The Temptations, The #41 Artist of the Rock Era, Part One

 "Temptations forever!"

"One of the greatest vocal groups ever."

"Some of the best music ever made."

"Just a legendary group--there will never be another like them."

"So much talent in this amazing group."

"I think the Temptations had the best swagger of all male soul groups."

"Awesome music."

"They were incredible in the studio and amazing showmen."

"No one was like The Temptations. They ruled. Love 'em."

"Such an awesome group!"

"They blew our minds!"

"The Temps painted with pure art."

"Their music will always be relevant and timeless."




This legendary group was loaded with talent to the point where they featured numerous lead singers and reloaded with different lineups over the years.  Their trademark choreography was groundbreaking and added to their appeal.

Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams were childhood friends in Birmingham, Alabama and formed a doo-wop quartet in 1955.  They moved to Detroit, Michigan to be closer to the music business and changed their name to the Primes. 

The Primes met Milton Jenkins, who also formed a sister group known as the Primettes, who went on to make history as the Supremes.  The Primes astonished audiences in the Detroit area with their vocal abilities and stage show.  

Meanwhile, Otis Williams moved to Detroit from Texas and soon fronted a group called Otis Williams and the Siberians.  The group included Elbridge Bryant, James Crawford, Vernard Plain and Arthur Walton.    Melvin Franklin soon replaced Walton and Franklin's cousin, Richard Street, replaced Plain.  The group recorded some songs, became the group the Distants and signed with Northern Records.

The Primes and the Distants often appeared in the same places and became familiar with each other.  Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Crawford in 1959 in the latter group.  They enjoyed a local hit and received an offer to sign with Motown Records.    But Harrell and Street left, and the members who remained lost the use of the Distants.

The Primes broke up in 1960 and Kendricks and Williams returned to Alabama.  Within a few months, Kendricks visited relatives in Detroit and got in touch with Williams.  Williams needed two more members for his group to audition for Motown and invited Kendricks.  Eddie agreed, but only on the condition that Paul Williams also be invited to the group.  Otis was fine with that, and Kendricks and Williams reversed course and moved back to Detroit.  

By this time, the group included Otis Williams, Franklin, Bryant, Kendricks and Paul Williams, and they were known as the Elgins.  In 1961, they appeared before Motown and signed a recording contract with Miracle Records, a subsidiary.  But Gordy found out about another group with that name, and after tossing around some names, they decided on the Temptations.

Miracle Records soon ended, and the group was assigned to Gordy Records, another division of the label.  The Temptations began touring with the Motortown Revue, a group of artists cleverly devised by Gordy to perform around the country to gain attention.

The Temptations released several singles to no avail.  Then in 1963, Gordy directed Smokey Robinson to begin writing and producing for the group.  Bryant had found touring stressful, and after a poor performance in 1963, he and Paul Williams got into an argument.  Bryant hit Paul over the head with a beer bottle and was subsequently fired from the group.

David Ruffin had begun following the group and earlier in the year, had impressed the members when he joined them on stage for a couple of songs.  In 1964, Ruffin was hired to complete the group's classic lineup and the group released their debut album Meet the Temptations. 

 

Robinson, then with the group the Miracles, wrote and produced this one for the Temps.  Paul sang lead on "I Want A Love I Can See".  It was a regional hit and the group performed it in concert for years to come.

  Shortly after, the Temptations recorded "The Way You Do The Things You Do", with Kendricks singing lead. It was the song that got the group off the ground and became a minor hit, peaking at #11 but reaching #1 on the R&B chart.  Otis told Mojo magazine in February of 2009:

     The first time we heard the song, we loved it. The

     melody swung, and the lyrics had lots of charm. 

     They were silly in a way, talking about a girl you

     loved as a candle, a handle, a schoolbook, a cool 

     crook, a broom, a perfume, but, typical Smokey, he

     made it work. It got a good response whenever we

     did it live, so our hopes were up. We knew from 

     past experience that even the best tracks don't

     always click.

 

In 1965, the group released The Temptations Sing Smokey.  Robinson saw a lot of potential in Ruffin, and Smokey and fellow Miracles member Ronnie White wrote "My Girl" with Ruffin in mind.  The Temptations shared a bill with the Miracles at the time and Robinson was developing the song on a piano at the Apollo Theater when White joined him.  The Temptations heard it and talked Robinson into letting them record it.  Robinson, the consummate team player, agreed, and "My Girl" became a classic.

 

"It's Growing" reached #3 on the R&B chart and #18 overall.

 

The group released The Temptin' Temptations later in the year and scored three R&B hits from it.  "Since I Lost My Baby", which reached #17 overall and #4 on the R&B chart, is another song written and produced by Robinson with Ruffin again singing lead.  The beautiful bridge of the song is particularly noteworthy.

 

"My Baby" finds Ruffin praising his lady and saying he will change to please her.

 
The Temps released the album Gettin' Ready and the single "Get Ready", a #1 R&B hit that stalled at #29 overall.  The song later hit #10 in the U.K. when it was re-released in 1969 and Rare Earth later turned it into a huge hit.

We want to also feature the track "Not Now, I'll Tell You Later".

 

Other Motown songwriters were clamoring to pen songs for the group, and Norman Whitfield got his chance in 1966 with "Ain't Too Proud To Beg".  When the song gave the group a fourth R&B #1, Whitfield replaced Robinson as the group's producer.  It peaked at #13, qualifying as one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.

The Temptations released their Greatest Hits album in 1966, a #5 album.

 

The compilation yielded "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", written by Whitfield and Eddie Holland.  Whitfield, who also penned "Pride And Joy" for Marvin Gaye before this one, began working on it specifically for the Temptations two years prior.  The Miracles recorded it first but did not release it before the Temps did.

Whitfield, who collaborated with several other songwriters including Barrett Strong, also wrote mostly for Ruffin.  The group released the album The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul in 1967, and the lead single "(I Know) I'm Losing You" rocketed up to #1 on the R&B chart and reached the Top 10 on the Popular chart.

 

Ruffin was hot, with four consecutive big hits on lead vocal after the single "All I Need", #2 R&B and #8 overall.

 

Ruffin and Kendricks shared lead on "You're My Everything", a #6 hit that also made it to #3 on the R&B chart.

"(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" was one of the first songs by the group to feature all five members on lead, as each of the other members (Kendricks, Franklin and Paul and Otis Williams) each get a short spot out front in the last verse.

 Great sound from this amazing group.  Join us for Part Two!