| The Ultimate Collection | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Four Tops
Label: Motown
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $7.74
You Save: $6.24 (45%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $7.74
Avg. Customer Rating:   (41 reviews)
Sales Rank: 1262
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 530825
UPC: 731453082526
EAN: 0731453082526
ASIN: B000001ANV
Release Date: October 7, 1997
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Customer Reviews:
 A Volume Two Needed September 1, 2007
A search in Music under the heading Ultimate Collection will garner you thousands of hits, and even searching in Album Title will result in quite a few, ranging from Benny Hill and George Formby to 10cc and The Who, and just about everyone in between. Even Motown uses Ultimate Collection on a number of their CDs, but the best of the lot where they are concerned is this series, each with 25 tracks and similar cover art by David Irvin, and involving Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha (Reeves) & The Vandellas, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Mary Wells.
From 1964 to 1988 The Four Tops put 52 selections onto the Billboard R&B charts, had 29 cross over to the Billboard Pop Hot 100, and another seven register on the Adult Contemporary charts. In this collection you get 22 of those hits plus the B-sides Sad Souvenirs [b/o I Can't Help Myself], I Got A Feeling [b/o Bernadette], and If You Don't Want My Love [b/o You Keep Running Away].
Unless there's to be a volume 2, like another reviewer I too would have preferred to see the inclusion of If I Were A Carpenter [# 17 R&B/# 20 Hot 100 in 1968], Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me [# 25 R&B/# 45 Hot 100 in 1969], and Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life], which hit # 9 R&B/# 40 Hot 100 in early 1971, as opposed to those B-sides.
If there is to be a volume 2 hopefully they will include those along with the following: River Deep-Mountain High [# 7 R&B/# 14 Hot 100 in 1970 with The Supremes]; You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart [# 41 R&B/# 55 Hot 100 in 1971, again with The Supremes]; In These Changing Times [# 28 R&B/# 70 Hot 100 in 1971]; MacArthur Park (Part II) [# 27 R&B/# 38 Hot 100 in 1971]; and from 1983 when they returned to Motown [after recording for Dunhill/ABC, ABC, Casablanca, and RSO], I Just Can't Walk Away which made it to # 18 AC/# 36 R&B/# 71 Hot 100 that November.
Two other singles they might wish to include [assuming they can get permission] are Ain't That Love and Indestructible. The former had been recorded originally for Columbia way back in 1960 without success, but re-released by that label in 1965 to take advantage of their rising Motown popularity. It could only manage a # 93 Hot 100 around the same time as It's The Same Old Song was climbing to # 2 R&B/# 5 Hot 100 for Motown. Indestructible was released on Arista in 1988 and reached # 20 Adult Contemporary/# 35 Hot 100, and # 57 R&B, and was used by NBC-TV for the 1988 Summer Olympics.
In the meantime, this is as good as any Four Tops compilations you are ever going to find, including five pages of comprehensive liner notes by Stu Hackel, a NYC-based writer for The Village Voice, New York Times, and Sports Illustrated. There is also a complete discography of the contents and some nice photographs of the group
Ultimate Four Tops May 26, 2007
Another great Motown classic! This includes all of their hits and then some.
Let's Cruise the Boulevard!!! March 12, 2007
Wonderful CD. Probably the greatest Motown groups ever. Great lyrics and expressions of love. My 23 yr old son even liked it. I'm surprised more current day artists havent redone some of these classics. Made me want to go cruise Bellflower Blvd in a 63 Chevy low-rider!!
 Sound quality deserves something better... Good compilation anyway! March 6, 2007
No Soul fan can say he/she has heard the best of Soul, without having this good compilation of Four Tops greatest hits. "Reach Out I'll be There", "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" and other great hits from this excellent vocal group are included.
One of Motowns Best-Ever Groups! May 2, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The Four Tops were formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1953 though they never really struck lucky until they signed to Berry Gordys pioneering all-black record label, Tamla Motown Records, home to many legendary soul acts including Diana Ross, The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves And The Vandellas, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Marvelettes and many, many more.
The Four Tops were just simply a KNOCKOUT! Lead singer Levi Stubbs rocketing vocal delivery was capable of such impressive, immense power and volume and were one of Motowns best male acts during the companys heyday in the swinging sixties.
The Four Tops, like Diana Ross and the Supremes, enjoyed an extensive and dynamic collaboration with the genius songwriting and production trio, Holland-Dozier-Holland. Holland-Dozier-Holland helped put Motown Records on the map by creating and defining that classic Motown sound of the 60's along with the legendary muscian team known as The Funk Brothers. The Four Tops enjoyed a river of classics through the duration of the 1960's with the most magical of these offerings recorded under the guidance of Holland-Dozier-Holland.
I Can't Help Myself, one of The Four Tops signature tunes, contained a hooky melody and lyrics that could appeal to both the spirited and the saccharine. Levi Stubbs inimitable and persuasive voice on this classic is just pure SOUL! I Can't Help Myself shot up the charts landing at No.1.
The follow up to I Can't Help Myself, the appropriately titled It's The Same Old Song admitedly lacked the initial immediacy of that track but still holds its own individual merits and became another classic to their credit.
In 1966 The Four Tops literally exploded onto the charts with the far more adventurous and highly ambitious Reach Out I'll Be There. Reach Out I'll Be There was haunting and atmospheric in its tone. Levi Stubbs puts in another phenomenal, breathtaking performance with his grittily earthy, soulful delivery seamlessly surfboarding along the tidal wave of musical arrangements that consists of flutes, oboes and tambourines. It also delivered The Four Tops their first real taste of big chart success in the U.K. In the U.S Reach Out I'll Be There became their second chart topper.
The Four Tops music was always dramatically orchestrated that lands somewhere between soul,r&b and pop. Their staggeringly impressive run of hits continued with the magnificent Standing In The Shadows Of Love where there diverse and unique blend of harmonies gel remarkably well together which adds to its dazzling, magical effect.
Bernadatte was yet another infectious classic with its masterpiece musical production and astounding delivery from Levi Stubbs but there is a far darker and more atmospheric mood on the chilly and haunting 7 Rooms Of Gloom. Stubbs' whips along the verses with utter conviction that's literally spine-tingling across the rollercoaster and stark musical arrangements.
Holland-Dozier-Holland swiftly left Motown Records in early 1968 after a bitter dispute over back royalty payments with Motown boss Berry Gordy (many of Motowns stars subsequently sued the company years later for claims of unpaid record royalties). The Motown sound was slowly dissolving after their departure and was virtually extinct by the early 70's following Motowns headquarters move from downtown Detroit to swinging L.A. As a result The Four Tops chart-action became erratic.
They did still manage to come up with some winners. Their divine, unique cover of The Left Bankes' Walk Away Renee, which is arguably far more effective than the origanal and mereley conveyed Levi Stubbs versatile vocal approach. Walk Away Renee commendably proved that Stubbs' unforgetable voice could be just as effective when working on ballads. Walk Away Renee may have been sombre in its tone though still had a touching quality.
Another excellent ballad from The Four Tops that emerged in the late 60's was another atmospheric number, Still Waters Run. This classic hit was a remarkably exhilirating masterpiece featuring an exuberant performance from Stubbs. Still Waters Run also captures Stubbs' at perharps his smoochiest.
It's All In The Game and If I Were A Carpenter both encapsulate that swinging Motown sound and both are of significant value to this collection. However by the early 70's their once unstoppable momentum was now sadly beginning to wear thin. The Four Tops fled from Motown Records in the early 70s and had a number of record deals that didn't amount to too much and gradually they faded from view (though enjoyed a few minor revivals in the 1980's).
To this day The Four Tops continue to sporadically perform on the customary golden oldies circuit but its their glorious, golden 1960's era for what they will always be remembered for. This compilation titled The Ultimate Collection guides you through these fabulous, ground-breaking classics and capture the group at their prime. The Four Tops - The Ultimate Collection is ESSENTIAL to any serious soul music collection!
|
|
|
