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"Without the One You Love (Life`s Not Worth While)" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and released as a single in 1964 by the Motown singing group The Four Tops as the second single from their self-titled debut album, Four Tops. The group would later cover the song with The Supremes.

Lyrics and music

"Without the One You Love (Life`s Not Worth While)" was the follow-up to the Four Tops` prior hit "Baby I Need Your Loving," and was designed to sound similar, with a similar theme, similar tempo and similar sound.[1] The bass harmony similarly uses a subdominant progression.[2] The opening lyrics essentially repeat the title of the earlier song.[1] Author Sharon Davis claims that the song was "hastily written and released" to capitalize on the success of "Baby, I Need Your Loving."[3]

Reception

After the near-Top 10 success of the Tops` first hit, "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Without the One You Love" proved to be a commercial disappointment, failing to reach the Billboard Top 40,charting at No. 43. The song did better on the Cashbox R&B Chart, reaching the Top 20, charting at No. 17 (Billboard did not show R&B Chart listings during this time).

Cash Box described "Without the One You Love (Life`s Not Worth While)" as "a feelingful jump`er" which is done "in very commercial fashion" and which it expected to repeat the success of "Baby, I Need Your Loving."[4] Allmusic critic William Ruhlmann attributes its relative lack of chart success to a number of factors. One is that the title is too long.[1] He also believes that the song is "overproduced," particularly by giving the many backup singers too prominent a role, including singing the opening lines, at the expense of lead singer Levi Stubbs.[1] Nonetheless, fellow Allmusic critic Ron Wynn considers the song to be "marvelously sung."[5] Author Bill Dahl describes the song as "moving."[6] Charlie Gillett claims that the song produces an effect of "irresistible excitement."[7]

Chart positions

Personnel

• Renaldo Benson – vocals
• Abdul "Duke" Fakir – vocals
• Lawrence Payton – keyboard, vocals
• Levi Stubbs – lead vocals
• The Andantes – background vocals
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

The Supremes and Four Tops version

A cover version of the original Four Tops song was done for The Magnificent 7 album by The Supremes and Four Tops in September 1970. Lead vocals were provided by the group`s lead singers, Jean Terrell and Levi Stubbs. Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson and Frank Wilson produced the H-D-H written song, and its album.

A single was released in the UK by Tamla Motown in May 1972, titled "Without the One You Love" b/w "Let`s Make Love Now".

Personnel

The Supremes

• Jean Terrell – vocals
• Mary Wilson – vocals
• Cindy Birdsong – vocals

Four Tops

• Levi Stubbs – vocals
• Abdul "Duke" Fakir – vocals
• Lawrence Payton – vocals
• Renaldo Benson – vocals

Charts