FOUR TOPS - I CAN’T HELP MYSELF / IT’S THE SAME OLD SONG

I CAN’T HELP MYSELF

Released : April 23, 1965

Charted:  UK: #10     US: #1 (2 weeks)

The song was written by the wildly successful Motown team of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland. The melody of this song is very similar to "Where Did Our Love Go," which Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote for The Supremes. According to Lamont Dozier, the title came about because he couldn't help himself from working with the same tune.

Lamont Dozier told the story behind this song: "I stayed with my grandmother when I was a kid. She owned her own home beauty shop, and when the women would come up the walkway to get their hair done, my grandfather would be pedaling around in the garden. He was a bit of a flirt, and would say, 'How you doin', sugar pie? Good morning, honey bunch.' He was one of those types of guys. My grandmother had a big bay window to the front of the house. She'd say, 'Look at that old codger - he thinks I don't see. I know what he's doing.' He was just flirting with his big smile. I'm sitting there on the porch watching this - I'm probably 11 or 12. I was like a sponge, soaking it up. Years later, at Motown, I'm sitting at the piano. I'd take these mind trips back to my childhood, and I'm trying to see what this piano part is telling me. Sure enough, there my grandfather is, pedaling in the garden. That memory comes to my mind's eye, and I know where the song is supposed to go. I hear him saying, 'Good morning, sugar pie. How you doin', honey bunch?' That's what started it."

Like many listeners who felt the lyrics were a little too sugary, lead singer Levi Stubbs hated this song - the quartet cut it at the insistence of producer Brian Holland. After recording the song, Stubbs was still upset. Holland reassured him that they could re-record it the following day, but there was no second try and take 2 was released as the single.

This was the first US #1 hit for The Four Tops, and it was a big one, topping the Hot 100 for two weeks and the R&B chart for an amazing nine. In the UK, this was the group's first single, issued with their American Motown debut, "Baby I Need Your Loving," as the B-side. It was released to coincide with their first European tour in the summer of 1965, and reached #23. In 1970, it was re-released in the UK and hit #10.

I’TS THE SAME OLD SONG

Released : July 9, 1965

Charted:  UK: #34    US: #5 

"It's the Same Old Song" was recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. It was released in 1965 as the second single from their second album. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is today one of The Tops' signatures, and was reportedly created from initial concept to commercial release in 24 hours.

The Four Tops were signed to Columbia Records in 1960, releasing just one single - "Ain't That Love" (written by their lead singer, Levi Stubbs) - before moving on to Riverside Records and eventually joining Motown in 1963. As "I Can't Help Myself" was coming off the charts, word got out that Columbia was going to re-release "Ain't That Love" to capitalize on the group's sudden success. Motown head Berry Gordy made a big push to thwart this, and put the rush on a new song. Fortunately, Holland-Dozier-Holland were very good at reworking their hits - they did it the previous year when they followed up their Martha & The Vandellas smash "Heat wave” with the copycat "Quicksand." The Four Tops were also up for the task, as they were one of the most seasoned Motown acts. HDH quickly wrote the song, and on Thursday, July 8, it was furiously recorded and pressed. It was delivered to radio stations the next day, and by that Monday, it was in stores. Columbia did issue "Ain't That Love," but it stalled at #93 on the Hot 100.

This was the follow-up to The Four Tops' big hit "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)". It's common practice for groups to record a sound-alike to capitalize on the success of a hit, but this one is so similar that even the title is a nod to its similarity - it's "the same old song." But there's a reason why Holland-Dozier-Holland are one of the most successful songwriting teams ever assembled: even their knock-off hits had deeper meanings, and in this case it's a song about heartache, as The Tops sing about hearing a song a different way after a breakup. Many listeners who felt the "sugar pie, honey bunch" of "I Can't Help Myself" was a little too sweet preferred the more poignant lyrics of "It's the Same Old Song."

"It's the Same Old Song" is very similar in melody and chord progressions to "I Can't Help Myself", which in turn is even more similar in melody and chord progressions to "Where Did Our Love Go" by the Supremes, who covered "It's the Same Old Song" in 1967.