eMusic Review 0
No description of the Four Tops' 1966 #1 "Reach Out I'll Be There" has come near Greil Marcus's in 1979's Stranded, when he says that Levi Stubbs "sings [it] like he's calling to a buddy in a firefight." There are few vocals to match it anywhere — compassionate, commanding, utterly felt yet obviously a performance too. Pretty much everyone else who ever touched it has made a fool of themselves, yet who could resist? The one person who got away clean is Michael Jackson, four years later, when he threw out a "Just look over your shoulder, honey" in tribute to the big man. More mortal talents aren't so lucky.
The Four Tops were in some ways Motown's most formula-bound act. They hit big in 1964 with "Baby I Need Your Loving," a lovely plea, before redefining themselves the following year with the lithe, insistent stomp of "I Can't Help Myself," the most jingle-friendly Motown hit ever. Holland-Dozier-Holland, who were behind all the group's hits through early 1968, needed a follow-up and proceeded to write the greatest blatant retread in pop history with "It's the Same Old Song." It was, almost to the letter — and somehow everything about it… read more »
