Lead singer Levi Stubbs delivers many of the lines in the song in a tone that straddles the line between singing and shouting, like he did in 1965's "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)".
This song differs markedly from the Four Tops' earlier efforts, due to the highly-contrasting shifts between minor and major, and also major and augmented chords. These contrasting tonal shades form the hook for which the song is so well known. The Four Tops would rely on this formula for several subsequent releases.
The song is featured prominently in the final scene and the closing credits of the 1975 motion picture Cooley High, a coming-of-age film starring Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs.
PWL remixed the song in 1988. The remix was done by Phil Harding & Ian Curnow. The 12" Remix runs 6:05 and the Radio Edit runs 3:10.
Reach Out I'll Be There
The Four Tops Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 crumblin' down
Darling, reach out, come on girl, reach on out for me
Reach out, reach out for me
I'll be there, with a love that will shelter you
When you feel lost and about to give up
'Cause your best just ain't good enough
And you feel the world has grown cold
And you're 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
I'll be there, to love and comfort you
And I'll be there, to cherish and care for you
I'll be there, with a love that will see you through
I'll be there to love and comfort you
I can tell the way you hang your head
You're without love and now you're afraid
And through your tears you look around
But there's no peace of mind to be found
I know what you're thinkin'
You're 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
I'll be there, to give you all the love you need
And I'll be there, you can always depend on me
I'll be there, to give you all the love you need
I'll be there, you can always depend on me
I'll be there
The Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There" is a song about the power of love and the support one can receive from others. The lyrics speak to people who feel lost, alone, and hopeless. It provides a message of hope, encouraging listeners to reach out for help when they need it. The opening lines empathize with people when they feel emotionally exhausted and that everything has fallen apart, and they're not getting happiness anywhere around them. It's a recognition that these feelings are real and not to be underestimated.
In the second verse, the lyrics address the theme of failure and feeling like you aren't enough. The song speaks to a universal feeling of being stuck and helpless, and sometimes, all one feels they need is a helping hand. The song suggests that nobody ever needs to face these feelings alone, and that it's essential to reach out for help, support, and love.
The chorus underscores the message of hope and the power of love. When the world seems like it's crumblin' down, and there is no peace of mind to be found, the lyrics encourage the listener to "reach out" and remind them that they're never alone. The repeated chorus also reinforces the message of the song's intensity, leaving it imprinted in the listener's mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if you feel that you can't go on
When you feel like giving up
Because all of your hope is gone
When you've lost all hope
And your life is filled with much confusion
When everything in your life is a mess
Until happiness is just an illusion
When happiness seems impossible
And your world around is crumblin' down
When your world is falling apart
Darling, reach out, come on girl, reach on out for me
Ask for my help, I'm here for you
Reach out, reach out for me
Ask me for help
I'll be there, with a love that will shelter you
I'll protect you with my love
I'll be there, with a love that will see you through
I'll help you get through it with my love
When you feel lost and about to give up
When you feel hopeless
'Cause your best just ain't good enough
When your best isn't enough
And you feel the world has grown cold
When the world feels cold and unwelcoming
And you're drifting out all on your own
When you feel alone and isolated
And you need a hand to hold
When you need someone to support you
I'll be there, to love and comfort you
I'll love and comfort you
And I'll be there, to cherish and care for you
I'll cherish and care for you
I can tell the way you hang your head
I can see you're feeling down
You're without love and now you're afraid
You're scared because you feel unloved
And through your tears you look around
When you're crying and feeling lost
But there's no peace of mind to be found
When you can't find peace of mind
I know what you're thinkin'
I understand what you're going through
You're alone now, no love of your own
You feel alone and unloved
Just look over your shoulder
I'm always with you
I'll be there, to give you all the love you need
I'll give you all the love you need
You can always depend on me
You can always count on me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Holland Jr., Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind