Levi Stubbs' Tears song in 1990. In 2014, "NME" ranked it at number 207 in their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. All tracks composed by Billy Bragg; except where indicated Levi Stubbs' Tears "Levi Stubbs' Tears" is a song by Billy Bragg. It was the first single released from Bragg's 1986 album "Talking with the Taxman about Poetry". The song's title refers to The Four Tops lead singer Levi Stubbs, whose music remains a source of comfort to the protagonist through years of abandonment, injury, and domestic violence. A guitar riff from the song was sampled by Norman Cook
Joe Stubbs also made the UK Top 40, reaching #31, when it was re-released in 1970. It is the only Contours single to feature Stubbs on lead, as he left the group shortly after recording it. Singer Dennis Edwards replaced him; Edwards recorded with the group until 1967, when he was drafted as replacement lead singer of The Temptations, taking over from David Ruffin. Stubbs then briefly recorded as a member of fellow Motown group The Originals. The group had come together in 1966, and their first single release, a cover of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", features Stubbs on lead. Initial Originals