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."
I'm In A Different World
The Four Tops Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things just don't work out, no matter what I do
Disappointment haunts me, through each lonely day
The world around I see, in only shades of gray
But when the love light shines upon my face
I'm in a different world
A world I never knew, I'm in a different world
I'm no longer just another face in a crowd
Hey, look into my eyes, you'll see I'm strong and I'm proud
You are all the sweetness of my life, you see
You have brought heaven right here on earth to me
No man of wealth, I know I'll ever be
But I'll be satisfied just knowing you love me
On the stage of life I've played a loser's part
It seems like I've been down right from the very start
Every time I lift myself up off the ground
Something always happens to bring the curtain down
But when your love light shines upon my face
I'm in a different world
A world so warm and sweet, I'm in a different world
Now that you've been loving me, I'm in a different world
Each time you speak my name or put your hand in mine
The empty life I knew, I leave it far behind
'Cause you gave me the love that I truly felt
Most of all you made me believe in myself
You're more than a love to me, you're my way of life
I'll forever cherish you, more each day and night
Oh,
I'm in a different world
A world that's warm, a world that's sweet
A world that's every bit complete
A world that's real, you've made me see
All the beauty surrounding me
Oh, look what you've done for me
Oh, look what you've done for me
I'm in a different world, now that you've been loving me
I'm in a different world, and that's where I want to be
I'm in a different world, now that you've been loving me...
The Four Topsโ song โIโm in a Different Worldโ expresses a feeling of disappointment and loneliness that surrounds the singer in his daily life. He feels that no matter how hard he tries, he cannot seem to make his dreams come true, and the world seems bleak and hopeless. However, when he is with the woman he loves, his entire world transforms. The love he feels for her is so intense that it makes him feel like he is in a different world, one that is sweet, warm, and complete. The womanโs love has given him a sense of pride and strength, allowing him to believe in himself and chase his dreams.
The lyrics convey a powerful message about the transformative power of love. The singer describes how his world is filled with disappointment and pain, but when he is with the woman he loves, everything changes. Her love brings him hope and joy, and he feels like he is living in an entirely different world. It is a beautiful song that celebrates the power of love and its ability to transform even the most difficult situations. The Four Topsโ powerful vocal performance adds to the emotional weight of the song, making it a true classic.
Line by Line Meaning
In this world of ups and downs my dreams all fall through
My life is full of disappointments and failures where my dreams never come true
Things just don't work out, no matter what I do
Despite my best efforts, I can't seem to make things work in my life
Disappointment haunts me, through each lonely day
The feeling of disappointment and sadness dominates my life and makes me feel lonely
The world around I see, in only shades of gray
My outlook on life is bleak and I see everything around me as dull and colorless
But when the love light shines upon my face
When I am shown love and affection by someone special in my life
I'm in a different world
My life is transformed and I experience a different and positive reality
A world I never knew, I'm in a different world
I experience a new and wonderful world that I never knew existed before
A world so sweet and true, I'm in a different world
My new world is full of sweetness and truth that I never thought was possible
I'm no longer just another face in a crowd
I feel special and unique, no longer just a part of the anonymous masses around me
Hey, look into my eyes, you'll see I'm strong and I'm proud
Confidence and pride have replaced my previous feelings of weakness and shame
You are all the sweetness of my life, you see
The person who loves me has become the source of all the sweetness and joy in my life
You have brought heaven right here on earth to me
The love and affection I receive make me feel like I am living in a heavenly realm
No man of wealth, I know I'll ever be
I don't expect to ever become a wealthy person
But I'll be satisfied just knowing you love me
I am content and happy just to be loved by the person who makes my life wonderful
On the stage of life I've played a loser's part
I have always felt like a failure and like I was playing the role of a loser in life
It seems like I've been down right from the very start
I have felt down and defeated from the beginning of my life
Every time I lift myself up off the ground
Every time I try to pick myself up and overcome my difficulties
Something always happens to bring the curtain down
Something always seems to happen to ruin my efforts and cause me to fail
Each time you speak my name or put your hand in mine
Whenever the person who loves me says my name or holds my hand
The empty life I knew, I leave it far behind
I leave behind my previous life of emptiness and sadness
'Cause you gave me the love that I truly felt
The person who loves me has given me a true and genuine feeling of love
Most of all you made me believe in myself
The love and support of the person who cares for me has helped me believe in myself and my abilities
You're more than a love to me, you're my way of life
The person who loves me is not just an object of affection but is my entire way of life
I'll forever cherish you, more each day and night
My love and gratitude towards the person who loves me will only continue to grow each day and night
A world that's warm, a world that's sweet
The new world of love and affection is warm and sweet
A world that's every bit complete
The new world of love and affection is fully fulfilling and complete in every way
A world that's real, you've made me see
The new world of love and affection is real and has been revealed to me by the person who loves me
All the beauty surrounding me
I see all the beauty in the world that surrounds me now
Oh, look what you've done for me
The person who loves me has transformed my life in wonderful ways
I'm in a different world, now that you've been loving me
My life has been completely transformed by the love and affection of the person who loves me
I'm in a different world, and that's where I want to be
I want to stay in this new world of love and affection forever
I'm in a different world, now that you've been loving me...
My life has been forever changed for the better by the love and affection of the person who loves me
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, EDWARD, JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@domoniqueayers153
WELL THIS SONG REMINDS ME OF MY OLD
FLAME & CHILDHOOD
SWEETHEART RANDY MATHIS, BUT HIS FAMILY
WANTS ME TO HAVE NO
MORE MORE CONTACT SO
BUT 4 TO 5 YRS. I HAD TO
ACCEPT MY LOSSES
AND "IT HURTS LIKE HELL"
BUT THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS & NOW
I'M ALRIGHT & HAVE MOVED ON AND I'M
ALIRGHT NOW.
@melvynamos1591
What a voice this man had just total class
@gwynethpound3841
God bless Levi for sharing his beautiful voice with us. Feel truly blessed.
@mjc5509
LEVI STUBBS ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT BLACK SOUL VOICES ..RIP
@lesleylove8564
WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCE HIS
QUEEN HAS MADE FOR HER KING
TO BECOME ONE WITH LOYALTY
AND ALL DUE RESPECT FOR ONE
ANOTHER.
@malcolmmarshall5946
I'm surprised this wasn't a huge hit record, it's outstanding!
@kevinmcdermott2120
So many brilliant songs then. This is one.
@Brickcitygirl
@Kevin Mcdermott yes indeed
@lovelylynnakamsunstoppable8564
This song was so underrated. But it's a big hit with west coast low riders!!
@devinsummer3022
My favorite 4 Tops song Levi kills this vocal as always
@trevorpettingill4871
priceless happy memories of tanners in the juke box