Among a number of groups who helped define the Motown Sound of the 1960s, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Supremes, The 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, the 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, The Four Tops have recorded for, at various times, Motown, Casablanca Records, and Arista Records.
As an unofficial record, it is believed that The Four Tops were the band to continue performing the longest without a lineup change. Levi Stubbs, Abdul Fakir, Renaldo Benson and Lawrence Payton sang together as the Four Tops from 1954 until 1997, when Lawrence Payton died of cancer. That's an astonishing 43 years without a lineup change. The three surviving members continued to tour as "The Tops."
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
The Four Tops Lyrics
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But I refuse to let you go,
If I have to beg, plead for your sympathy,
I don't mind 'cause you mean that much to me.
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it,
Please don't leave me girl,
Don't you go,
Please don't leave me, girl,
Don't you go.
Now I've heard a cryin' man
Is half a man with no sense of pride,
But if I have to cry to keep you,
I don't mind weepin' if it'll keep you by my side.
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it,
Please don't leave me girl,
Don't you go,
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby,
Please don't leave me, girl,
Don't you go.
If I have to sleep on your doorstep all night and day
Just to keep you from walking away,
Let your friends laugh, even this I can stand,
'cause I wanna keep you any way I can.
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it,
Please don't leave me girl,
Don't you go,
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby,
Please don't leave me, girl,
Don't you go.
Now I've got a love so deep in the pit of my heart,
And each day it grows more and more,
I'm not ashamed to call and plead to you, baby,
If pleading keeps you from walking out that door.
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it,
Please don't leave me girl,
Don't you go,
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby,
Please don't leave me, girl,
Don't you go.
The Four Tops's 1966 hit song "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" is a classic soul track that showcases the group's signature tight harmonies and emotive vocals. The song's lyrics express the singer's desperate but sincere plea to his lover not to leave him, acknowledging that he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her by his side. The opening lines "I know you wanna leave me, but I refuse to let you go" immediately set the tone for the rest of the song as the singer pleads for his lover's forgiveness, even if it means begging and pleading.
The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of "Ain't too proud to beg," is a defiant yet vulnerable statement of the singer's determination to keep his lover from leaving him. The bridge of the song also emphasizes the singer's willingness to do whatever it takes to keep his lover, even if it means crying and enduring ridicule from others. The lyrics underscore the passion and intensity of the singer's love for his partner and his unwillingness to let her go.
Overall, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" is a powerful and moving example of a classic soul ballad, with its heartfelt lyrics and soulful instrumentation. The Four Tops's interpretation of the song highlights their masterful vocal talents and their ability to convey raw emotion and vulnerability through their music.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you wanna leave me,
I'm aware of your desire to part ways with me,
But I refuse to let you go,
I'm not ready to let you leave yet,
If I have to beg, plead for your sympathy,
I don't mind asking for your compassion and help,
I don't mind 'cause you mean that much to me.
You're important enough to me that I'm willing to beg if necessary.
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it,
I'm not too ashamed to plead with you,
Please don't leave me girl,
Please don't walk out on me,
Don't you go,
Please don't leave,
Now I’ve heard a crying man is half a man with no sense of pride,
I know some people think it's weak for a man to cry or plead,
But if I have to cry to keep you,
But I'll do it, if it means you'll stay with me,
I don't mind weeping if it’ll keep you by my side.
I'm fine with crying and being emotional if it means you'll stay with me.
If I have to sleep on your doorstep all night and day,
If I need to, I'll sleep outside your door day and night,
Just to keep you from walking away,
Just so you won't leave me,
Let your friends laugh, even this I can stand,
I don't even care if your friends laugh at me; I'll take it,
'cause I wanna keep you any way I can.
Because I want to keep you in my life by any means necessary.
Now I've got a love so deep in the pit of my heart,
I love you so much that it's buried deep within me,
And each day it grows more and more,
And every day it gets stronger and stronger,
I'm not ashamed to call and plead to you, baby,
I'm not embarrassed to call and plead with you,
If pleading keeps you from walking out that door.
If it means you'll stay, I'll keep begging and pleading with you.
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby,
I'm not too proud to ask and beg of you,
Please don't leave me, girl,
Please don't leave me,
Don't you go.
Please stay with me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Edward Jr. Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind