Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)
| "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Side A of the New Zealand single | ||||
| Single by Four Tops | ||||
| from the album Keeper of the Castle | ||||
| B-side | "The Good Lord Knows" | |||
| Released | January 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1972 | |||
| Studio | ABC, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 3:04 | |||
| Label | ABC/Dunhill | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dennis Lambert Brian Potter | |||
| Producer(s) | Dennis Lambert | |||
| Four Tops singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" is a song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, released as a single by the Four Tops on the ABC/Dunhill record label, from the album Keeper of the Castle. It peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the weeks of April 7 and 14, 1973,[1][2] number one on the Cash Box Top 100 the latter of those two weeks,[3] and became a gold record.
The song was originally recorded by the singing trio of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds and released on their 1972 album, Hallway Symphony.
The Four Tops' hit version was led by longtime singer Levi Stubbs, and included special co-lead spots by the other Tops, Lawrence Payton, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Abdul "Duke" Fakir, in that respective order during the chorus. The words tell about the love a man feels for the woman with whom he is having a relationship.
It was the Four Tops' second single release on ABC after leaving Motown in 1972, and became their most successful post-Motown top 40 hit, reaching number four on the US Pop Singles chart. It was also another big success for the group on the US R&B Singles chart, where it peaked at number two.
Billboard said that "Levi Stubbs' lead vocal carries the quartet though a moving arrangement which has pop as well as soul overtones. Nice mellow strings give the tune soft lilt as the tale of fond affection unravels."[4] Record World said "Levi Stubbs' voice still brings chills to the spine. Ain't no sound, like the one they've got!"[5]
Chart performance
Weekly charts
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM [6] | 11 |
| U.S. Adult Contemporary | 14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100 [3] | 1 |
| U.S. R&B | 2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1973) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard [7] | 60 |
| U.S. Cash Box [8] | 38 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[9] | Gold | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Other cover versions
Additional interpretations include those by: Pete Marquez, Bloodfire Posse; Mel Brown; East Coast Band; The Friends of Distinction; Home T; Kashif; Louie; Johnny Mathis; and Melvin Sparks. The song was later reinterpreted by Jay-Z and Foxy Brown in their 1996 hit, "Ain't No Nigga".
Personnel
- Lead and background vocals by Levi Stubbs, Lawrence Payton, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Abdul "Duke" Fakir
- Produced by Dennis Lambert
- Tony Terran - trumpet
References
- ^ The Hot 100, Week of April 7, 1973 – Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020
- ^ The Hot 100, Week of April 14, 1973 – Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020
- ^ a b "Cash Box Top 100 4/14/73".
- ^ "Radio Action and Pick Singles" (PDF). Billboard. January 27, 1973. p. 125. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 3, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
- ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
- ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1973". Retrieved 2016-06-25.
- ^ "American single certifications – Four Tops – No Woman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 8, 2024.