"Anthology: 50th Anniversary" by FOUR TOPS - Single and Album Tracks from July 1964 to August 1988 (Three Unreleased) on Motown, Dunhill, Probe, ABC, Casablanca, RSO, Geffen and Arista Records featuring Levi Stubbs, Renaldo 'Obie' Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul 'Duke' Fakir with Songs by Smokey Robinson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Bristol, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and many more (January 2004 US Hip-O Records/Motown/Universal 2CD Compilation of Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00016MSYE&asins=B00016MSYE&linkId=341b66048371f0a5575cbad6be386512&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
 

"...In A Different World..."

 

Blessed with proper access to the extensive Motown Tape Library, Universal's imprint Hip-O Select (or Hip-O Records as they were initially known) began punching out CD compilations that sent most serious collectors into raptures. 

 

Even if they were expensive for catalogue material from the Fifties and Sixties - the presentation was (mostly) classy and sometimes wildly inventive, the notation cool and from proper sources, they usually contained unreleased - in short - the whole shebang collector-wise. But it was the AUDIO that blew you away (and still does). Really great and vastly experienced Remaster Engineers like Erick Labson (Chess and Cadet), Ellen Fitton (Motown Singles Books Series) and that other genius - SUHA GUR. I actively search down his transfers, because they inevitably amaze. 

 

And it's no different with Motown's FOUR TOPS (Suha did the work on this) - four young men from Detroit's North End that were in other groups, but sang together on a dare at a party in 1954. After that, the chemistry went on to a signing with Berry Gordy's Tamla and Motown Records and 2004 found them still an official item - 50-years down the line. In fact, as I write this review in the tailend of January 2023 - next year (2024) will be an astonishing 70-years for THE FOUR TOPS. 

 

And although they're effectively a yesteryear act now and perhaps in the shadow of the more popular Temptations, Four Tops produced gems and masterpieces and this is the twofer place to find them. To the still waters and shadows of love...

 

US released 13 January 2004 - "Anthology: 50th Anniversary" by FOUR TOPS on Hip-O Records/Motown/Universal B0000488-02 (Barcode 044003961722) is a 48-Track 2CD Compilation of Motown, Dunhill, Probe (UK), ABC Records, Casablanca, RSO, Geffen and Arista Records Tracks from July 1964 to August 1988 with New Remasters from Original Tapes. It plays out as follows:

CD1 (78:47 minutes):

1. Baby I Need Your Loving (July 1964 US 45-single, Motown 1062)

2. Without The One You Love (Life's Not Worth Living) (November 1964 US 45-single, Motown 1069)

3. Ask The Lonely (January 1965 US 45-single, Motown 1073)

4. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) (April 1965 US 45-single, Motown 1076)

5. It's The Same Old Song (July 1965 US 45-single, Motown 1081)

6. Something About You (October 1965 US 45-single, Motown 1084)

7. Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over) (February 1966, Motown 1090)

8. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever (May 1966, Motown 1096)

9. Reach Out I'll Be There (August 1966, Motown 660)

10. Standing In The Shadow Of Love (November 1966, Motown 1102)

11. Bernadette (February 1967, Motown 1104, A-side)

12. I Got A Feeling (B-side of "Bernadette" and August 1966 US LP "Four Tops On Top", Motown 647)

13. 7-Rooms Of Gloom (May 1967, Motown 1110, A-side)

14. I'll Turn To Stone (B-side of "7-Rooms Of Gloom")

15. You Keep Running Away (August 1967, Motown 1113)

16. Walk Away Renee (originally January 1968 US-45, Motown 1119 - this is a Previously Unreleased Alternate Mix)

17. If I Were A Carpenter (April 1968, Motown 1124)

18. Yesterday's Dreams (June 1968, Motown 1127)

19. I'm In A Different World (September 1968, Motown 1132)

20. What Is A Man (April 1969, Motown 1147)

21. Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me (June 1969, Motown 675, reissued Nov 1969, Motown 1159 - this is a Previously Unreleased Extended Stereo Single Mix)

22. It's All In The Game (March 1970, Motown 1164)

23. Still Water (Love) (August 1970, Motown 1170)

24. River Deep - Mountain High - THE SUPREMES and FOUR TOPS (November 1970, Motown 1173 - Previously Unreleased Stereo Single Edit)

25. Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life) (December 1970, Motown 1175)

26. In These Changing Times (May 1971, Motown 1185)

27. MacArthur Park (Part II) (August 1971, Motown 1189)

NOTES: 

Tracks 16, 21 and 24 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED versions

CD2 (79:27 minutes):

1. A Simple Game (UK Single Mix) (September 1971 UK-45, Tamla Motown TMG 785)

2. I Can't Quit Your Love (April 1972 US-45, Motown 1198)

3. (It's The Way) Nature Planned It (August 1972, Motown 1210)

4. Keeper Of The Castle (October 1972, Dunhill 4330)

5. Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got) (January 1973, Dunhill 4339)

6. Are You Man Enough (May 1973, Dunhill 4354, also on the Original Soundtrack Album "Shaft In Africa" and their album "Main Street")

7. Sweet Understanding Love (August 1973, Dunhill 4366) 

8. I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind (January 1974, Dunhill 4377)

9. One Chain Don't Make No Prison (March 1974, Dunhill 4386)

10. Midnight Flower (June 1974, Dunhill 15005)

11. Seven Lonely Nights (April 1975, ABC 12096)

12. We All Gotta Stick Together (August 1975, ABC 12123)

13. Catfish (August 1976 on ABC 12214; then September 1976 on ABC 12223)

14. H.E.L.P. (October 1978, ABC 12427)

15. When She Was My Girl (July 1981, Casablanca 2338)

16. Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over (January 1982, Casablanca 2345)

17. I Believe In You And Me (July 1982, Casablanca 2353, B-side of "Sad Hearts")

18. Back To School Again (May 1982, RSO 1069)

19. I Just Can't Walk Away (September 1983, Motown 1706)

20. Mean Green Mother From Outer Space - LEVI STUBBS and Chorus (from the November 1986 US Original Soundtrack LP "Little Shop Of Horrors" on Geffen 24125)

21. Indestructible (7-Inch Extended Single) (August 1988 US 12"-Single on Arista AD1-9705-B)

The chunky card digipak looks and feels substantial with new liner notes from Motown affcianado STU HACKEL which is followed by detailed track-by-track credits (28-pages in total). In-between are period photos (mostly 60ts and 70ts) and the usual reissue credits at the rear. But the big news is SUHA GUR Remasters which are fantastic. They even manage three Previously Unreleased on CD1 and some rarities on Cd2. Nice done - to the chunes... 

 

As you play the CD1 openers "Baby I Need Your Loving" or "Ask The Lonely" - you feel the sheer class of the group and are absolutely whomped by that big booming Motown sound courtesy of The Funk Brothers (Motown's inhouse band) - gorgeous transfers that accentuate Levi Stubbs and his fabulous deep tenor vocals. And while radio-friendly hogs will immediately reach for the big chart hits like "It's The Same Old Song", "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Bernadette" and the wonderful melodrama (and much confusion) of "Reach Out I'll Be There" - Northern Soul dancers will plumb for those lesser played feet-shuffler sides like "Something About You", the stomping "Shake Me, Wake Me..." and "I Got A Feeling" (a B-side that's been included on this compilation for just that purpose).

Many will have forgotten the loveliness of some of these recordings - "Yesterday's Dreams" (an Ivy Jo Hunter co-write) from the September 1968 album of the same name or the lonely-day Holland-Dozier-Holland bopper "I'm In A Different World" produced by H-D-H and R. Dean Taylor. "Walk Away Renee" is filled with the same sweet vibes (presented here as a Previously Unreleased Alternate Mix), although their valiant attempt at Tim Hardin's socially conscious "If I Were A Carpenter" stills feels uncomfortable to me. They try again with being on the America-in-Turmoil ball with the Johnny Bristol searching song "What Is A Man" - brothers being sent off to fight for their country while Universities would casually turn a blind eye to their enrolment applications. And again the ballad swoon and beauty returns with "It's All In The Game" - a track from the "Still Waters Run Deep" album of March 1970 that Motown plucked out as a single. Here it's Stereo impact is gorgeous - heart flying away.

The first and only rarity on CD1 comes in the shape of "Don't Take Him Take Your Love From Me" - A Stereo Single Mix that's Extended. Penned by that dynamic duo Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong - Levi goes for broke with the vocals as the Funk Brothers groove with brass and backing singers (2:56 minutes). Good, but so much better is the stunning audio on "Still Water (Love)" - another 1970 cut from the "Still Waters Run Deep" LP - a lovely Frank Wilson and Smokey Robinson co-write.

CD1 comes to an end with a string of their first forays into the new decade - the Seventies - the Pamela Swayer penned "Just Seven Numbers..." and co-penned with Frank Wilson "In These Changing Times..." being highlights. 

CD2 opens with the exclusive mix given to the British 45 for "A Simple Game" - Tamla Motown TMG 785 from September 1971 - a song penned by Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues (the US 45 on Motown 1196 had an alternate mix). The wah-wah guitars/strings Funk Sound of the Seventies makes itself known on "I Can't Quit Your Love" - a cut from the April 1972 LP "Nature Planned It" that some club dancers enjoy. Better for me is the Frank Wilson penned smoocher "(It's The Way) Nature Planned It" - a very 'Just My Imagination' groove that gave them a No. 8 hit on the US Billboard R&B singles charts. Levi shows he still has it in the pleading love song stakes with the lovely "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)" - a big hit for them when The Stylistics, Chi-Lites and The Spinners were all mining the same territory. 

Still cool is "Are You Man Enough" where someone is trying to steal with your right to choose - a hit on two albums "Shaft In Africa" and their own "Main Street". The syrup starts to grate a tad by the time we get to "I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" - better is the funkier Dennis Lambert song "One Chain Don't Make No Prison" from 1974 which Santana would cover and make a single off on their 1978 Columbia album "Inner Secrets". And on it goes to Levi Stubbs waxing lyrical about aliens in a dentist's office.

It isn't all magic for sure, but the sound is toppermost and those deep dive discoveries are way cool. This is the one you need...all night long...