Levi Stubbs - 5 Years On

To me, others may disagree, he was The Voice of Motown, instantly recognisable.

Some of my Favourites

Where Did You Go

Do What You Gotta Do

Reach Out, I'll Be There  ( if this was rare--how much ??)

Standing In The Shadows

Something About You.

That'll do for a start.

Yes Levi's up there .....

Shake me wake me - Something about you - Bernadette.....for me

Still sadly missed, my favourites would include..

ASK THE LONELY

LOVING YOU IS SWEETER

WALK AWAY RENEE

SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE

BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING

The list is endless really.

RIP Levi

I put down six but could have easily put 60.

Kev

My Favourite.

 

Tomo from the Boro showed me a Youtube clip that will stay with me forever, Aretha gets a clearly unwell Levi to join her on the stage, he is wheel chair bound and when he comes out is crying his eyes out, obviously overwhelmed by the ovation he so rightly gets, him and Aretha sing through his tears, emotional and heartbreaking

 

Kev

I defy anyone watching that clip to have dry eyes... as you say Kev, utterly heartbreaking and emotional.

Up on youtube, a tribute to Levi .............

AND ONE OF THEIR MANY CLASSICS .................

AND ANOTHER FROM THE SAME SHOW ..........

Over in London & singing to a live track (I think; probably a BBC show as they did this sort of thing a lot) ............

You could post up classic clips of Levi & the guys all day ......

 

October 17th sees the fifth anniversary of the passing of Levi Stubbs. Not an anniversary to celebrate but just to make one think how time passes so quickly. For me, he was without doubt the greatest singer. I know everyone has a personal favourite, well he was mine. When you read, hear or talk to people who new Levi, they all say the same. He was a true proffessional, he was a man of dignity and he never claimed the limelight for himself, it always was as the song title went " The Four Of Us "

I was due to meet him shortly before he pased away, but on the day he was really poorly so with respect things never materialised. Whatever the mood may be, put on a Four Tops record and that mood will certainly go up to another level.

 

I will be playing a special tribute to Levi Stubbs/Four Tops at Broughton Wings in Chester on October 19th and just remembering what great songs that he gave us. I would love to know some of your favourites.

 

Here are my Top Six

 

Ask The Lonely

Don't Tell Me That It's Over

Baby I Need Your Loving

Still Water

Right On Brother

I Believe In You And Me

 

Kev Jones

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Mate Levi Stubbs one of the greatest SOUL voices ever.I had the greatest luck to see the tops and the temps live as my then gf was a product manager at polydor/motown think was hammersmith what a night ever seen a big man cry(sounds familiar) went back stage only one left was Mr Melvin Franklin arm in a cast such a sweet man.......levi you are still loved by so many rip soul brother and may your voice continue to bring tears to my eyes.

"Don't bring back memories"....what a song and what a voice.

Mr. Stubbs we miss you!!!

Levi Stubbs  The voice of Motown, a true SOUL LEGEND.  

Not sure if this link will work, but it gives you a lump in the throat and a tear in your eye. It is Honouring Aretha Franklin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1-KcUqaxc

Kev

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85qkPiWMOU

Their best IMHO and shows off his fabulous range.

One from my collection which I love.

Nice one Mark. I played this out a couple of Fridays ago. It was early on, only me, my girl and the barman in the place. We all just looked at each other. Words would have been pointless. 

as with everyone else i go for ASK THE LONELY,DO WHAT YOU WANNA DO , BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING,SHAKE ME WAKE ME AND SOMETHING ABOUT YOU (imagine if this was on a small detroit label how much would it be?)

A bit of a different one but still Levi shows his class ............

This has to be one of my favs, 

https://youtu.be/BTWziAOki8g

Along with a few others. 

Many,many favourites featuring  the great voice of Levi Stubbs, including this accapella version which really showcases his perfection:

https://youtu.be/mGqBWjMmVps

 - Kev

One of my all time favourite soul records "ain't no woman like the one I got" 4 tops , Levi as in all his performances is top notch, could somebody put a clip of the above on as I have absolutely no idea how to do it ! Thanks in advance , Andrew

Loved the man. My sisters would come home with Motown Albums when I was 11 / 12 !!! 53 now !!! The Four Tops and Levi's voice in particular, set the scene for the rest of my musical life. Motown? Rare Soul ? Yes please !!!!! Can any vocalist surpass the emotion in Ask The Lonely ? No they can't......

How about Sweet Was The Love ? Pure Motown !!!

I Love Motown Me !!!!!

THE definition of motown?....read levi stubbs...so many great vocalists adorn the companies success story, but the stand-out is the top's frontman, and that's not to withhold the tortured genius of ruffin or gaye. stubbs voice and commitment was unfaltering throughout the top's residence. we can talk about the tunes we associate with readily yet, the exposure of archive material in recent years revealed a dirth of classics that would have given them a superior status and rewarded motown financially, had gordy had the foresight to have faith in their output. from the double cd collection released 7 years ago via hip-oselect, i have to nominate a track that has resounded with many similar minded folk and, courtesy of mr. searling, will become a stellar memory for years to come, pending it's imminent release for the first time EVER.

CLIP MY WINGS...if you haven't already heard this masterpiece, you are in for a treat.

Here are my biggest favourites by The Four Tops on Motown...

Still Water (Love)

Still Water (Peace)

In These Changing Times

It's All In The Game

Reflections

Yesterday's Dreams

Elusive Butterfly

Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind

Do What You Gotta Do

I'm In A Different World

Bernadette

7 Rooms Of Gloom

Ask The Lonely

Baby I Need Your Loving

I'll Turn To Stone

Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

Standing In The Shadows Of Love

Where Did You Go

Just As Long As You Need Me

And my favourite from the ABC/Dunhill days is the soulful 'Look At My Baby'.

They're all priceless.

Paul

I can't think of any singer who has given me more pleasure than Levi Stubbs.

He had the ultimate natural heartbreaker voice and the ability to deliver a song perfectly. He also knew exactly when to stand back and let the backing vocals set the mood or carry the song for a while. Those harmonies were a crucial element and Stubbs was humble and modest enough to remain a member of The Four Tops rather than be tempted by solo stardom.

The great Holland-Dozier-Holland songs and productions were obviously a key factor in the earlier period. Eddie Holland was the finest lyricist of his generation, his evocative songs were like mini teen dramas set to music. The finest example is probably 'I'm In A Different World' which is a work of art but here are just two lines from 'I'll Turn To Stone'...

I would be like a statue in the park,

Cold and alone; a man without a heart

But the Four Tops also made great records with other writers and producers, most notably with Frank Wilson who gave them a fresh new direction, starting with 'In These Changing Times' in 1970. I was 12 years old at the time and I remember buying 'It's All In The Game' and the hypnotic 'Still Water' which is probably the best soul record ever made and I feel the need to hear it almost every day. 

No disrespect to any other singers but it was the voice of Levi Stubbs which got me hooked on soul music for life and I'm sure many other people had the same experience.

No wonder so many tears were shed when he died.

Paul

Must say yes I agree! what a great singer sadly missed . But what an abundance of great songs he left behind. 

Remember back in time finding a copy of Baby I need your loving ! for sale in a box

                                                        What a man . makes the eyes water.

                                                                       respect!!!! Richo

Levi was to these ears the greatest male vocalist of all time. A massive claim I know and probably helped along the way by a superb back catalogue of incredible songs. Had the pleasure of seeing The Tops in concert twice and that simply helped to reaffirm my view as his voice was as magical "live" as it remains on record. Gone he may be but he lives on in our household as I my boy Samuel Levi proudly carries his name forth.

"I just can't get you out of my mind" AKA "call me"   PURE CLASS!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdY3Q6hJPhg

Just so much emotion oozes from Levis vocal cords on anything he sang.

A group that spanned 40 years of hits and fabulous Lp tracks only

Levi and the Tops will never be forgotten

Al H

Love this

And this

https://youtu.be/B8QBeGZd6A8

Four Tops Left with a broken heart

 the four tops first album is a cracker

Love has gone

Lovely words Kev see you on the 19th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1May52b1RQ

Many great memories. Got backstage with them around 1981/2. They were superb and humble. Signed my cover of I,ll Turn to stone. Gave it to Alan Pollard bless him many moons ago.

Shake me wake me. Is for me the BEST motown tune.  

As the tears streamed down my face. Raw emotion. Dripping in soul.

Finally I also breed German Shepherd Dogs as well. My kennel is called Mirrwood and ALL my dogs have soul names. Sadly my old male Stubbs had to be put down two weeks ago. Strange that this lovely piece should appear today.  

Levi was to these ears the greatest male vocalist of all time. A massive claim I know and probably helped along the way by a superb back catalogue of incredible songs. Had the pleasure of seeing The Tops in concert twice and that simply helped to reaffirm my view as his voice was as magical "live" as it remains on record. Gone he may be but he lives on in our household as I my boy Samuel Levi proudly carries his name forth.

Ha...I've got a Samuel Curtis in my house.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGqBWjMmVps

rip

kev

My top 6

Reach Out

Shake Me

Walk Away Renee

I'm In A Different World

The Key

Simple Game

Its almost impossible to pick a favourite but one of the main tunes that took  me into Motown Stax Atlantic and later Northern Soul was I Cant Help Myself .

Here's Levis unmistakable voice guesting with Grover Washington jnr.

https://youtu.be/xe11TJlYfO4

Thanx for the reminder Kev!

I also defy anyone reading this whole thread to escape without a tear. From the 1st time I heard him sing nearly 50 years ago his vocals still leave that shiver down my spine.

The best male vocalist of all time......full stop. 

https://youtu.be/mNWxupAvuxE

Fu@ing WOW!!!

One of my favourite soul singers. Amazing voice. Some of my favourites include: Sad Souvenirs, Something About You, Sweet Was The Love, Shake Me Wake Me, The Way Nature Planned It, Baby, I Need Your Lovin', Can't Seem to Get You Out Of My Mind. There's more, but these are the ones that stand out to me more than the others. Amazing group, and Levi was a great vocalist.

Not sure if this link will work, but it gives you a lump in the throat and a tear in your eye. It is Honouring Aretha Franklin.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1-KcUqaxc

 

Kev

Utterly stunning!