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."
Reflections
The Four Tops Lyrics
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Time after time
I see reflections of you and me
Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me
Oh, I'm all alone now
No love to shield me
Trapped in a world
That's a distorted reality
Happiness you took from me
And left me all alone
With only memories
Through the mirror of my mind
Through all these tears that I'm crying
Reflects a hurt I can't control
Although you're gone
I keep holding on
To those happy times
Oh, girl when you were mine
As I peer through the windows
Of lost time
Keeping looking over my yesterdays
And all the love I gave all in vain
(All the love) All the love
That I've wasted
(All the tears) All the tears
That I've tasted
All in vain
Through the hollow of my tears
I see a dream that's lost
From the hurt baby
That you have caused
Everywhere I turn
Seems like everything I see
Reflects a hurt I can't control
In you I put
All my hope and trust
Right before my eyes
My whole world has turned to dust
Reflections of
The love you took from
Reflections of
The way life used to be
In you I put
All my hope and trust
Right before my eyes
My whole world has turned to dust
Now baby, why did you do it?
Reflections
in this song refers to the memories that the singer cannot escape from. He sees reflections of himself and his former lover everywhere, even in his own mind. He admits to being alone and trapped in a distorted reality where happiness is something he can only remember. She took away his love and left him with only memories.
The singer continues to hold onto those happy times when they were together, but also admits to looking back on his past with regret. He sees all the love he gave as being wasted and all the tears he tasted as being in vain. He depicts a dream that he has lost due to the hurt caused by his lover. Everywhere he turns he sees the hurt that he can't control, wondering why she could do this to him.
The lyrics of Reflections are powerful and emotional, expressing a sadness that lingers long after the end of a relationship. The mirror metaphor used throughout the song symbolises the singer's inability to escape his memories, constantly reminded of what he has lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the mirror of my mind
Looking back in my thoughts
Time after time
Repeatedly
I see reflections of you and me
Memories of our time together
Reflections of
Memories about
The way life used to be
How things were before
Reflections of
Memories about
The love you took from me
How you broke my heart
Oh, I'm all alone now
Lonely without you
No love to shield me
Without protection from love's pain
Trapped in a world
Stuck in a reality
That's a distorted reality
Which is not clear or truthful
Happiness you took from me
The joy you stole from me
And left me all alone
With no one to turn to
With only memories
Only recollections of what was
Through the mirror of my mind
Looking back in my thoughts
Through all these tears that I'm crying
Despite all the pain I feel
Reflects a hurt I can't control
Reminds me of the pain I can't escape
Although you're gone
Even though you've left me
I keep holding on
I can't let go
To those happy times
To the moments we shared
Oh, girl when you were mine
When you were with me
As I peer through the windows
When I look back
Of lost time
At the past that's gone
Keeping looking over my yesterdays
Thinking about my past
And all the love I gave all in vain
The love I gave without a return
(All the love) All the love
So much love
(All the tears) All the tears
So many tears
That I've wasted
That I've given away needlessly
Through the hollow of my tears
Through the painful tears
I see a dream that's lost
I see the dream that's gone
From the hurt baby
From the pain you caused
That you have caused
That you brought upon me
Everywhere I turn
No matter where I look
Seems like everything I see
It feels like every sight I behold
Reflects a hurt I can't control
Reminds me of the pain I can't shake off
In you I put
I trusted
All my hope and trust
All of my faith and belief
Right before my eyes
I saw it happening
My whole world has turned to dust
My whole life has crumbled
Now baby, why did you do it?
Why did you break my heart?
Reflections
Memories of love lost
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID BRYAN BENOIT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind