Levi Stubbs

[The Large One]

Boredom is my middle name today, so I'm just lazing around today, and I thought I'd put on some Four Tops sounds on my iTunes. Even though I am a massive fan, I haven't played much Four Tops for a bit because some of their hits (Reach Out I'll Be There, Same Old Song, I Can't Help Myself etc) you hear ad nauseum on Radio Nice&Safe FM.

This is just to say that, in my not-so-humble opinion, Levi Stubbs has by far and away the finest voice in all of soul music. He can cover just about any emotion in one song, from making your day with unbridled hapiness to alternatively singing you the Shipping Forecast and make you drop to your knees and weep, and covering just about every emotion in between.

Levi Stubbs.

That is all.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

You know I was thinking about this the other day when you were posting your Ipod stuff and I could have sworn you were a massive Four Tops fan but could see little mention of it...everything is now right with the world.


Standing in the shadows of love.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Are you saying that Levi Stubbs PISSES on...Marvin Gaye? Sam Cooke? Stevie Wonder? The Temptations? The Isley Brothers? Or the immortal, underrated genius of Donny Hathaway?

Incidentally, Bernadette and Reach Out I'll Be There feature two of my absolute musical hero's finest basslines EVER - Mr James Jamerson. They're only outdone by the Finest Bassline Ever Recorded - Stevie Wonder's I Was Made To Love Her. FACTOID.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

I must take issue with you there birthday boy.

the finest soul voice must be Nat King Cole, closely followed by Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin

 

[Man of Harveys]

the finest soul voice must be Nat King Cole...Ella Fitzgerald

Those are JAZZ singers Dave! As in "JAZZ mags".

 

[The Large One]

Are you saying that Levi Stubbs PISSES on...Marvin Gaye? Sam Cooke? Stevie Wonder? The Temptations? The Isley Brothers? Or the immortal, underrated genius of Donny Hathaway?

Not PISSES on. But he does win.

They all fanstastic in their own way, but (possibly Marvin Gaye aside) none have the range of so many emotions.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Those are JAZZ singers Dave! As in "JAZZ mags".

It depends on what you call jazz.


NKK sang some very good soul stuff in later life. Ella Fitzgerald I will give you that although i suppose technically she was like Sinatra a big band singer/crooner. Aretha was the dogs dangly bits

 

[Man of Harveys]

Not PISSES on. But he does win.

They all fanstastic in their own way, but (possibly Marvin Gaye aside) none have the range of so many emotions.

This, incidentally, is in very humble opinion, the greatest thing ever to be found on YouTube, full stop. I've probably watched it 20-30 times. As well as a fantastic rendition of the song, it's only some very rare footage of James Jamerson actually playing - consider it a wee birthday present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KC7uhMY9s

 

[dcseagull]

Levi Stubb's tears roll down his face...

 

[The Large One]

It depends on what you call jazz.

NKK sang some very good soul stuff in later life. Ella Fitzgerald I will give you that although i suppose technically she was like Sinatra a big band singer/crooner. Aretha was the dogs dangly bits

Fair enough about Aretha but... oooh, I'm struggling here... I'll get back to you on this.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

nice on moh


one back at ya....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kn6RU5sFP4

 

[The Large One]

This, incidentally, is in very humble opinion, the greatest thing ever to be found on YouTube, full stop. I've probably watched it 20-30 times. As well as a fantastic rendition of the song, it's only some very rare footage of James Jamerson actually playing - consider it a wee birthday present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KC7uhMY9s

FANTASTIC!

Joining the dots, 'What's Going On' was written by Ronaldo Benson of the Four Tops.

 

[Man of Harveys]

As the comments below that clip rightly point out, that man played bass on more hit records than than the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys and Elvis combined.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Feed Me Seymour


Feed Me all night looooooooooooooooong!


I need LURVE

 

[cannedheat]

In my girlfriends bedroom in Coldean listening to the Four Tops, she had a little pair of jean hotpants on and the knee lenght boots.
I got LURVE.

 

[The Large One]

In my girlfriends bedroom in Coldean listening to the Four Tops, she had a little pair of jean hotpants on and the knee lenght boots.
I got LURVE.

PICTURES?

 

[cannedheat]

PICTURES?

No pictures sorry we only had Instamatics then, use you imagination think of The Dukes of Hazard sister.

 

[KNC]

Mmmmm very difficult.

Al Green?

Otis Redding?

 

[Horses Arse]

Levi Stubb's tears roll down his face...

I thought this was a thread about Billy as well!

 

[sams dad]

I met Levi Stubbs in a Wimpy Bar in Croydon in 1970.(The Four Tops were performing at the Fairfield Halls later that day ).He was very approachable and signed autographs for all of us.
For my money Sam Cooke had the greatest voice ,but Levi Stubbs is in the top five.