Are You With Me | Four Tops And Smokey Robinson | 08.1988 | 55[4] | 35[11] | -/Arista 9706 | [57[8].R&B; Chart][Written by: Harvey Price/Bobby Sandstrom][Produced by: Bobby Sandstrom] |
| If Ever A Love There Was/ Indestructible | Four Tops And Aretha Franklin | 11.1988 | - | - | -/Arista 9766 | [31[11].R&B; Chart][Written by: Oland, Cerney][Produced by: Jerry Knight, Aaron Zigman] |
| Loco in Acapulco/The Four Of Us | Four Tops | 12.1988 | 7[13] | - | Arista UK 111 850/- | [Written by: Phil Collins, Lamont Dozier][Produced by: Phil Collins, Lamont Dozier] |
| Indestructible/Baby I Need Your Loving | Four Tops And Smokey Robinson | 02.1989 | 30[7] | - | Arista 112 151/- | [Written by: Harvey Price/Bobby Sandstrom][Produced by: Bobby Sandstrom] |
|
Albumy
|
| Tytuł |
Wykonawca | Data wydania |
UK |
US |
Wytwórnia
[US] |
Komentarz |
| Four Tops | Four Tops | 01.1965 | - | 63[27] | Motown MS 622 | [produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier] |
| Four Tops second album | Four Tops | 11.1965 | - | 20[35] | Motown MS 634 | [produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Smokey Robinson] |
| Four Tops on top | Four Tops | 08.1966 | 9[23] | 32[22] | Motown MS 647 | [produced by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, Smokey Robinson] |
| Live ! | Four Tops | 11.1966 | 4[72] | 17[43] | Motown MS 654 | |
| Four Tops on Broadway | Four Tops | 01.1967 | - | 79[15] | Motown MS 657 | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| Four Tops Reach Out | Four Tops | 07.1967 | 4[34] | 11[59] | Motown MS 660 | [silver-UK][produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Smokey Robinson, Clarence Paul] |
| Greatest hits | Four Tops | 09.1967 | 1[1][67] | 4[73] | Motown MS 662 | [gold-US] |
| Yesterday' s dreams | Four Tops | 09.1968 | 37[1] | 91[16] | Motown MS 669 | [produced by Ivy Jo Hunter, Ashford & Simpson, Frank Wilson] |
| Four Tops now | Four Tops | 07.1969 | - | 74[10] | Motown MS 675 | |
| Soul spin | Four Tops | 11.1969 | - | 163[6] | Motown MS 695 | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| Still waters run deep | Four Tops | 03.1970 | 29[8] | 21[42] | Motown MS 704 | [produced by Frank Wilson, Smokey Robinson] |
| The magnificent 7 | Four Tops & Supremes | 09.1970 | 6[11] | 113[16] | Motown MS 717 | [produced by Frank Wilson, Duke Browner, Clay McMurray, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson] |
| Changing times | Four Tops | 08.1970 | - | 109[12] | Motown MS 721 | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| The return of magnificent 7 | Four Tops & Supremes | 06.1971 | - | 154[6] | Motown MS 736 | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| Greatest hits.Vol.2 | Four Tops | 09.1971 | 25[10] | 106[10] | Motown M-740 L | |
| Dynamite | Supremes & Four Tops | 12.1971 | - | 160[6] | Motown M-745L | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| Nature planned it | Four Tops | 04.1972 | - | 50[28] | Motown M-748L | [produced by Frank Wilson] |
| Keeper on the castle | Four Tops | 11.1972 | - | 33[31] | Dunhill DSX 50 129 | [produced by Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter] |
| Best of the Four Tops | Four Tops | 04.1973 | - | 103[9] | Motown M-764 D | |
| The Four Tops story 1964-72 | Four Tops | 11.1973 | 35[5] | - | Tamla Motown 11 241/2 [UK] | |
| Main street people | Four Tops | 09.1973 | - | 66[14] | Dunhill DSX 50 144 | [produced by Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter] |
| Meeting of the minds | Four Tops | 04.1974 | - | 118[11] | Dunhill DSX 50 166 | [produced by Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter] |
| Live and in concert | Four Tops | 10.1974 | - | 92[9] | Dunhill DSX 50 188 | |
| Night lights harmony | Four Tops | 06.1975 | - | 148[5] | ABC 862 | [produced by Lawrence Payton, Jr., Steve Barri] |
| Catfish | Four Tops | 11.1976 | - | 124[8] | ABC 968 | [produced by Lawrence Payton, Jr.] |
| Tonight! | Four Tops | 09.1981 | - | 37[21] | Casablanca 7258 | [produced by David Wolfert] |
| The best of Four Tops | Four Tops | 02.1982 | 13[13] | - | K-Tel NE 1160 [UK] | |
| Magic | Four Tops | 06.1985 | - | 140[9] | Motown 6130 | [produced by Benny Medina, Hal Davis, Johnny Bristol, Kerry Ashby, Reggie Lucas , Willie Hutch] |
| Indestructible | Four Tops | 09.1988 | - | 149[7] | Arista 8492 | |
| Their greatest hits | Four Tops | 12.1990 | 47[6] | - | Telstar STAR 2437 [UK] | |
| The Singles Collection | Four Tops | 09.1992 | 11[5] | - | Telstar STAR 2437 [UK] | |