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."
Yesterday's Dreams
The Four Tops Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like your love, girl, fading away
Yesterday's love won't last 'till tomorrow
I know you're leaving, but what can I say?
Oh (oh) wish that I could find a way
To make you stay I've got to prove to you
That I love you, I need you, oh how I need you
Don't go (don't go) don't go (don't go)
You're gonna leave me with
Yesterday's dreams though gone behind us
They're lonely reminders of plans that we made
Yesterday's plans today gone forever
But they're locked here inside me they never will fade
Although (although) you may go, time will show me
Dreamin' still, I always will
'Cause I love you, I need you, oh how I need you
Don't you go (don't go) don't you leave me, baby (don't go)
Baby don't you leave me (don't go) please don't leave me
(Don't go) here with yesterday's dreams
Although (although) you may go, time will show me
Dreamin' still, I always will
Yesterday's dreams are a small pile of ashes
With one burning hope that hangs on
The Four Tops's song "Yesterday's Dreams" paints a picture of a relationship that is on the brink of falling apart while the singer struggles to hold onto what is left of their love. The use of "Yesterday" in the title and throughout the lyrics evokes a sense of nostalgia for a time when things were better between the two people. The opening lines, "Yesterday's dreams today are sorrow / Just like your love, girl, fading away," show that their once promising dreams are now turning into a source of sadness. As the song progresses, the singer desperately tries to convince their partner not to leave them, singing "To make you stay I've got to prove to you / That I love you, I need you, oh how I need you." Despite their efforts, they realize that their relationship may be doomed, and they will be left with nothing but memories of what they once had - "Yesterday's dreams though gone behind us / They're lonely reminders of plans that we made."
What makes this song such a powerful ballad is the way it captures the pain of losing someone you love while simultaneously conveying the hope and determination to keep fighting for that love. The lyrics are simple yet poignant, beautifully sung by The Four Tops, and underscored by a soulful melody. Whether you are going through a breakup or just reflecting on past relationships, "Yesterday's Dreams" is a song that will stay with you long after it's over.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday's dreams today are sorrow
The dreams we had yesterday are now causing us sadness and pain in the present
Just like your love, girl, fading away
Just like your love which has been fading gradually, our dreams too are fading
Yesterday's love won't last 'till tomorrow
The love we had yesterday won't last until tomorrow, which is a clear indication that things have changed drastically
I know you're leaving, but what can I say?
I am aware that you are leaving, but I feel helpless and don't know what to do to make you stay
Oh (oh) wish that I could find a way
I really wish I could find a way to make you stay and not leave me alone
To make you stay I've got to prove to you
In order to make you stay, I have to do something that would convince you to change your mind
That I love you, I need you, oh how I need you
I really do love you and need you so badly that I can't imagine living without you
Don't go (don't go) don't go (don't go)
I am pleading with you not to leave me and go away
If you go, don't you know
If you leave me, do you realize what kind of impact it would have on me?
You're gonna leave me with
Yesterday's dreams though gone behind us
If you go, you will leave me with nothing but memories of the dreams that we had, which are now gone behind us
They're lonely reminders of plans that we made
These dreams are now just lonely reminders of the plans that we made together
Yesterday's plans today gone forever
The plans we had yesterday are now gone forever, which makes me feel sad and helpless
But they're locked here inside me they never will fade
Even though these dreams and plans are gone, they are still locked inside me and will never fade away completely
Although (although) you may go, time will show me
Dreamin' still, I always will
Even if you go away, I will still hold on to our dreams and will continue to dream about them
'Cause I love you, I need you, oh how I need you
My love for you is genuine, and I need you so badly that I can't imagine living without you
Don't you go (don't go) don't you leave me, baby (don't go)
Baby don't you leave me (don't go) please don't leave me
(Don't go) here with yesterday's dreams
Please don't go away and leave me here with nothing but memories of our dreams and plans from the past
Yesterday's dreams are a small pile of ashes
With one burning hope that hangs on
Our dreams from the past are now just a small pile of ashes, but there is still one burning hope that is keeping me going
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IVY JO HUNTER, JACK GOGA, PAMELA JOAN SAWYER, VERNON BULLOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
PJDooWop
It's an interesting sound for them.. This was a departure from the norm for them in the 60s.. It's a bridge between their soulful early days and smooth 70s stuff
PJDooWop
It's one of my favorite albums. Really should have gotten more exposure
Nora Enciso
a great song,not heard frequently,i love motown sounds, i adore the Four Tops..
PJDooWop
Very sad.. Levi was always one of my favorite singers. This song fully captures his soulful presence
santamara
BEST SONG I'VE HEARD IN 30 YRS. Thank you!
Nicole Boshard
I bought this album the first week it was released and have been listening to it for the past 37 years. The title cut "Yesterday's Dreams" is the greatest song of the seventies that not enough people heard, but it is like a cult movie with a growing fan base that refuse to let it die. NBoshard
Daniel Achille
This is one of the first singles I ever had when on my tenth birthday in August1968 my parents let me pick out five singles off the local station CKLW or WKNR playlist in Detroit. Two of the others were the Muffin Man and People Got To Be Free by the Rascals. This song by the Tops is an underrated classic.
Robyn Kern
It got more airplay in Detroit at the time, but I spent lots of time in Detroit where my grandparents lived and in Lansing where my mom lived Detroit played it more than even Lansing about 80 miles away, the other well listened to radio station there was WXYZ! And you are correct, its an underrated song!
no1hawk
Nobody can tell you that I love you better than me - it's got to be somebody from the 60's and the Four Tops can do it!
PJDooWop
Yeah... the whole album is an amazing piece of work. I'll be uploading some more.