Standing in the Shadows of Love
Encyclopedia
"Standing in the Shadows of Love" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Four Tops
for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s. A direct follow-up to the #1 hit "Reach Out I'll Be There
" (even featuring a similar musical arrangement), "Standing in the Shadows of Love" reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
in 1967. It is ranked #464 on Rolling Stone
's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
.
on their first album released in 1969 Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
, Barry White
, on his 1973 album I've Got So Much to Give
(with an extended instrumental intro), France Joli
on her 1983 dance album Attitude, and Hall & Oates
on their 2004 album Our Kind of Soul
. British R&B singer Craig David
samples the chorus of this track in his comeback single 'One More Lie', released in March 2010.
Phil Collins
also covered this song on his album of soul covers, Going Back
.
Great resemblance to the song is found in Michelle's electronic maxi-single "Standing Here All Alone" released in Canada in 1995 and appearing on DJ Club Mix vol. 9 in the same year.
Flesh-n-Bone
from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
sampled this song for the chorus on his single "Heartaches" released in 2011. The sampled chorus was later combined with Layzie Bone's wife singer Felicia
. However, a version with only The Four Tops also is in public circulation.
hit "Lonely Ol' Night
" from the 1985 Scarecrow
album: "Radio playing softly some singer's sad sad song. He's singing about standing in the shadows of love; I guess he feels awfully alone." In 1990, rock band Aerosmith
released the single "The Other Side
", which Holland-Dozier-Holland claimed had a riff strongly resembling "Standing in the Shadows of Love". To avoid a lawsuit, Aerosmith's lawyers arranged to give Holland-Dozier-Holland a songwriting credit on "The Other Side".
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s. A direct follow-up to the #1 hit "Reach Out I'll Be There
Reach Out I'll Be There
"Reach Out I'll Be There" is a 1966 hit song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s and is today considered The Tops' signature song...
" (even featuring a similar musical arrangement), "Standing in the Shadows of Love" reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1967. It is ranked #464 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
.
Cover versions
Artists who have covered the song include The Jackson 5The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
on their first album released in 1969 Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 is the debut album from Gary, Indiana-based soul family band The Jackson 5, released on the Motown label in December 1969...
, Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
, on his 1973 album I've Got So Much to Give
I've Got So Much to Give (album)
I've Got So Much to Give is the self-produced debut album by American R&B singer Barry White, released in 1973 on the 20th Century label. The album immediately marked out White's distinctive trademark sound , particularly via its breakout single "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More...
(with an extended instrumental intro), France Joli
France Joli
France Joli is a Canadian singer, born 1963, who is best known for the disco classic "Come to Me."-Teen stardom:A native of Montreal, Quebec, Joli grew up in the Montreal suburb of Dorion...
on her 1983 dance album Attitude, and Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
on their 2004 album Our Kind of Soul
Our Kind of Soul
Our Kind of Soul was Hall & Oates' seventeenth album of all new material, released in 2004.The album was spawned by Michael McDonald's Motown albums of around the same era. The album contains three original tracks and 14 covers of soul hits of the 1960s, '70s and '80s...
. British R&B singer Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
samples the chorus of this track in his comeback single 'One More Lie', released in March 2010.
Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
also covered this song on his album of soul covers, Going Back
Going Back (Phil Collins album)
Going Back is Phil Collins's eighth studio album. It was released on 13 September 2010 in the United Kingdom and 28 September 2010 in the United States. and features covers of 60s Motown & Soul standards...
.
Great resemblance to the song is found in Michelle's electronic maxi-single "Standing Here All Alone" released in Canada in 1995 and appearing on DJ Club Mix vol. 9 in the same year.
Flesh-n-Bone
Flesh-n-Bone
Stanley Howse, better known as Flesh-n-Bone, is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio and is known as a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony...
from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...
sampled this song for the chorus on his single "Heartaches" released in 2011. The sampled chorus was later combined with Layzie Bone's wife singer Felicia
Felicia
The name Felicia derives from the Latin adjective felix, meaning "happy", though in the neuter plural form felicia it literally means "happy things" and often occurred in the phrase tempora felicia, "happy times". The sense of it as a feminine personal name appeared in post-Classical use and is of...
. However, a version with only The Four Tops also is in public circulation.
Reference and Resemblance
The song is referenced in the John MellencampJohn Mellencamp
John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
hit "Lonely Ol' Night
Lonely Ol' Night
"Lonely Ol' Night" is a rock song written and performed by singer-songwriter John Mellencamp as John Cougar Mellencamp. It appeared on his 1985 album Scarecrow, and was released as a single, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" from the 1985 Scarecrow
Scarecrow (John Mellencamp album)
Scarecrow is the eighth album by John Mellencamp. Released in August 1985 by Mercury Records, it peaked at #2 on the U.S. charts. It was remastered and reissued on Mercury Records on May 24, 2005, with one bonus track....
album: "Radio playing softly some singer's sad sad song. He's singing about standing in the shadows of love; I guess he feels awfully alone." In 1990, rock band Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
released the single "The Other Side
The Other Side (Aerosmith song)
-Radio Single:...
", which Holland-Dozier-Holland claimed had a riff strongly resembling "Standing in the Shadows of Love". To avoid a lawsuit, Aerosmith's lawyers arranged to give Holland-Dozier-Holland a songwriting credit on "The Other Side".
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Levi StubbsLevi StubbsLevi Stubbles , better known by the stage name Levi Stubbs, was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Motown R&B group Four Tops...
- Background Vocals by Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Lawrence PaytonLawrence PaytonLawrence Albert Payton was an American tenor, songwriter and record producer for the popular Motown quartet, the Four Tops....
, and The AndantesThe AndantesThe Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...