Something About You (Four Tops song)

"Something About You"
Single by Four Tops
from the album Four Tops' Second Album
B-side "Darling I Hum Our Song"
Released 1965
Format 7" single
Recorded Hitsville U.S.A.
Genre Soul, pop
Length 2:48
Label Motown
Writer(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland
Producer(s) Brian Holland
Lamont Dozier
Four Tops singles chronology
"It's the Same Old Song"
(1965)		 "Something About You"
(1965)		 "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)"
(1966)

"Something About You" is a song written by Holland-Dozier-Holland and was first released by the Four Tops on their 1965 album Four Tops' Second Album.

History

"Something About You" was released as the third single from the Four Tops' Second Album, following "I Can't Help Myself" and "It's the Same Old Song". The song reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the Billboard R&B chart.[1][2] The B-side of the single was "Darling I Hum Our Song."[3] "Something About You" has appeared on numerous compilation albums, including The Ultimate Collection.[4]

"Something About You" is unusual for a Motown song in that a guitar riff is prominent.[5] The Temptations' "My Girl" is one of the few other examples.[5] The guitar riff in "Something About You" is similar to that in the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," although author Rikky Rooksby claims that the guitar sound in the Four Tops' song is "cleaner."[5] Author David A. Carson also remarks on the clean lead guitar at the beginning of the song.[6] Robert White of the Funk Brothers played the guitar part on "Something About You," as he did on "My Girl."[6]

Allmusic critic Ron Wynn praises the song as being "a great uptempo shouter."[7] Wynn also praises its "vocal authority" and "production genius."[7] Author Bill Dahl praised the song's "crackling shuffle rhythm" and the way lead singer Levi Stubbs emotes "over punchy horns and low-end guitar."[8] Rolling Stone Magazine critic Dave Marsh rated "Something About You" to be the top 1001 singles of all time.[9] Marsh praised the song's sense of urgency, claiming that rhythm and blues is about "the kind of emotional expansiveness that erupts from these grooves, the pure tension between Motown formula and Levi's [lead singer Levi Stubbs'] uncontrollable passions.[9]

Covers

An early cover of the song was by fellow Motown artist Debbie Dean. Cilla Black covered the song on her 1976 album It Makes Me Feel Good. Dave Edmunds kicked off his 1984 album Riff Raff with a rendition faithful to the original. Graham Bonnet covered the song on his 1991 album Here Comes The Night. Phil Collins covered the song on his 2010 album, Going Back. Dusty Springfield later performed the song.[10] Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rehearsed the song for their 1988 Tunnel of Love Express Tour.[11] The Australian band "The Vibrants", from Adelaide, had a hit with the song in 1967

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Four Tops Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  2. ↑ Bronson, F. (1997). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. p. 209. ISBN 0823076415.
  3. ↑ Rosalsky, M. (2002). Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups. Scarecrow Press. p. 275. ISBN 9780810845923.
  4. ↑ "Something About You". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  5. 1 2 3 Rooksby, R. (2002). Riffs: How to Create and Play Great Guitar Riffs. Hal Leonard. pp. 59, 65. ISBN 9780879307103.
  6. 1 2 Carson, D.A. (2006). Grit, Noise, and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock 'n' Roll. University of Michigan Press. p. 94. ISBN 9780472031900.
  7. 1 2 Wynn, R. "Second Album". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-03-15.
  8. ↑ Dahl, B. (2001). Motown: The Golden Years. Krause. p. 48. ISBN 9780873492867.
  9. 1 2 Marsh, D. (1999). The Heart of Rock and Soul. Da Capo Press. p. 488. ISBN 9780306809019.
  10. ↑ Bret, D. (2012). Brit Girls Of The Sixties: Dusty Springfield, featuring Helen Shapiro, Volume 1. lulu. p. 64. ISBN 9781446144381.
  11. ↑ Dolan, M. (2012). Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll. W.W. Norton. p. 248. ISBN 9780393084214.
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