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."
If You Don't Want My Love
The Four Tops Lyrics
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Darling, please, let me know, let me know
If you don't want my kisses
Darling, please, tell me so, tell me so
Because this uncertainty
Is causing me so much misery, and oh
Your smile no longer shows that warm hello
And gone is the look of love when we meet
And the sweet things, the sweet things we used to speak
We've grown so far apart
Now darling, it's breaking my heart, and oh
If you don't want my love
Darling, please, let me know, let me know
Your lips no longer have that warm bliss
Your seem to turn away when we kiss
And I miss your arms [Incomprehensible] around me
And somehow I feel you don't want me
We've grown so far apart
Now darling, it's breaking my heart, and oh
If you don't want my love
Darling, please, let me know, let me know
And if you don't want my sweet, sweet kisses
Darling, please, tell me so, tell me so
If you don't want my love
The song "If You Don't Want My Love" by The Four Tops is a heart-wrenching ballad that explores the pain and confusion that come with falling out of love. In the lyrics, the singer pleads with their partner to be honest about whether or not they still want to be together. The uncertainty and lack of affection has caused significant anguish, making the singer believe that their love is unrequited. The lyrics describe the physical signs of the decay in the relationship, such as the partner's lack of glowing eyes, warm smiles, and sweet words. The singer also notes that the lack of physical intimacy, particularly in the form of kisses and loving embraces, is a further indication that their partner no longer desires them.
The song's melancholic tone, coupled with the emotive delivery of lead singer Levi Stubbs, beautifully captures the pain of a one-sided love. The Four Tops' soulful harmonies create an emotive soundscape that sets the perfect mood for the song's message. The song's chorus is a repeated plea for the partner to communicate their true feelings, as the uncertainty of the situation is causing a tremendous amount of misery.
Overall, "If You Don't Want My Love" is a timeless love song that speaks to the complexities of relationships and the fragility of the human heart.
Line by Line Meaning
If you don't want my love
If you do not desire my affection and care
Darling, please, let me know, let me know
Please inform me honestly and openly
If you don't want my kisses
If my romantic touch is not wanted by you
Darling, please, tell me so, tell me so
Please communicate your true feelings clearly to me
Because this uncertainty
The lack of clarity in our relationship
Is causing me so much misery, and oh
Is making me very unhappy and distraught
Your eyes no longer have that glow
I can no longer see the love in your eyes
Your smile no longer shows that warm hello
I can no longer feel your warmth and affection through your smile
And gone is the look of love when we meet
The look of love that used to be present when we met is now absent
And the sweet things, the sweet things we used to speak
The sweet words we used to share with each other are no longer spoken
We've grown so far apart
Our emotional distance from each other has increased greatly
Now darling, it's breaking my heart, and oh
This is causing me great emotional pain and sadness
Your lips no longer have that warm bliss
I can no longer feel the passion and tenderness in your kisses
Your seem to turn away when we kiss
You appear to be avoiding physical intimacy with me
And I miss your arms [Incomprehensible] around me
I miss your loving embrace and the feeling of safety and comfort it provided
And somehow I feel you don't want me
I have a sense that you are no longer interested in being with me
And if you don't want my sweet, sweet kisses
If my romantic touch and kisses are unwanted by you
Darling, please, tell me so, tell me so
Please be honest and open with me about your feelings towards me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JR., BRIAN HOLLAND, EDWARD HOLLAND, LAMONT HERBERT DOZIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind