Four Tops: Bernadette (live)

[simontig]

There's something about Levi Stubbs' voice that just makes me feel alive and full of energy and happy! So thank you Levi!!

[charleslytle]

this is before 2003 because obie benson died in 2003=but he is playing jon this clip so ti is not 2004= thanks for wrong info/

[Jimmynotes]

@charleslytle Obie passed away in 2005. Levi suffered a stroke and was forced to retire in 2000. So it still couldn't be from after 2000.

[missi625]

@charleslytle obei died in 2005

[slws1001]

Miss Motown. Don't think we'll ever hear anything new resembling this again.

[usgymnastics2012]

Yours sincerely...Howard Walowitz! lol

[IamSqueegie]

Really awesome performance!

[99strange]

nothing but the gods honest Truth,99

[charleslytle]

does anyone know where and what year did levi perform before he got ill in 1999 or2000. pleasepostit if you do know. i think it was a little after this performance

[charleslytle]

levi was the epitamy of singing with soul, spirit, and love. you are non replaceable in life levi. you are nuber one forever. i hope all afro amnericans will like this. dont get hooked on rap. this is much better

[alishadtaylor]

All tops & temps fans pm me so we can talk about the bands & band members!!!...

[tombannister]

God Bless You Levi. 100% Soul 24 Carat Pure

[jimmieskaggs]

magical

[moneytreeForU]

now that is some smooth music...

[charleslytle]

this is 1999 or so,levi stopped singing with group due to health problems.

[rserrano06]

Thanks Howard Wolowitz!!

[Seashelldiver]

THANK GOD FOR REAL MUSIC !!!! LEVI WAS ONE OF THE VERY BEST.....MORE SOUL IN HIS LITTLE TOE THAN THESE YOUNG CATS NOW.......R.I.P. LEVI

[40berni1]

Ha ha I'm Bernadette lol

[caropola251]

Levi Stubbs was gifted! I wonder if he was the greatest Soul voice of all-time?  For me, only, it's Levi Stubbs, with apologies to Wilson Pickett, David Ruffin, Smoky Robinson, et al. John

[katekate921]

nobody has ever come near to being as good as the tops

[BMMRL311]

hahha my names Bernadette :)

[nyc1rob]

the world misses one of the truly great voices ever....Mr. Levi Stubbs....r.i.p. my man....

[excidedous]

THESE GUYS HAVE MORE CLASS Than the entire Pop Music Culture x 10

[99strange]

WHO DO LOVE MORE LIVI OR JIM , HA,, 99 thinks both deserve equal LOVING, cause the both are the Gods of your life...

[mazgolightly]

Hey Saxman - you may only be 15, but you have the music soul of a 60s 15-year old raised on tamla !

[zapperl]

levi stubbs genial vocalist

[aja007]

The ringtone for my lovely wife on my mobile!...btw her name's Bernadette!

[spirit10133]

There's a mean fat lady who works at the BurgerKing close to me named Bernadette!

[crackfarm76]

one of my top ten songs of all time

[ezar4442]

A great song TIMLESS1

[pilesovinyl]

A lot of people think the Temptations were better but to me, Levi Stubbs and the Tops were better. Levi had such a powerful, gritty, raw vocal sound- it just lifted their hits to that next level. I appreciated these songs for 40+ years and will miss Levi, hopefully he`s harmonizing with Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and others...

[poppopy101101]

my name is Bernadette :)

[ilovecatsgingi]

Nothing but class!!Could listen to them day and night.I just love Levi's voice1

[soulbrother61]

If you have EVER heard a better male vocalist get it uploaded and let us all hear it.... Levi Stubbs....R.I.P

[blazzerv6]

My favorite Song Burnadette

[ladybyrd51]

ok i just played for my nanny

[pjt759]

Levi Stubbs has the most wonderful voice. There will never be another voice like his.. God bless his sweet heart.. love you Levi Stubbs thank you for sharing your beautiful voice with all of us...

[ahayes1217]

Great bass line!

[viannaprod]

this is GENIAL

uahsaushauhu

[lincsposter]

stunning! Saw them in Manchester UK! Brill act!

[matchboxpatty]

That great voice of Audrey from "Little Shop of Horrors". FEED ME SEYMOUR!!

[nyc1rob]

Levi Stubbs...R.I.P. you are very much missed....Props to Obie, Lawrence too....

[twelvemeister]

sounds to me like he's overplaying , not the feel of jamerson

[76alembic]

A great take on a classis Jamerson line.He pays homage to it ,and then makes it his own on that 5 string Alembic, Killer tone ,very strong,voice. 10/10,excellent player.

[redfishradical]

Soul music back when it was just that, music with a soul. Fun, funky, positive, thoughtful and full of class.

Loved Sam & Dave, Otis & Marvin et al, but for my jack the power & glory of Levi is the great all time power, soulful, voice for all genres of rock!

RIP boys, hopefully someday I'll have earned my way up to listen to you live!

[BelleVue1969]

My all-time favourites and musical heroes since 1965.

Fourtops4ever can you post dvd title please?

6*

[FOURTOPS4EVER]

Great song, I have this perfromance on DVD.

[TheJazzlady40]

My fav song by th Four Tops Levi has one of the best soul voices of all time

[puddin6010]

Damn, they look sooo Good....Secure men wear pink....hahahaha

[matttooke1]

This is what music is meant to be full of passion & soul.

[ogvinylrichie]

i agree this was music,what we have now is just entertainment

[free2bpoppie]

The bassist is playing too many notes, he should let the sniging sell the song, the people wanted to hear the tops, not the bottom! (if you get my meaning.)

[diamondjeff1]

Maybe that's the way the MD wanted it played.

[Pure2006]

i disagree. listen to the first few verses, he simplifies it massively to make it less busy and easier to follow for the vocalists. he does this and still manages to add some tasteful flourishses and slap parts. it's different from the original but an amazing piece in it's own right. he builds it up as the song progresses and to me, this not only sounds natural but exciting, too. bass player = 10/10

[stevevox1]

Absolutely brilliant, Levi Stubbs voice is stunning and so full of emotion, brilliant & thanks for posting, 5's

[gurlzrool]

lol ma grandma name iz bernadette and she hates this song

luv playing it when she's around

[rickysbestgirl]

how could grandma possibly not like this song?

[ilovecortbass]

what is that bass player doing! hes ruining it!

james jamerson must be cursing right now

[Geepsterr]

Jamerson was great and so is this guy, or he wouldn't have the gig. Maybe you should sit home and listen to the record...and I'm not being a wise guy. The record is immensely valid but it was improvised and IMO so it should be again.

[SupaStarry]

Bernadette is one of my fave Four Tops songs!

[SteelerJsun]

RIP Levi

[bbd691]

wow!!!!! my cousins would sing this to me when i was a lil girl...so soulful,...amazing x

[bikerbud411]

bernadette the girl was my first love,then came the song,bernadette has joined levi,may their spirits soar forever,Amen.

[54spiritedwill54]

Long live the great Levi Stubbs.

[promtaet]

four kings on the stage for prinsess name Bernadette

[jetdax]

Levi must have one have one of the greatest voices EVER

[Benzgirl123]

I Love this song soooo much, yes I remember, I still have the 45's and Albums, and a Sony turntable. The D should bring back all of the GREAT Singers and have a Major Woodstock with SOUL!!! Love this Era!!!

[yzerfan75]

That's an AWESOME idea!!! I'm in North Carolina but would make that trip without batting an eye!! I wonder if it could happen?

[janusznovak]

Sweet. Temptations and Four Tops define an era

[JakeJax]

absolutely. whats neat about this clip is It has Theo Peoples (second from our right). He was a Temptation for 6 years, and Then became a four top. talk about a career...

[celtica99]

I played the hell out of this 45 back in the day (anyone remember 45's and record players? lol) Love love love this song and these guys!

[tedkay]

I saw this Tour!! in B-more

[freepussy]

The 4 tops and Motown music brought the races together 50 years ago. Levi is right up there with Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Jesse Belvin and Otis Redding...no one can ever touch these guys. What the hell do we have now...dweeb wanna bees like like Kanye & Akon.....from Motown to crap in 50 years...shame!

[lincsposter]

Motown is 50! Happy Birthday from the United Kingdom!

[mazgolightly]

Tamla Motown rocks. Keep your new stuff - it doesnt hold a candle to this music. The singers and their harmonies, the music and lyrics, the production. And the artists behaved like artists instead of brandishing drugs and booze on stage and for the paparazzi. Many of todays 'artists' have no class! And like ABC sang - "When Smokey sings" .....

[adamweishaupt81]

...I hear violins :-)

[buddhaman4518]

@adamweishaupt81 Great video. I don't think it was 2004. Stubbs suffered his stroke in 2000 and quit performing.

[precisionb]

@adamweishaupt81 You sure do hear Violins, Brass, Guitars, Bass and they ARE singing Bernadette! Great buncha guys. I really miss the Motown stuff.

[saxman8666]

@mazgolightly none of the artists these days have talent.. i really hate having to grow up at a time like this. im only 15 and i hate the music these days

[babibelle11]

They stole my name! =O

[herseyb]

this is a perfect song.

[breeze9ca]

This must have been 1967 . . right ?

Boy did the styles change in 2 years from 1965 to 67, Love em !

[kpix99]

Levi. The best that ever was.

[Shamu066]

It has been replaced by hip hop SHIT that cant EVEN hold a candle to this MUSIC - thats where it has gone.

[ajgolfer1]

let me ask one thing. what happened to music?

[SuperRukia]

They're saying my name... lol.

[BENebuchadnezzar]

really? are you actually called Bernadette?

[SuperRukia]

Yeah, seriously. ^_^ It really is.

[BENebuchadnezzar]

btw BLEACH IS THE NUTS!!!! :D

[maryroaten]

Levi was "The Voice" of Motown no question about it. The voice that could move hearts and souls is now silenced.

[boloskitchen]

RIP Levi one of the most distinctive voices in classic R&B, thank you so much!!!

[g4ten]

Miss you Levi Stubbs, no man had a voice like yours in all of the motown groups. RIP, Love You Always!!!

[neljamdunk]

Majestic, proud and soulful yours,the finest male voice in popular music,of genuine soul grandeur. Truly class, I had the pleasure of seeing the Tops over a dozen times,at London's Hammersmith Odeon. Fantastic entertainment,depth and gravitas. Favourite songs, 'Bernadette', 'Ask the Lonely', 'Simple game' and 'MacArthur Park'. Any recording with your voice, Levi, could move me to tears and still does. You've been with me all my life and will remain. Rest in peace - your soul lives on. Adrian

[rollsroycecooley1]

Hang in their Duke

[kennyglesga]

One of the great voices of soul. Levi Stubbs, as American as Levi jeans.

[bernadette180360]

heyy my name is bernadette and every time he say my name i laugh hysterrical! R.I.P LEVI!! GOD BLESS YOU! PS. I'm onli 11 years old! lolz!

[bernbar]

omg same here :D :D :D :D THNX FOR MAKEING A SONG WITH THE NAME BERNADETTE XD

[bw7x7]

Funeral Services for Levi Stubbs was posted 10/21/08 on the Detroit News web site...Google the following topic...

Last Top mourns Levi Stubbs

[tjr247]

miss you much Papa Stubbs

[fonkhead]

the tops were ...the tops! long live the tops!

[SammyJoeH]

Im a fan of a bunch of old Motown acts. The Miracles, the Contours, the Temptations, the Four Tops, etc. They all had great leads like Smokey, David Ruffin, and Dennis Edwards. But in my own opinion, Brother Levi topped them all. The guy had a powerful voice even up until his retirement. This vid proves that. May he rest in peace.

Take care of Levi, God.

[darlaa91]

There will never be another Levi Stubbs!!!

[MUSICENCYLOPEDIA]

So true. I met him in Brooklyn and took a picture with him. He was an excellent singer and had a great sense of humor. It's a shame that BET never honored this group who until 1997 were the only group to stay together with the same members for 43 years. Levi was in a class by himself.

[ccth22]

Marschouten you're so right. alot of soul in one man. R.I.P. Levi

[LiveForever9]

A TRUE LEGEND

[mislokai]

Levi Stubbs the most dramatic singer of all, long live the drama.

[lazerwolfer]

Long live the great Levi Stubbs.

[bcrobin]

This Bernadette always loved this song!

[candletoon]

This is one of my all time favorite songs.  I had to listen to it today.

[marschouten]

I feel so sad. A great lost to the world of music. That much soul in one man.

R.I.P Levi Stubbs

[sweetdelite]

A classic act! RIP Levi Stubbs

[POOH05149]

You've left a legacy of beautiful music that will never die.

Loved you and will miss you.

RIP, Levi Stubbs. Gone but NEVER, EVER forgotten.

[Frankendan426]

R.I.P. levi thats all that can be said

[sookietex]

This was always a fam fav [one of my sibs middle name]. Years ago i had the pleasure of meeting Mr.Stubbs, really nice guy. May the gods speed sir.

[BernadetteLA53]

Thanks Levi, Bernadette

[srguy]

RIP, Mr. Levi Stubbs. You will be missed, but the great music you put out there will live on forever!

[msjt730]

Rest in Peace Mr. Levi Stubbs and thank you for all the great music especially Bernadette you sang from your SOUL!! You'll Be Missed!!

[elsoda]

i am here sitting dancing and getting teary...JUST CLASS, THEY WERE CLASS!

[klasikSoul]

Right ON elsoda! CLASS & PASSION!! Nothing compares today!

[Trajan57]

R.I.P. one of the single most underated vocalists of the 60's. Sing hard, sing proud wherever you are Levi. I love you.

[averitas]

RIP Levi, we will always remember you.

I'm sure you'll make many jam sessions and sing offs up there... a lotta talent to sing with.

Condolences to his family, be strong, he's still with you.

[atp1962]

Levi Stubbs we loved your music and that 4 top sound. God is blessed to hear that beautiful soulful voice. we miss you and I am sure the remaining guys will continue to do you proud, and carry on the four tops

[SuperstarX]

The Four Tops were truly one of the greatest Motown Acts.

So glad, that I've seen them live in a great concert in 1989 in their orginal line-up: Abdul Fakir + Levi Stubbs + Renaldo Benson († 2005) + Lawrence Payton († 1997).

RIP Levi Stubbs

[skidubida]

You were blessed Levi, your voice was awesome, man.  Bernadette kills me every time over 30 years later.

[anthonydeadletter]

Levi was the man. Such tenderness and anguish in his voice. RIP Levi. We'll miss you.

[e37a]

One of the greatest voices that EVER existed. R.I.P. my brother....

[JohnGizis]

God bless Levi!

[190454]

one of the great sounds of motown what a great leader levi was rip

[Beertr1x]

Just LOVED that man's voice. RIP Levi. There's a link back to this video from the tribute started for him tonight at the UK website Lasting Tribute. What a great man. Sadly missed.

[houndz11]

goodbye Levi-you will be dearly missed

[donnyvango]

After all this time, this song still gives me goosebumps. RIP Levi....

[wrhgrace]

Heaven has more soul now--Rest in Peace--levi

[scottruss42]

Rest in peace, Levi.

[SuperRukia]

LOL that's seriously my name! xP

[Maxwell1901]

I saw these guys in concert in Toronto, February 14, 2005 - outstanding show! Theo Peoples had replaced Audrey II as lead singer but the quartet was still unmistakable as the Four Tops. Obie Benson still had the moves. Sadly, Abdul Fakir is the only one left, as Obie died later that year.

[threeblackcats]

Great Bassist..anyone know who he is?

[stevenflatt]

Rochon Westmoreland

Las Vegas, NV.

[frangre1]

Timeless music

[teegirl1219]

awesome

[bernadette1998]

this is the best song i ever heard

[JZAtemu]

I can't listen to Levi Stubbs without thinking

"OMG that's Audrey II."

[mhbass]

One of my favorite Four Tops songs. Levi is one of those singers who takes total control of a song, and Bernadette was one of those songs. Those who did not live to enjoy this period of music missded out on the BEST.

[pplscrt79]

This song came out 12 years before I was born. I caught it on the radio once and have loved it ever since. My 3-year-old son loves to sing along with it, too. I like the studio version better, though.

[mhertz25]

This must have been between 1998 and 2000 before Levi became ill and stopped performing. Interesting how he paces himself, half singing, half "rapping" :-) but he still gets away with it - he was over 60 here - his voice is not what it was (nature) but.....he is still THE MAN!!!!!!!!

[DrewSchultz88]

Yeah, and I think it was probably 1999 or 2000, because I know that after Lawrence Payton passed in 1997, they did at least one tour as "The Tops" instead of "The Four Tops," with just the Duke, Levi, and Obie. Theo joined later. Their career is inspiring to say the least.

[planetmoonscape]

Their greatest hits cd is brilliant. They are just sensational singers!

[DRUMMERMAN77]

feed me seymore lol

[fodera1123]

i just got to see them tonight at the venue that I work at, along with the Temptations...

honestly when they played Bernadette it made working at this place worth it

the whole concert was amazing

[DrewSchultz88]

Hey, which show was that? DTE?

[rollinontheriver]

You just experienced a once in a lifetime event. Wish I'd been there.

[sonicstep]

Odd, it got cut rather abruptly.

[adamweishaupt81]

Yes, the DVD Chapter ends right there after 2:45 because the next song (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) starts at 2:46 (just like in a medley).

[BernadetteJoolen]

Just checking in on my namesake! Thanks for posting this, everyone always asked if I know the song. Nice to see it live! Cheers, bernadette...

[amindada01]

I'll be your friend Bernadette!

[harless2432]

Grew up on this stuff!! Love it. My brother dated a girl named Bernadette! Love it!

[Turin1314]

I once learned that this great song was first written in Italy (maybe not with the same melody, I don't know) and some how the Four Tops or their producer heard it and translated it. Anyone have more info on this?

[bernapril20]

That's my name

[JKBMK]

best love song ever

[suckfist]

better than sexual healing?

[theM0t0wnbass]

mickeysticks you have an great point i am 16 and the music today is crap and will never compete with the musi from the sixtees also known as the golden era

[joey19930303]

i am 15 and i think all of our era just listen to rap and all that crap, my dad has got me into all this soul and rhythm and even a bit of reggae!

[mcivor1]

wow.....timeless..These guys are the best!

[mickeysticks]

This song blows me away everytime. That killer combo of lyric, harmony and bad mother of a bass line! I'm 24, but I'd love to have grown up with all this, instead of, well, any of the crap I've grown up with in the charts.

[MistressOfMirth]

How did I miss tickets for this????

[Gen2148]

Just love this song...God Bless the Four Tops they are and were the greatest !!!!!

[theM0t0wnbass]

great video

[monie86]

this is like my FAVORITE SONG EVER!!!!!

[kybo1231]

Amazing. Levi Stubbs is a national treasure. The best song ever written for a woman.

[Deadite369]

Annoying when it's your actual name though :)

[gordly333]

Grew up outside of Detroit in the 60s and listented to CKLW with these great motown hits. This rural white boy got to see the Four Tops in Atlantic City in the 80s, Fantastic

[JJN259]

There will never be music like Motown again. It was the soundtrack of my childhood. The best music ever! Levi and Co. were one of the best in a large stable of talent. There's no one like Levi. May God bless him!

[lollysoul]

me too, loved him, still do, he was my all round favourite artist!!My husband was counting all my Four Tops cd's there are only 15!!!

[shirinka]

How nice to see the Four Tops together and especially Levi singing ! I do miss him !