Among a number of groups who helped define the Motown Sound of the 1960s, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Supremes, Four Tops were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer; most groups of the time were fronted by a tenor. The group was the main male vocal group for the songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who crafted for the group a stream of popular hit singles, including two #1 hits: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There". After Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in 1967, Four Tops were assigned to a number of producers, primarily Frank Wilson. When Motown left Detroit in 1972 to move to Los Angeles, California, the Tops stayed in Detroit and moved over to ABC Records, where they continued to have charting singles into the late-1970s. Since the 1980s, Four Tops have recorded for, at various times, Motown, Casablanca Records, and Arista Records.
Don't Walk Away
Four Tops Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
don't walk away
Not now that I'm inspired.
Oh
won't you stay
please
won't you stay
Come on
girl
come around now.
Don't walk away
don't walk away
Not now that I'm inspired.
Oh
won't you stay
please
won't you stay
Your love it takes me higher.
You built me up
make me feel I was good enough to be your guy
Now you've changed your mind.
Girl
couldn't decide if your love was all in my mind
But in my heart too - I believe in you.
Don't walk away
don't walk away
. . .
Don't let me down
promise me you'll be around
I'll take the lie - just say that you'll try
girl.
Over the year I've cried twenty million tears
But in one day you washed them all away
yeah.
If I ever get another chance
I'm gonna get you really gonna love you.
We can start a new romance - say you'll be mine.
Don't you walk away
don't turn your back on me
Don't walk away
girl
don't walk away
girl
Don't you walk away
don't you walk away
hey girl
Listen to me
girl
don't turn your back on me.
Now that you got me inspired
don't you walk away
don't you walk away
Don't walk away
don't walk away
. . .
Don't walk away
don't walk away
Not now you got me inspired.
The lyrics of Four Tops' song "Don't Walk Away" describe the plea of a man who has been abandoned by his love interest. The man implores the woman not to walk away from him now that he is inspired, suggesting that he has been uplifted by their relationship. He then asks her to stay, insisting that her love takes him higher. The song describes how the woman previously made him feel like he was good enough to be her partner, but now that she has changed her mind, he is left feeling distraught. Despite the hurt he has endured, the man asks the woman not to let him down and promises to take the lie if she will only try. The song concludes with the man promising to love the woman and pleading with her not to walk away, because now she has inspired him.
Overall, the song explores themes of love, heartbreak, and the fragility of relationships. The man's plea is a desperate attempt to save his relationship with the woman he loves, even though she has previously hurt him. The song is an emotional portrayal of the pain that comes with being in love and the lengths that people will go to in order to remain with the one they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't walk away
The singer is pleading with the listener not to leave him.
Not now that I'm inspired.
The singer is asking the listener to stay because he is feeling inspired by their love and doesn't want them to leave.
Oh
won't you stay
please
won't you stay
The singer is begging the listener to stay with him.
Come on
girl
come around now.
The singer is calling on the listener to come back to him.
Your love it takes me higher.
The singer is saying that the listener's love makes him feel uplifted and joyful.
You built me up
make me feel I was good enough to be your guy
The singer is saying that the listener's love and acceptance made him feel good about himself and worthy of being her partner.
Now you've changed your mind.
The singer is acknowledging that the listener no longer wants to be with him.
Girl
couldn't decide if your love was all in my mind
But in my heart too - I believe in you.
The singer is saying that even though the listener may have doubted their love, he still believes in her and their relationship.
Don't let me down
promise me you'll be around
I'll take the lie - just say that you'll try
girl.
The singer is asking the listener to promise to be there for him, even if she doesn't truly feel love for him anymore. He would rather she lie and say she'll try for their relationship than leave him.
Over the year I've cried twenty million tears
But in one day you washed them all away
yeah.
The singer is saying that despite all of the pain he has experienced in their relationship, the listener's love for him was able to wash it all away and make him feel better.
If I ever get another chance
I'm gonna get you really gonna love you.
We can start a new romance - say you'll be mine.
The singer is saying that if he's given another chance, he will truly show the listener how much he loves her and they can start a new, better relationship together.
Don't you walk away
don't turn your back on me
Listen to me
girl
don't turn your back on me.
The singer is pleading with the listener to listen to him and not turn her back on him.
Now that you got me inspired
don't you walk away
don't you walk away
Don't walk away
don't walk away
The singer is saying that since the listener has inspired him, he doesn't want her to leave and he is begging her not to walk away.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JERRY KNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kit
The wonderful Tops....those vocals...im back in the 70's....when I could dance....such memories...thank you tops, im here still loving every song...💜💜💜💜 4 hearts for 4 tops.
Arcelious White
Kathy Scott four tops
Rolando Pino
Que gran banda y con voces de oro😊
David Overholt
Be still my heart when I see these Four Brothers of Motown sing these songs together! The best of the fab 4 Tops playing across the pond from Detroit City in my 1960's! No other Motown Group was as Loyal as these 4 Brothers from the Hood at their time! They are my favorite because my hero Levi Stubbs would not give into money and to sell his Detroit Brothers of High School and of Sound of the band out! I Still send emails to Duke in 2023 to thank my 4 Tops bothers for all the love in music they gave me!
foxynicey
Great to hear Levi Stubbs' magnificent soulful voice.
Stephen Cummings
Lawrence, Obie and Levi three wonderful brothers gone but never forgotten .They shall shine on the world forever ,also never forget the Duke he's still carrying the flag for his brother's so we can never forget the great Four Tops.
Dave Jarratt
Lets not think of race or skin colour. I love the Four Tops but I also love The Stones.Let's just listen ,bop and smile and leave all the hatred to somebody else.
Wouter
Such an underrated song. I love it.
claudette lewis-smith
Love this song....Forever 4Top.🤩
Dorinda Maceli
Love them one of my favorite best groups