50th Anniversary Anthology (Dig) [Original recording remastered]

The Four Tops | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 13, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Hip-O Records
• ASIN: B00016MSYE
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,322 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #50 in Music > R&B > Classic R&B
  • #80 in Music > R&B > Motown

Track Listings

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

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. A Simple Game [U.K. Single Mix]

2. I Can't Quit Your Love

3. (It's the Way) Nature Planned It

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

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

The Four Tops' musical passion captures your ear. Their overflowing joy catches your eye. Their four souls touch yours and you succumb. You smile broadly, sing along, sway your hips and arms from side to side, and you dance that "Four Tops boogaloo" forever. It's been 50 years since Renaldo (Obie) Benson, Abdul (Duke) Fakir, Lawrence Payton and Levi Stubbs first sang together at a weekend party in Detroit's North End in 1954. The party's host asked the four, each from a different group, to sing for the gathering. They liked the results and decided to make things permanent.

* 50 Years Of Hits and Counting.
* Two Career-Spanning CDs Featuring I CAN'T HELP MYSELF, REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE, BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING, WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL, AIN'T NO WOMAN and Many More.
* Newly Remastered, Great-Sounding Mixes, New Essay and Photos from the Archives!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All The Hits and a Few Wonderful Surprises, February 24, 2004

By 

James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 50th Anniversary Anthology (Dig) (Audio CD)

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Four Tops' formation in 1954, this Anthology compiles all of their significant chart hits over the years, with a couple of nice surprises thrown in. Motown of course is where they recorded the bulk of their hits and that tenure is represented on the first 30 (of 48) recordings. The leadoff track - 1964's "Baby I Need your Loving" - was the Tops' first collaboration with the songwriting-production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. It established a winning formula: lyrics that entail Levi yearning for or proclaiming his love for a girl he has lost or can't have; pulsating music cut in a (high) key out of Stubbs' regular vocal range, the subsequent strain causing his pleas to sound even more dramatic; background vocals with a full, almost Spectorian resonance, thanks to the addition of Motown's resident session singers, the Andantes.

After a mediocre "Baby I Need Your Loving" soundalike "Without The One You Love" stiffed, the Tops rebounded in 1965 with the majestic ballad "Ask The Lonely," their first number one smash "I Can't Help Myself" and "It's The Same Old Song" (and truly the latter was, a melodic retread of "I Can't Help Myself"). The Tops reached their commercial peak in late 1966 to early 1967 with some of the most exciting recordings they ever cut: "Reach Out ("I'll Be There)," "Standing In The Shadows Of Love," "Bernadette," and "Seven Rooms Of Gloom." In late 1967, however, Holland-Dozier-Holland abruptly left Motown in a dispute over financial compensation. This prompted the label to release year-old remakes of "Walk Away Renee" and "If I Were A Carpenter" as follow-up Tops' singles. They are proof that the Tops could make a hit out of practically anything.

In 1968 and 1969, other Motown writer-producers like Ivy Jo Hunter, Johnny Bristol, and Norman Whitfield attempted to fill the void left by Holland-Dozier-Holland's exit. None of their work with the Tops, however, penetrated the pop or r & b top 20 (although the ponderous "What Is A Man" ranks with their best recordings). In 1970, Frank Wilson took over as the Tops' producer for the landmark Still Waters concept album. Wilson ditched the Andantes from the background and put more emphasis on the Tops harmonies. As evidenced by the hits "It's All In the Game" and "Still Water (Love)," the Tops had risen to new melodic heights. They were followed by more of Frank Wilson's well-crafted singles like "In These Changing Times" and "(It's The Way) Nature Planned It" as well as the stunning "A Simple Game," a one-off collaboration with the Moody Blues.

Unfortunately these 1971-1972 singles received little promotional support from Motown and struggled on the charts. Frustrated, the Tops left the label in late 1972 and signed with ABC subsidiary Dunhill Records. At Dunhill, they immediately hit with the urban message song "Keeper Of The Castle," the Shaft in Africa theme "Are You Man Enough," and the multi-format symphonic smash "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)." With the countrified "Sweet Understand Love" and their funkiest recording ever "One Chain Don't Make No Prison," the Tops maintained the high quality through 1974, but their 1975-1976 r & b hits (including the disco "Catfish," the reggae in molasses "Midnight Flower") were duds. This period concludes with the Tops' dance smash "H.E.L.P." which is finally making its cd debut (pleasant surprise number one).

In 1981 the Tops signed with Casablanca, where they released two of their strongest albums ever. They are represented here by the retro smash "When She Was My Girl," its amorous follow-up "Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over," the wedding staple "I Believe In You And Me" (Levi's performance buries Whitney Houston's hit version), and the Grease II theme "Back To School Again" (the only redeeming component of that film). Bringing this retrospective to a close are "I Just Can't Walk Away" a stirring ballad from their shortlived return to Motown in 1983, and "Indestructible," their final top 40 entry from their lone 1988 Arista album, plus Levi Stubbs' wondrous contribution to the Little Shop Of Horrors film, "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" (pleasant surprise number two). The Tops also recorded many great album tracks over the years (most of which can be found on their box set FOUREVER). But if you only want the hits - all of them - this double-disc collection is the set to get.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Setting the gold standard for all future anthologies, December 31, 2004

By 

Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 50th Anniversary Anthology (Dig) (Audio CD)

It appears to be unanimous! All 10 of the reviews (make that 11) for Hip-O's "Four Tops 50th Anniversary Anthology" rate this incredible collection 5 stars. And why not? Hip-O has done just about everything right in putting together the history of this talented and venerable group. In this day and age serious collectors should demand nothing less from the record companies.

Suffice to say you will find nearly every single one of their great Motown sides on Disc One. And while just about everybody loves the big ones like "Reach Out, I'll Be There", "Baby I Need Your Loving", "It's The Same Old Song" and of course "I Can't Help Myself" there's a lot to be said for some of the lesser hits like "Something About You" and most especially "A Simple Game". That tune was originally written and recorded by of all people the Moody Blues. U.S. audiences largely ignored the Four Tops version but the Brits loved it and pushed it all the way up to number 3 on the U.K. charts. It is a tremendous record.

The Four Tops left the safe haven of Motown records in 1972 when the label moved its operations to the West Coast. They signed on with ABC/Dunhill and immediately went to work with new producers Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. Within just a few short months the Four Tops found themselves back in the Top Ten with "Keeper of the Castle" followed by one of their biggest hits of all-time "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I Got). Disc Two features these songs along with all of their other ABC sides. While their work at ABC/Dunhill did not exhibit quite the same drive and energy that could be found in their early Motown efforts, the ABC singles were for the most part excellent pop tunes. But unfortunately the general public had moved on to new and different sounds and many of those ABC singles stalled in the middle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Disc Two also includes a pair of hits from the 1980's. "When She Was My Girl" made it all the way to #11 in the summer of 1981. And you may recall their final chart hit, 1988's "Indestructible" which NBC featured during its coverage of the Summer Olympics that year.

As I indicated above "The Four Tops: 50th Anniversary Anthology" 2 CD set just might be the finest anthology I own. Hip-O has certainly raised the bar and from this day forward I will expect more from the major record companies. The remastering is top rate and the 28 page booklet is absolutely among the best I have come across. Very highly recommended.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Four Tops Collection Available, October 23, 2004

By 

Jerry Grigsby (cincinnati) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 50th Anniversary Anthology (Dig) (Audio CD)

Of all the Four Tops collections on the market today, this is superior by far. It covers their entire career, spanning 3 different record companies, and contains every hit and some great rarities. What impressed me most about this set is the Shua Gur remastering job. The songs sound far better than on any of the other collections. I highly recommend this set over all the others.