Ask the Lonely (Four Tops song)

"Ask the Lonely" is a soul/pop ballad recorded by Motown singing group the Four Tops. Released as the group's third single, the single became the group's second successful single since signing with Motown in 1963. Released in 1965, the song rose to no. 24 on the pop chart and no. 9 on the R&B one. It is notable for being co-written by longtime Motown staffer Mickey Stevenson, as most of the group's hits on Motown were written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. Levi Stubbs sang the lead, with The Andantes joining the other Tops (Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul "Duke" Fakir) on the background vocals. The music was performed by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra provided the instrumentation.

Billboard described the song as a "strong ballad follow-up to 'Without the One You Love.'" Cash Box described the single as a "throbbing cha cha beat heartbreaker...that the serve up with loads of feeling." Record World said that "the Tops should get a listen or two with this heavily produced rouser."

References

"Ask The Lonely / Where Did You Go - Four Tops". discogs.com. 5 January 1965. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 212.
"Singles Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. January 30, 1965. p. 39. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
"CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 30, 1965. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
"Singles Reviews" (PDF). Record World. January 30, 1965. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-07-22.

v t e Four Tops
Ronnie McNeir Lawrence "Roquel" Payton, Jr. Alexander Morris Michael Brock Harold Bonhart Levi Stubbs Renaldo "Obie" Benson Lawrence Payton Theo Peoples Abdul "Duke" Fakir
Studio albums	Four Tops Four Tops Second Album On Top On Broadway Reach Out Yesterday's Dreams Four Tops Now! Soul Spin Still Waters Run Deep Changing Times Keeper of the Castle Main Street People Meeting of the Minds Night Lights Harmony Catfish The Show Must Go On At the Top Tonight! One More Mountain Back Where I Belong Magic Indestructible Christmas Here with You
Albums with The Supremes	The Magnificent 7 The Return of the Magnificent Seven Dynamite
Compilations and live albums	Four Tops Live! The Four Tops Greatest Hits Live & in Concert The Ultimate Collection
Singles	"Baby I Need Your Loving" "Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)" "Ask the Lonely" "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" "It's the Same Old Song" "Something About You" "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" "Reach Out I'll Be There" "Standing in the Shadows of Love" "Bernadette" "7 Rooms of Gloom" "Walk Away Renée" "If I Were a Carpenter" "Yesterday's Dreams" "I'm in a Different World" "It's All in the Game" "Still Water (Love)" "A Simple Game" "Keeper of the Castle" "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" "When She Was My Girl" "Loco in Acapulco"
Related topics	Discography The Andantes Holland–Dozier–Holland The Supremes

v t e Four Tops singles discography
1960s	1964 "Baby I Need Your Loving" "Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)" 1965 "Ask the Lonely" "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" "It's the Same Old Song" "Something About You" 1966 "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)" "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" "Reach Out I'll Be There" "Standing in the Shadows of Love" 1967 "Bernadette" "7-Rooms of Gloom" / "I'll Turn to Stone" "You Keep Running Away" 1968 "Walk Away Renée" "If I Were a Carpenter" "Yesterday's Dreams" "I'm in a Different World" 1969 "What Is a Man" "Do What You Gotta Do" "Don't Let Him Take Your Love from Me"
1970s	1970 "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (re-issue) "It's All in the Game" "Still Water (Love)" "River Deep – Mountain High" (with The Supremes) 1971 "Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)" "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" (with The Supremes) "In These Changing Times" "MacArthur Park (Part II)" 1972 "A Simple Game" "Bernadette" (re-issue) "Walk with Me, Talk with Me, Darling" "(It's the Way) Nature Planned It" "Keeper of the Castle" 1973 "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" "Are You Man Enough" "Sweet Understanding Love" 1974 "I Just Can't Get You Out of My Mind" "One Chain Don't Make No Prison" "Midnight Flower" 1975 "Seven Lonely Nights" "We All Gotta Stick Together" 1976 "Catfish" "I'm Glad You Walked into My Life"
1980s	1981 "When She Was My Girl" "Don't Walk Away" 1982 "Let Me Set You Free" "Back to School Again" "Sad Hearts" "Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over" 1983 "I Believe in You and Me" "I Just Can't Walk Away" 1985 "Sexy Ways" 1988 "Reach Out I'll Be There" (re-issue) "If Ever a Love There Was" (with Aretha Franklin) "Indestructible" "Loco in Acapulco" 1989 "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine"

Four Tops singles discography

1960s

1964: "Baby I Need Your Loving"; "Without the One You Love (Life's Not Worth While)"

1965: "Ask the Lonely"; "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"; "It's the Same Old Song"; "Something About You"

1966: "Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)"; "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever"; "Reach Out I'll Be There"; "Standing in the Shadows of Love"

1967: "Bernadette"; "7-Rooms of Gloom" / "I'll Turn to Stone"; "You Keep Running Away"

1968: "Walk Away Renée"; "If I Were a Carpenter"; "Yesterday's Dreams"; "I'm in a Different World"

1969: "What Is a Man"; "Do What You Gotta Do"; "Don't Let Him Take Your Love from Me"

1970s

1970: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (re-issue); "It's All in the Game"; "Still Water (Love)"; "River Deep – Mountain High" (with The Supremes)

1971: "Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)"; "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" (with The Supremes); "In These Changing Times"; "MacArthur Park (Part II)"

1972: "A Simple Game"; "Bernadette" (re-issue); "Walk with Me, Talk with Me, Darling"; "(It's the Way) Nature Planned It"; "Keeper of the Castle"

1973: "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)"; "Are You Man Enough"; "Sweet Understanding Love"

1974: "I Just Can't Get You Out of My Mind"; "One Chain Don't Make No Prison"; "Midnight Flower"

1975: "Seven Lonely Nights"; "We All Gotta Stick Together"

1976: "Catfish"; "I'm Glad You Walked into My Life"

1980s

1981: "When She Was My Girl"; "Don't Walk Away"

1982: "Let Me Set You Free"; "Back to School Again"; "Sad Hearts"; "Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over"

1983: "I Believe in You and Me"; "I Just Can't Walk Away"

1985: "Sexy Ways"

1988: "Reach Out I'll Be There" (re-issue); "If Ever a Love There Was" (with Aretha Franklin); "Indestructible"; "Loco in Acapulco"

1989: "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine"

This 1960s single-related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: