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Four Tops, The Four Tops
About Standing in the Shadows of Love
"Standing in the Shadows of Love" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s. A direct follow-up to the #1 hit "Reach Out I'll Be There" (even featuring a similar musical arrangement), "Standing in the Shadows of Love" reached #2 on the soul chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. It also reached #6 in the UK. Though the song was well-received, it has received some criticism. Author Martin Charles Strong notes that it rehashed the formula of "Reach Out I'll Be There" and achieved similar success by reaching the Top 10 in both the US and UK. It is ranked #470 on Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. AllMusic critic John Bush calls "Standing in the Shadows of Love" "dramatic" and "impassioned." Critic Andrew Hamilton calls it a "memorable, unforgettable, timeless blast" which would have made Motown "notable" even if it was the only song Motown ever produced. Hamilton remarks on the song's power to conjure up "mournful" emotions, and particularly highlights the coldness of lyrics such as "standing in the shadows of love getting ready for the heartaches to come." Hamilton praises the intensity of Levi Stubbs' lead vocal and how it can make the listener believe that he is about to have a nervous breakdown. Music critic Maury Dean describes the singer as waiting for his girlfriend to dump him and psyching himself for the blow and for getting ready for a new girlfriend. He uses the metaphor of Wile E. Coyote to describe the singer's emotions as he waits for the "anvil to drop on his fervent love."According to author Peter Benjaminson, "Standing in the Shadows of Love" is a reworked version of The Supremes' 1963 song "Standing at the Crossroads of Love", which was released as the B-side of their single "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes". The song was later covered by:more »
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The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Standing in the shadows of loveI'm getting ready for the heartaches to comeCan't you see me standing in the shadows of loveI'm getting ready for the heartaches to comeI want to run but there's nowhere to go'Cause heartaches will follow me, I knowWithout your love, the love I needIt's the beginning of the end for me'Cause you're taking away all my reasons for livin'When you pushed aside all the love I been givin'Now wait a minuteDidn't I treat you right, now baby, didn't I?Didn't I do the best I could now, didn't I?So don't you leave meStanding in the shadows of loveI'm getting ready for the heartaches to comeDon't you see me standing in the shadows of loveTrying my best to get ready for the heartaches to comeAll aloneI'm destined to be, with misery my only companyIt may come today, it might come tomorrowBut it's for sure I ain't got nothing but sorrowNow don't your conscience kind of bother youHow can you watch me cry after all I done for youHold on a minuteGave you all the love I had now, didn't I?When you needed me I was always there now, wasn't I?I'm trying hard not to cry out loudYou know crying it ain't gonna help me nowWhat did I do to cause all this grief?Now what'd I say to make you want to leaveNow wait a minuteGave my heart and soul to you now, didn't I?And didn't I always treat you good, now didn't I?I'm standing in the shadows of loveI'm getting ready for the heartaches to comeDon't you see me standing in the shadows of loveTrying my best to get ready for the heartaches to comeOh I'm standing in the shadows of love
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
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The Four Tops
The Four Tops are a vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan, USA, who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. more »
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Genre »
Funk / Soul
Style »
Soul
Sheet Music PDF Playlist
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Song Origin"Standing in the Shadows of Love," released in 1966, is a hit single by The Four Tops, a Motown group from Detroit, Michigan. |
Production TeamThe song was recorded at Motown's Studio A and was produced by the acclaimed songwriting and producing team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. |
Genre"Standing in the Shadows of Love" is classified as a pop and soul song. |
Chart PerformanceThe song became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching #6, and peaked at #2 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. |
LyricsThe song is a lament on lingering in a love situation where the relationship has ended, capturing the pain and fear of loneliness and rejection. |
Album"Standing in the Shadows of Love" was a track on the Four Tops' second album, titled "Reach Out." |
Music AwardsIn 1967, the song earned two Grammy nominations; Best Rhythm & Blues Recording and Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Male, for lead singer Levi Stubbs. |
Jackson 5's VersionThe Jackson 5 covered the song on their 1969 debut album, "Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5." |
Tribute by Michael JacksonAs lead singer, young Michael Jackson guided this version with his raw, youthful vocal talent. |
Commercial Success of the CoverAlthough not released as a single, The Jackson 5's version of "Standing in the Shadows of Love" garnered significant airplay and is still favored on oldies radio stations. |
B-SideThe B-side of the original Four Tops single was "Since You've Been Gone," another Holland-Dozier-Holland composition. |
Cover VersionsApart from The Jackson 5, the song has been covered by many artists, including Barry White, Delroy Wilson, and The Supremes. However, The Four Tops' version is considered the definitive recording of the song. |
Movie AppearancesThe song was featured in the original soundtrack of the movie "Cooley High" (1975) and was also used in the opening credits of Andrew Davis' film "Stony Island" (1978). |
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