Still Water (Love)
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| "Still Water (Love)" | |
|---|---|
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| Single by The Four Tops | |
| from the album Still Waters Run Deep | |
| Released | 1970 |
| Genre | Soul, pop |
| Length | 3:13 |
| Label | Motown |
| Songwriter(s) | Smokey Robinson, Frank Wilson[1][unreliable source?] |
| Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson, Frank Wilson |
"Still Water (Love)" is a 1970 hit single written by Smokey Robinson and Frank Wilson (who also produced the track) for the Motown singing group Four Tops. The B-side was "Still Water (Peace)"[2] and both songs appear on the 1970 album Still Waters Run Deep.
Background
The socially conscious single was a departure from the group's past recordings and produced a smoother sound than the raucous Norman Whitfield productions that belayed on The Temptations. The single features Miracles member Marv Tarplin on guitar and The Andantes adding in additional background vocals shouting out "Still water!". Singers Brenda Joyce Evans and Billie Rae Calvin, brought to Motown by Bobby Taylor (and soon to be part of Norman Whitfield's group The Undisputed Truth), also add backing vocals. This song was noted for its repeated chord phrases, beginning with E-Flat Major, shifting to C Minor, then to B-Flat Major, before re to E-Flat Major, over and over again, with any changes or alterations to the song's fade.
Personnel
- Lead vocal by Levi Stubbs
- Background vocals by Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Lawrence Payton and Renaldo "Obie" Benson
- Additional background vocals by The Andantes (Louvain Demps, Marlene Barrow, and Jackie Hicks), Brenda Joyce Evans and Billie Rae Calvin
- Produced by Frank Wilson
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers:
- Uriel Jones – drums
- James Jamerson – bass
- Robert White – guitar
- Eddie Willis – guitar
- Joe Messina – guitar
- Marv Tarplin (of The Miracles) – guitar
- Jack Ashford – vibes
- Earl Van Dyke – harpsichord, Hammond organ
Chart performance
"Still Water (Love)" went to #4 on the Hot Soul Singles chart[3] and was The Four Tops' first Top Ten R&B hit since 1967's "Bernadette". and to #11 in the US Pop Chart.[4] Outside the US, the song peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Chart.[5]
Cover versions
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- In 1982, O'Bryan covered the song for his album, Doin' Alright.
References
- ^ "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/Four-Tops-Still-Water/release/6315887
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 212.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2010). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition: Complete Chart Information. Billboard Books. ISBN 9780307985125.
- ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.