Four Tops - Catfish (1976)

"Catfish" is one of the Four Tops' most entrancing numbers, a tale about a disco queen from New Orleans who dances up a storm. It may have been a little risqué for radio stations, with the line "makes my nature rise" being the point of contention. A percolating organ introduces the song, punctuated by a string of "well wells" from the Tops before Levi Stubbs' Type A baritone enters the foray and mesmerizes you. Unfortunately, the rest of the album fails to come close to the title track. Only "Look at My Baby" has anything that resembles charm. The rest is strictly second-rate songwriter-workshop stuff.© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo