FourTops:FourEver

The four started working together quite by accident, in Detroit’s rugged North End of the early 1950s. Nearly every kid on every block was in a singing group. “All the girls liked the singers," Obie says with a laugh. During weekend parties, the turntable stopped and a neighborhood group provided live entertainment. But one night in ‘54, no neighborhood groups showed up. “You guys all sing in different groups,” said the host to four of her guests, “why don’t you all try to sing something for us?” Levi, from the Pershing High track team, chose a tune and sang lead with his gruff voice. The others fell in behind: Obie, the affable one from the Cass Tech basketball team, sang bass. Duke, a sharp dresser and Pershing High hoopster, sang high sweet tenor. Lawrence, a serious music student at Northern High, blended perfectly with his second tenor. Their partnership became official that night, and they called themselves the Four Aims – aiming to be top entertainers. They practiced jazz standards and show tunes to better their chances at longevity. Lawrence, who at 15 was the youngest, displayed a remarkable talent for arranging intricate vocal harmonies like the Four Freshmen, whose clean-cut look and impeccable sound exemplified the group’s goals. No one questioned Lawrence’s role as musical director. The Aims played talent shows and small out-of-town clubs. But Lawrence’s grandmother insisted his older cousin Billy Davis, an aspiring songwriter, had to go along. Davis became the group’s big brother, helping to forge their indispensable unity. “I assigned all of them jobs,” says Davis, who would have a remarkable career himself as a pop music composer and advertising executive. “Someone had to deal with the club owner, someone had to clean the uniforms. That created this togetherness they established. They needed each other to survive.” After singing backgrounds on recordings for the local Chateau Records label, the Four Aims learned they needed a new name: Maurice King, musical director at Detroit’s popular Flame Show Bar, warned they might be confused with the Ames Brothers. They re-christened themselves the Four Tops.

TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE 1956 - 1966
1.Could It Be You ^
2.Ain't That Love ^
3.Pennies From Heaven ^
4.Until I Met You - Alternate Mix *
5.Baby I Need Your Loving - Single Mix
6.Where Did You Go - Single Mix
7.Without The One You Love (Life's Not Worth While) - Single Mix
8.Left With A Broken Heart - Original Lp Mix
9.Ask The Lonely - Alternate Stereo Mix
10.Just A Little Love (Before My Life Is Gone) *
11.My Heart Is Calling You *
12.I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - Alternate Mix*
13.It's The Same Old Song - Alternate Berry Gordy Single Mix
14.Is There Anything That I Can Do - Original Lp Mix
15.Something About You - Single Mix
16.No Good Without You *
17.Just As Long As You Need Me - Single Mix
18.Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over) - Single Mix
19.Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever - Single Mix
20.Brenda - Alternate Lawrence Payton Vocal*
21.For Once In My Life - Single Mix

DISC TWO 1966 - 1969
1.Reach Out I'll Be There - Single Mix
2.Standing In The Shadows Of Love - Single Mix
3.Bernadette - Single Mix
4.7-Rooms Of Gloom - Alternate Mix*
5.I'll Turn To Stone (Live At The Roostertail ) - Original Vocal*
6.You Keep Running Away - Single Mix
7.Walk Away Renee - Single Mix
8.Your Love Is Wonderful - Single Mix ^
9.If I Were A Carpenter - Single Mix
10.Just Another Lonely Night - With The Temptations *
11.Oh, I've Been Blessed - 'Levi & The Vandellas' *
12.Yesterday's Dreams - Single Mix
13.Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind - Single Mix
14.I'm In A Different World - Single Mix
15.What Is A Man - Single Mix
16.So Far *
17.Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me - Single Mix
18.Do What You Gotta Do - Original Lp Mix
19.Macarthur Park - Original Lp Mix
20.I'll Pay Double *
21.Nothing - Original Lp Mix
22.Barbara's Boy - Original Lp Mix
23.Stranded On The Road Of Love - With Edwin Starr *

DISC THREE 1970 - 1973
1.Its All In The Game - Single Mix
2.Love (Is The Answer) - Single Mix
3.Still Water (Peace) / Still Water (Love) - Unedited Version*
4.Ballad To: The One I Love *
5.River Deep - Mountain High - The Supremes & Four Tops - Original Lp 5.Mix
6.I'm Glad About It - The Supremes & Four Tops - Original Lp Mix
7.Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life) - Single Mix
8.In These Changing Times - Single Version
9.A Simple Game - Original Unedited Mix *
10.You Stole My Love - Single Mix ^^
11.So Deep Within You - Single Mix ^^
12.I Can't Quit Your Love - Single Mix
13.(It's The Way) Nature Planned It - Single Mix
14.Keeper Of The Castle - Original Lp Mix
15.Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got) - Original Lp Mix
16.Love Music - Original Lp Mix
17.Remember What I Told You To Forget - Original Lp Mix
18.Are You Man Enough - Soundtrack Version
19.Sweet Understanding Love - Original Lp Mix
20.I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind - Original Lp Mix
21.One Woman Man - Original Lp Mix
22.Main Street People (Intro) / Main Street People - Original Lp Mix

DISC FOUR 1974-1992
1.One Chain Don't Make No Prison - Original Lp Mix
2.Midnight Flower (Live) - Original Lp Mix
3.Seven Lonely Nights - Original Lp Mix
4.We All Gotta Stick Together - Original Lp Mix
5.Catfish - Single Mix
6.For Your Love - 12-Inch Edit ^^
7.When She Was My Girl - Original Lp Mix
8.Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over (Live) *
9.I Believe In You And Me - Original Lp Mix
10.The Temptations And Four Tops Medley (Live) - Original 12-Inch
11.I Just Can't Walk Away - Original Lp Mix
12.Sexy Ways - Single Mix
13.Hot Nights ^
14.Red Hot Love *
15.Indestructible - 12-Inch Edit With Smokey Robinson
16.Loco In Acapulco - Original Lp Mix
17.If Ever A Love There Was - The Four Tops Featuring Aretha Franklin & Kenny G
18.Till You Return To Me - Grover Washington, Jr.
19.The Four Of Us ^^

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