The Four Tops Album: “Still Waters Run Deep/Changing Times”

The first of the albums featured in this twofer - Still waters run deep - contains two major international hits. It's all in the game was a hit for various singers in the fifties. Originally a USA hit for Tommy Edwards in 1951, it became a much bigger USA hit for him in 1958, when it also became a massive UK hit. It was also a huge UK hit for Cliff Richard in the sixties, but all that didn't stop the Four tops having a top five UK hit and a top thirty USA hit. Still water (love) just missed the USA top ten but just made the UK top ten. There are some notable covers here, including Elusive butterfly (Bob Lind), Everybody's talking (Harry Nilsson), Reflections (Diana Ross and the Supremes).

The second album - Changing times - yielded Just seven numbers, a minor hit in the UK and the USA, plus another minor USA hit, In these changing times. On the album, this latter song is the second half of a medley with Long and winding road, the Beatles classic. Other covers on this album are Raindrops keep falling on my head and Try to remember.

Most, if not all, of the other songs on this collection are originals and definitely worth listening to. Perhaps the Four tops were past their absolute peak by the time these albums were recorded, but there is still plenty of interest here. So don't begin your Four tops collection here, but if you're really into Motown, this is well worth investing in.

By the time these two albums were released, The Four Tops weren't very high on Motown's priority list. That's really a shame because these albums contained some of their strongest material. Frank Wilson was the appointed producer for both albums and the production is top notch, using many of Motown's highly talented musicians. Some of the recordings truly stand out. Although skimpy in the lyric department, "Still Water (Love)" is a true R&B classic. The Tops rendition of "Reflections" is better and tighter than the Supremes original version, in my opinion. "Love Is The Answer" brings back memories from when I was a child. (I owned a copy of the single.) It's a fun song with some really swinging horns.

I also owned the Changing Times album when I was very young and I played it to death. The track "In These Changing Times" with it's strange collage of street sounds and distorted voices taking up over two minutes before the song actually kicks in, is one of those songs that easily gets stuck in one's head.

Levi Stubbs lead vocal on "I Almost Had Her (But She Got Away)" is heartbreaking and the arrangement is brilliant. "Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)" is a moderately paced gem about a fella whose male ego keeps him from calling his girl first to talk things through. My favourite track on the album has to be "Right Before My Eyes." The vocals and musicianship on this great track are stunning. The rhythm section alone is priceless.

I would have given this cd five stars if it weren't for the fact that I would have preferred more original tunes on the albums. Motown was notorious for putting a lot of remakes on their albums, even having several of their own artists record the same material.

Still, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I highly recommend this cd.

I had been looking for Still Waters Run Deep . . . for years. I did not want it as part of a "best of" cd; I wanted all the songs from the album, with the reprise at the end. Getting and hearing it was wonderful. The Four Tops are masters at setting a mood and their vocals are outstanding.