The Four Tops, I Believe in You and Me | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 167^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “I Believe in You and Me” by The Four Tops. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 167^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2023), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “I Believe in You and Me”, performed by 🎙 The Four Tops.

Believe it or not, they recorded it first.  That’s right, 🎙 The Four Tops originally recorded 🎵 “I Believe in You and Me”.  The ballad appears as the fourth track on the collective’s 1982 album, 💿 One More Mountain.  It was written by 🎼 ✍ David Wolfert and Sandy Linzer, with Wolfert also producing the record.  By this time, the iconic collective were well past their prime, with their most lucrative period occurring in the 1960s and early 1970s.  Still, they earned a hit prior to “I Believe in You and Me” in 1981 with 🎵 “When She Was My Girl” which reached no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. “I Believe in You and Me” wouldn’t even dent the pop charts, unfortunately, settling for a meh no. 40 peak on the R&B songs chart. Even with a lack of commercial success, there are lots of reasons the original “I Believe in You and Me” is awesome.

“I believe in you and me

I believe that we will be

In love eternally

As far as I can see

You will always be the one for me

Oh, yes you will.”

The songwriting is lovely, period.  The melodies are tuneful.  Furthermore, the vocals (lead by the late, great 🎙 Levi Stubbs) are electrifying, superbly bringing those melodies to life.  The backdrop, initially piano 🎹, expanding to include rhythm section and strings, is gorgeous as well, fueling ⛽️ the fire 🔥 of The Four Tops.  Honestly, listening to how sophisticated this record is, it is surprising that the collective didn’t gain more traction with this song.  Ultimately, 🎵 “I Believe in You and Me” is a late gem from The Four Tops that’s worth revisiting four decades later.

🎙 The Four Tops • 💿 One More Mountain • 🏷 Geffen • 🗓 1982

 The Four Tops, I Believe in You and Me: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 167 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Geffen; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]