Well, I'll never listen to their recording of this song again anyway. This is the new definitive version. The Motown one has been demoted. I'm finding this seriously addictive. I just need it on CD now.

It's cool but ain't nothing like the real thing.

It's just something about Levi's voice, the Andantes/Four Tops backup and the orchestra that just makes it stick for me.

But Cyndi and dude did a decent cover. Doesn't make me stop listening to the Motown original.
[Edited 2/9/08 13:01pm]
[Edited 2/9/08 13:01pm]

This version made me notice the words more. "The empty sidewalks on the block are not the same/ You're not to blame". I still dig the original, but this one made me feel the sentiment a bit more. It's more mournful, which suits the words. Sometimes I feel with Motown it's like they didn't want to go there, so they had to whitewash those darker edges by piling on lots of orchestration. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Motown freak for life, but sometimes I like the darker stuff. This is the raw, no bones version. Just this once, I feel someone actually improved on the original.

midnightmover said:

Yeah I feel you. Blame it on Holland-Dozier-Holland, they had the instruments up to a degree that you couldn't even hear what the singer was saying. The backgrounds also were turned up more. If Smokey had produced it, you would've heard the lyrics more clearly.

Timmy84 said:

Yeah, it's the melody too. I've been walking down the street with that chorus in my head for days now. I never noticed how great it was before.

midnightmover said:

Yeah that was some fine melodies and harmonies in that performance.

I love the hell out of Cyndi Lauper but y'all straight tripping.

SexyBeautifulOne said:

Oh no I love the original, SBO. I surely wouldn't avoid the Four Tops' one after hearing Cyndi's anyway.
[Edited 2/9/08 14:24pm]

If you say so.

Is the Four Tops version of this song that well known? I'm only aware of the one by the Left Banke, who wrote the song and (I thought) made it famous. I haven't heard the Four Tops take on it, but I definitely love the Left Banke's record.

damosuzuki said:

The Four Tops version is pretty well known. It isn't among their top-tier hits, but I'd say it's a strong second-tier song. If you asked Tops fans to name 10 of their hits, I think most people would name it.

damosuzuki said:

Yeah, I guessed that the Four Tops version was a cover just by the writing style, but since I wasn't sure, I didn't bother mentioning it. It's like their version of "Just Ask The Lonely". As soon as you heard it you knew it was an outside song given the Motown treatment.

Just listened to the Four Tops version again, and I'm definitely right. They've put that jolly Motown beat under it, and over-orchestrated it. It sounds a bit corny. Of course I realise some folks will be having heart attacks hearing me say that about a Motown hit. Motown is sacred and you are likely to be stripped naked and burnt upon a stake if you dare to suggest anyone could improve on a Motown recording, but y'all best get the stake ready, 'cos midnightmover's spitting the truth right now. This version is better, cooler, and more grown-up than the Motown version.
[Edited 2/10/08 5:56am]

Just in case anyone gets me wrong, let me say there are dozens of Motown recordings which could never be improved upon. "Just My Imagination", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", etc. But as Cyndi and the French guy proved, "Walk Away Renee" is not one of those tunes.

P.S. I hope some of you will realise too, that the title of this thread is deliberately overstated. I have no intention of removing The Four Tops from my listening list. I just liked the way the phrase sounded.

Eh, I prefer the faster tempo. This version is nice, but it's a little boring.

The original version by the Left Banke:


[Edited 2/10/08 7:46am]