baby I need your lovin’

jratlee:

RIP Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops

last saturday night i had an itch i needed to scratch.  i had seen the secret life of bees movie trailer a bit ago and that one scene where they guy is singing to the honey was sticking out in my mind.  the song was familiar, but it felt genuine at the same time.  it was a moment that made me smile, when his solo to jars of honey broke out into the recorded chorus of the four tops’ hit.  i kept on watching the trailer for that scene, and i finally asked pop who sang [katie sings the one line that she knows from the movie].  mama joined in for the second line, and pop said “four tops!”  ahhhhh.  this is what my parents boogied to when they were teenagers.

so sunday morning i did another vinyl dig.  i unearthed another greatest hits compilation, this time for the four tops, and put it on.  pop was down in the kitchen with me, and when he first heard it playing he put on a sour face.  “clean the needle.”  there we go.  unfortunately the greatest hits album had a medley of this song along with others, so i didn’t get the whole song, but i got the good feeling.  i listened through the rest of their stuff, and learned that these are the men behind “sugar pie honey bunch,” a familiar tune that often pops into my head (and out my mouth) without me really knowing where it was from.  i also thought it was “sugar pie honey bun,” which means i truly only learned it by ear.

anyway, then betsy woke up and was growly at me because i had the music on too loud.  but i’ve decided that i need to start my mornings with motown more often.

also, i’ll probably go see the secret life of bees.