Four Tops | “MacArthur Park” | (Tamla Motown)

Taken from the LP ‘The Fabulous Four Tops’ | (Tamla Motown TMS 3502) 1982

THE FOUR TOPS were originally a jazz vocal group called The Four Aims, consisting of Levi Stubbs Jnr (lead singer), Renaldo ‘Obie’ Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir.

Since their formation in Detroit in 1954 they have remained together to this day. Their early performances were at church socials and school functions. Following this modest beginning they released several recordings for different record companies but had no successful discs, until signing to the Motown label some years later.

Their style of jazz was changed to soul, ‘Baby I Need Your Loving’ was released – an immediate million-seller. This started a run of nearly thirty chart entries in a space of eight years – the prolific songwriting team of Holland, Dozier and Holland producing and writing for them.

Topped the charts

They topped the American charts in 1965 with “I Can’t Help Myself” and made number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic a year later with “Reach Out I’ll Be There”. During this time The Four Tops embarked on the first of many visits to Britain.

In 1967 they lost the services of Holland, Dozier and Holland, although they continued to have worldwide hits with “Walk Away Renee”, “Do What You Gotta Do” and “It’s All In the Game” and “Keeper Of The Castle”.

With The Four Tops musical interpretation they always manage to put their own particular personality over. This gives each song they perform an individual and easily recognised stamp.

Sample here “MacArthur Park” – a hit for Richard Harris and Donna Summer, and Bobby Goldboro‘s “Little Green Apples” plus many more. (liners)