The Four Tops - Anthology: 50th Anniversary

Artist:

Four Tops (The)

UPC:

044003961722

See Also:

Brown, James Wilson, Jackie

Description:

The Four Tops: Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Lawrence Payton, Levi Stubbs (vocals).
Additional personnel: The Supremes, The Funk Brothers.
Producers include: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, William Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter, R. Dean Taylor.
Compilation producer: Harry Weinger.
Recorded between 1964 & 1988. Includes liner notes by Stu Hackel.
Not to be confused with the Four Tops compilation simply entitled Anthology (which only covers their Motown recordings), 50th Anniversary Anthology is a double-CD set spanning their first Motown hit in 1964 to the late `80s. Does it include all of the popular numbers that most fans want from a greatest-hits collection? Definitely. Is it as good as Anthology, or slimmer compilations that focus exclusively on their Motown hits from the 1960s and early `70s? No, because there`s way too much dispensable post-mid-`70s stuff on disc two. Still, for those who want an anthology that includes non-Motown hits (particularly their early-`70s Dunhill singles) and are reluctant to splash out for the four-CD Fourever box set, this is the best available alternative. And unquestionably, the first two-thirds or so of this collection is excellent, including all the big Motown hits; plenty of good, less celebrated lower-charting Motown singles, like "I`ll Turn to Stone" (the B-side of "7-Rooms of Gloom"); and their early Dunhill hits, in which they capably imitated Philly soul stars the O`Jays and the Spinners. But the group floundered as the `70s waned, and by the time of the ribald 1976 disco hit "Catfish," they were on the verge of not only losing their personality, but of embarrassing themselves. The proceedings don`t stop there, unfortunately, tacking on a bunch of other small post-1976 hits ("When She Was My Girl" was the only big one), culminating in Levi Stubbs` gruesome contribution to the Little Shop of Horrors, "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space." It was a long way from "Baby I Need Your Loving," though luckily it`s the classic stuff that dominates the program. ~ Richie Unterberger

Track Listing:

DISC 1:

1. Baby I Need Your Loving
2. Without the One You Love (Life`s Not Worthwhile)
3. Ask the Lonely
4. I Can`t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
5. It`s the Same Old Song
6. Something About You
7. Shake Me, Wake Me (When It`s Over)
8. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
9. Reach Out I`ll Be There
10. Standing in the Shadows of Love
11. Bernadette
12. I Got a Feeling
13. 7 Rooms of Gloom
14. I`ll Turn to Stone
15. You Keep Running Away
16. Walk Away Renee - (alternate mix, previously unreleased)
17. If I Were a Carpenter
18. Yesterday`s Dreams
19. I`m in a Different World
20. What Is a Man
21. Don`t Let Him Take Your Love From Me - (stereo single mix)
22. It`s All in the Game
23. Still Water
24. River Deep, Mountain High
25. Just Seven Numbers (Can`t Straighten Out My Life)
26. In These Changing Times
27. MacArthur Park - (Part II)

DISC 2:

1. Simple Game, A
2. I Can`t Quit Your Love
3. Nature Planned It (It`s the Way)
4. Keeper of the Castle
5. Ain`t No Woman (Like the One I`ve Got)
6. Are You Man Enough
7. Sweet Understanding Love
8. I Just Can`t Get You Out of My Mind
9. One Chain Don`t Make No Prison
10. Midnight Flower
11. Seven Lonely Nights
12. We All Gotta Stick Together
13. Catfish
14. H.E.L.P.
15. When She Was My Girl
16. Tonight I`m Gonna Love You All Over
17. I Believe in You and Me
18. Back to School Again
19. I Just Can`t Walk Away
20. Mean Green Mother From Outerspace
21. Indestructable - (7-inch extended single)

Album Information

Release Date:

01/13/2004

Type:

Performer

Genre:

R&B

Subgenre:

Motown

Label:

Hip-O

Catalog Number:

0000488

Original Release Year:

2004

# of Discs:

2

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Guest Artist:

The Funk Brothers; The Supremes

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