Motown magic.
FYI, if you’ve any suggestions then feel free to get in touch with our music geek @ElChiefMoore
Artist, Album and year: The Four Tops, Reach Out, 1966
Why is it a Classic? : It’s Monday so we all could do with a little help and a new found spring in our step which is something that this timeless classic has in spades.
The vocals were revolutionary at the time as lead singer Levi Stubbs’ delivery is half-way between singing and shouting which only adds to the pure raw emotion and passion on the track.
You get the impression that the singer is truly hurting and that his music has a cathartic quality that can help mend his broken heart which is an incredible feat for any singer,
The melody keeps you guessing, shifting between minor and major, as the song giddily merges the qualities of classical, gospel and the burgeoning Motown style.
The opening notes almost lead you in one direction, thinking that you’re going to be treated to a melancholic, downbeat and sombre tune, but that transition at 0:17 is a bolt out of the blue that flips the track instantly on its head.
Like all great songs, ‘Reach Out , I’ll be There’ provides the listener with solace, security and a knowing uplifting assurance in its brilliance.
Did You Know?: Rolling Stone later ranked this version #206 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
The lyrical hook: “I’ll be there with a love that will shelter you, I’ll be there with a love that will see you through”.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
