The Four Tops - The Ultimate Collection

Cramming 25 songs onto a single CD, this set captures the Tops during their peak 1960s years, when they rode the pens of Holland, Dozier, and Holland to the top of the charts. Combining the writers' pop melodies, a gentle Motown groove, and Levi Stubbs' earthy lead vocals, the group landed 11 Top 40 singles by 1967, all of which are included on this compilation. Unfortunately, The Ultimate Collection omits later gems such as "Keeper of the Castle," "Ain't No Woman," and "When She Was My Girl," but that leaves room to delve into the unique partnership between the Tops and their songwriting triumvirate. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com

Great oldies

Love this cd! Great songs of the 60s; alot of my favorites. I listen to this cd while on my treadmill each morning. Can't beat the 60s music. This cd is well worth the money and would recommend it highly. July 2, 2008

It Motown and One of the Best Groups

I love great hits LPs. Save you the time looking for all the group great songs. Tis how you buy it. The Tops were one of the top three performamce on Motown. December 7, 2007

A Volume Two Needed

The Ultimate Collection series from Motown is easily one of the best ever to hit the market [see also Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Marvelettes, The Temptations, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Mary Wells].

From 1964 to 1988 The Four Tops put 52 selections onto the Billboard R&B charts, had 29 cross over to the Billboard Pop Hot 100, and another seven register on the Adult Contemporary charts. In this collection you get 22 of those hits plus the B-sides Sad Souvenirs [b/o I Can't Help Myself], I Got A Feeling [b/o Bernadette], and If You Don't Want My Love [b/o You Keep Running Away].

Unless there's to be a volume 2, like another reviewer I too would have preferred to see the inclusion of If I Were A Carpenter [# 17 R&B/# 20 Hot 100 in 1968], Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me [# 25 R&B/# 45 Hot 100 in 1969], and Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life], which hit # 9 R&B/# 40 Hot 100 in early 1971, as opposed to those B-sides.

If there is to be a volume 2 hopefully they will include those along with the following: River Deep-Mountain High [# 7 R&B/# 14 Hot 100 in 1970 with The Supremes]; You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart [# 41 R&B/# 55 Hot 100 in 1971, again with The Supremes]; In These Changing Times [# 28 R&B/# 70 Hot 100 in 1971]; MacArthur Park (Part II) [# 27 R&B/# 38 Hot 100 in 1971]; and from 1983 when they returned to Motown [after recording for Dunhill/ABC, ABC, Casablanca, and RSO], I Just Can't Walk Away which made it to # 18 AC/# 36 R&B/# 71 Hot 100 that November.

Two other singles they might wish to include [assuming they can get permission] are Ain't That Love and Indestructible. The former had been recorded originally for Columbia way back in 1960 without success, but re-released by that label in 1965 to take advantage of their rising Motown popularity. It could only manage a # 93 Hot 100 around the same time as It's The Same Old Song was climbing to # 2 R&B/# 5 Hot 100 for Motown. Indestructible was released on Arista in 1988 and reached # 20 Adult Contemporary/# 35 Hot 100, and # 57 R&B, and was used by NBC-TV for the 1988 Summer Olympics.

In the meantime, this is as good as any Four Tops compilations you are ever going to find, including five pages of comprehensive liner notes by Stu Hackel, a NYC-based writer for The Village Voice, New York Times, and Sports Illustrated. There is also a complete discography of the contents and some nice photographs of the group
September 1, 2007

Ultimate Four Tops

Another great Motown classic! This includes all of their hits and then some. May 26, 2007

Let's Cruise the Boulevard!!!

Wonderful CD. Probably the greatest Motown groups ever. Great lyrics and expressions of love. My 23 yr old son even liked it. I'm surprised more current day artists havent redone some of these classics. Made me want to go cruise Bellflower Blvd in a 63 Chevy low-rider!! March 12, 2007

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