“Reach Out I’ll Be There”--The Four Tops

My essay for the induction of the great Four Tops song to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry

The Library of Congress asked me earlier this year to write an essay to accompany the induction of the 1966 song “Reach Out (I’ll Be There),” by The Four Tops, into the nation’s National Recording Registry. I was delighted since I knew from the reporting for my 2000 book, Motown: Music, Money, Sex and Power, that there is a great story behind that number one hit. It proves that not even artists sometimes know which song might be a blockbuster.

For those of you who are not familiar with the National Recording Registry, it is a list updated annually by the Library of Congress for recordings deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." Twenty-five are added every year and each is considered of such “enduring importance to American culture” that it is “in need of permanent preservation by either the Library of Congress or another qualified institution.” Anyone can nominate their favorite recordings that are at least 10 years old through this link. Then, the Librarian o…