| Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got) | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Four Tops |
| Album: | Keeper of the Castle |
| B-Side: | The Good Lord Knows |
| Released: | January 1973 |
| Recorded: | 1972 |
| Studio: | ABC, Los Angeles, California |
| Genre: | Soul |
| Length: | 3:04 |
| Label: | ABC/Dunhill |
| Producer: | Dennis Lambert |
| Prev Title: | Keeper of the Castle |
| Prev Year: | 1972 |
| Next Title: | Are You Man Enough? |
| Next Year: | 1973 |
"Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" is a song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, released as a single by the Four Tops on the ABC/Dunhill record label, from the album Keeper of the Castle. It peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the weeks of April 7 and 14, 1973,[1] [2] number one on the Cash Box Top 100 the latter of those two weeks,[3] and became a gold record.
The song was originally recorded by the singing trio of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds and released on their 1972 album, Hallway Symphony.
The Four Tops' hit version was led by longtime singer Levi Stubbs, and included special co-lead spots by the other Tops, Lawrence Payton, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Abdul "Duke" Fakir, in that respective order during the chorus. The words tell about the love a man feels for the woman with whom he is having a relationship.
It was the Four Tops' second single release on ABC after leaving Motown in 1972, and became their most successful post-Motown top 40 hit, reaching number four on the US Pop Singles chart. It was also another big success for the group on the US R&B Singles chart, where it peaked at number two.
Billboard said that "Levi Stubbs' lead vocal carries the quartet though a moving arrangement which has pop as well as soul overtones. Nice mellow strings give the tune soft lilt as the tale of fond affection unravels."[4] Record World said "Levi Stubbs' voice still brings chills to the spine. Ain't no sound, like the one they've got!"[5]
| Chart (1973) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian RPM [6] | 11 | |
| U.S. Adult Contemporary | 14 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 | |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100 | 1 | |
| U.S. R&B | 2 |
| Chart (1973) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard [7] | 60 |
| U.S. Cash Box [8] | 38 |
Additional interpretations include those by: Pete Marquez, Bloodfire Posse; Mel Brown; East Coast Band; The Friends of Distinction; Home T; Kashif; Louie; Johnny Mathis; and Melvin Sparks. The song was later reinterpreted by Jay-Z and Foxy Brown in their 1996 hit, "Ain't No Nigga".