Released: September 1973
After their commercially successful, but artistically underwhelming debut for ABC/Dunhill Records, the Four Tops merge art and commerce with Main Street People. It’s a quasi-concept album trying to go through the trials and tribulations of regular city folk, but in quotidian ways. It’s not going to attempt sweeping overt commentary like “What’s Going On”—co-written by Four Top Obie Benson, FYI.
The album reached #8 on the R&B charts and #66 on the pop register, the penultimate album from the group to reach the R&B top 10 and pop 100.
The album opens with a “Main Street People (Intro)”, 1:44 of the group setting the album’s scene. It’s easy enough listening and doesn’t add or detract from the proceedings.
What does add to these proceedings is “I Just Can't Get You Out of My Mind”. One song into this bad boy and the Four Tops already have outdone anything on Keeper of the Castle. It’s a quintessential 70s soul song. Electric keyboard, sweeping strings, lightly galloping drumming that evokes the burgeoning disco sound, and some top notch harmonies. The mid-tempoed ballad only reached #18 R&B and I’m pissed it didn’t get more love.
“It Won't Be The First Time” is a perfectly okay song.
“Sweet Understanding Love” is a banger. The Four Tops’ new produciton team of Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert took the classic Motown sound and gave it a 70s sheen and it is resplendent. Who can resist a floor-stomping R&B song about the glory of love? Not I! Released as the album’s second single, it hit #10 R&B and #33 pop.
“Am I My Brother's Keeper” is where the album remembers it’s trying to send a message. The song doesn’t quite reach its full promise, but what’s here is still very good. And once again the electric keyboard is doing some major work.
Okay, now a message tune that absolutley hits its mark is “Are You Man Enough”. Featured on the Shaft In Africa soundtrack, this song has great lyrics and all the drama you’d expect from a blaxploitation song. I cannot stress how much I enjoy the song’s questioning of masculinity as it asks if you’re man enough to show compassion for your fellow human.
As the album’s lead single, it reached #2 R&B and #15 pop.
The album’s second side isn’t quite as good as the first, but it maintains a very good steadiness.
“Whenever There's Blue” is a blend of soul and jazz-funk that sounds like Norman Whitfield’s contemporary work with the Temptations (think “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”), while “Too Little, Too Late” is standardfare 70s soul balladry. The Four Tops give a stately performance though.
Returning to message tunes, we have “Peace of Mind” that invokes the listener to look within themselves for meaning instead of doing things to appease so-called friends.
“One Woman Man” is a simple, understated ballad great for a summer sunset. Mellow, baby. Mellow.
Finally, we return to “Main Street People” but this time the full song, not just an intro. The song acknowledges progress like landing a man on the moon, but also reminds us that people on Main Street still have problems that are going unaddressed. It’s also filled with nostalgia lamenting that we’ve obtained material things but aren’t spiritually fulfilled.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
Hands down the second-best Four Tops album after Reach Out. A must-listen for soul connoisseurs. Although they’d have a few more decent albums and certainly really good songs, the Four Tops would never again reach such consistent heights.
Song Scores
I Just Can't Get You Out of My Mind: 8.5/10
It Won't Be The First Time: 5/10
Sweet Understanding Love: 8.5/10
Am I My Brother's Keeper:7/10
Are You Man Enough: 9/10
Whenever There's Blue: 7/10
Too Little, Too Late: 6/10
Peace of Mind: 7/10
One Woman Man: 7.5/10
Main Street People: 7/10