About The Song
Motown 1098 may not sound like a particularly significant catalog number, but the track it denoted remains one of the defining moments of the companyās collective brilliance. The classic in question isĀ the Four Topsā āReach Out Iāll Be There,ā released on August 18, 1966. It was a US pop No.1 on October 15, and repeated the feat two weeks later in the UK.
Written by Brian and Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier and produced by Brian and Lamont, the song came to the Four Tops during something of a lull after their breakthrough of the 1964-65 season. They had were continuing to enjoy support from their R&B constituency, but even there, the quartetās previous single,Ā Stevie Wonderās song āLoving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,ā only made No.12, and fizzled at just No.45 pop. It was their lowest rating since their Hot 100 debut with āBaby I Need Your Loving.ā
āReach Out Iāll Be Thereā changed all that, its passionate sentiment perfectly matched to the groupās dramatic delivery and the peerlessly plaintive lead vocals of Levi Stubbs. Then there was the unprecedented daring for a Motown single of the choice of instrumentation. Flutes and almost galloping percussion detailed the melancholy introduction, before the unforgettable vocal liftoff that sent Leviās narrative into orbit.
āReach Outā was on the charts in no time, and made No.1 pop when it took over at the Hot 100 summit from The Associationās āCherish.ā As its two-week reign ended there, it started another on the R&B register, and a three-week run at the UK summit.
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Lyric
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Now if you feel that you canāt go on
Because all of your hope is gone
And your life is filled with much confusion
Until happiness is just an illusion
And your world around is crumblinā down
Darling, reach out, come on girl, reach on out for me
Reach out, reach out for me
Iāll be there, with a love that will shelter you
Iāll be there, with a love that will see you through
When you feel lost and about to give up
āCause your best just aināt good enough
And you feel the world has grown cold
And youāre drifting out all on your own
And you need a hand to hold
Darling, reach out, come on girl, reach out for me
Reach out, reach out for me
Iāll be there, to love and comfort you
And Iāll be there, to cherish and care for you
Iāll be there, with a love that will see you through
Iāll be there to love and comfort you
I can tell the way you hang your head
Youāre without love and now youāre afraid
And through your tears you look around
But thereās no peace of mind to be found
I know what youāre thinkinā
Youāre alone now, no love of your own
But darling, reach out, come on girl, reach out for me
Reach out
Just look over your shoulder
Iāll be there, to give you all the love you need
And Iāll be there, you can always depend on me
Iāll be there, to give you all the love you need
Iāll be there, you can always depend on me
Iāll be there