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

 

(Continued from Part One)

Featuring amazing vocals and first-rate choreography, the group was now one of the heavyweights in the music business.  They appeared regularly on The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand.  Ruffin, however, began using cocaine.  As is common with the drug, his ego took control and he started to demand a special private limousine to travel to shows rather than ride with the other members.  With their sister act the Supremes now being billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, Ruffin wanted to rename the group David Ruffin & the Temptations.  Ruffin increasingly missed meetings, practices and concerts.

The group released the album Temptations Live!, a #10 album.

The group released The Temptations in a Mellow Mood later in the year, which did not score any big hits, so they began work on another album.

 

The album The Temptations Wish It Would Rain fared much better.  However, it carries with it a tragic tale.  Staff lyricist Roger Penzabene wrote the words to this great song after his wife committed adultery.  Penzabene turned to paper and wrote the song but then committed suicide about a week after the song was released as a single.  The single, "I Wish It Would Rain", another #1 R&B smash, also climbed to #4 on the Popular chart.

Penzabene also wrote "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You") for the group before his death.  It was the final song with Ruffin on lead.

"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" is a song originally recorded by Jimmy Ruffin from his 1967 solo album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten. The Temptations recorded it the following year with Paul Williams on lead.

After missing a date on June 27, 1968, the group fired Ruffin and replaced him with Dennis Edwards, formerly with the Contours.  But Ruffin began appearing at Temptations concerts, jumping onstage, yanking the microphone from Edwards to sing "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" uninvited.  Despite added security, Ruffin continued to do this throughout the next month.

Finally, Ruffin relented and after legal disputes with Motown, stayed with the label as a solo artist.  

 

Using influences such as Sly & the Family Stone, Whitfield began writing and producing psychedelic material for the group.  Unlike the Ruffin era, in which he dominated the lead vocals, the group members, each ultra talented in their own right, often shared them.  In 1968, the Temps debuted their new sound with the album Cloud Nine.  The title song peaked at #6 overall, #2 R&B, and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Group Performance. 

The Temptations recorded Live at the Copa, recorded at a New York City nightclub where the group had performed before.  They also recorded with their longtime sister act on the album Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations. 

 

"I'm Gonna' Make You Love Me", with fellow Motown supergroup the Supremes, was a big hit at #2 and sold over two million singles.  Diana Ross and Kendricks shared lead vocals, with Otis alternating with Diana on the spoken parts.

  

The Temptations released the single "Runaway Child, Running Wild", one of the best songs ever about runaways.  The five members alternate verses to build the song to a climax in the first five minutes before giving way to the instrumental passage led by Dennis Coffey's distorted wah-wah pedal guitar, guitar from Joe Messina and Earl Van Dyke on the Hammond organ.  Otis Williams says that many people have come up to him and said that the song's terrifying story of a runaway child kept them from running away.  The song was another #1 on the R&B chart that reached #6 overall.

The Temps and Supremes joined forces again for the album Together.  This collaboration also featured joint appearances on the NBC television specials TCB and G.I.T. on Broadway.

 

In 1969, the Temptations continued their winning ways with the albums Puzzle People in 1969 and Psychedelic Shack in 1970.  The former gave us this great groove featuring those amazing vocals--"Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down"!

The Temps again turned to the team of Barrett Strong and Whitfield, who also wrote "Cloud Nine" for them.  Featuring alternating leads from all five members, the group scored one of their biggest career hits with the #1 smash "I Can't Get Next To You".

Whitfield and Strong also wrote "Psychedelic Shack", which peaked at #7 but hit #2 on the R&B chart.  The lyrics, which urged accepting everyone as they are, fit into a time when getting along was expected before the Selfish Era began about 40 years ago.

 

The Temps covered "Friendship Train" the year after Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded it.

Join us for Part Three of the Temptations!

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!

Lionel Richie, The #42 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One)

To this point, Richie had enjoyed nine consecutive Top 10 hits to begin his solo career.  In 1984, Lionel performed "All Night Long" at the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

 Richie released the song "Say You, Say Me" from the movie White Nights.  Another triple #1, it went to #1 for four weeks on the Popular chart, sold over one million copies and won an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from a Motion Picture.  

That gave Lionel eight #1 songs which he wrote entirely by himself, a Rock Era record until Diane Warren tied him.

 Richie was also nominated at the Academy Awards for a song he co-wrote for the movie The Color Purple, "Miss Celie's Blues".  He teamed with Michael Jackson to write "We Are The World" for USA for Africa with proceeds to benefit victims of famine in South Africa.  "We Are The World" won Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

 

In 1986, Richie released the album Dancing on the Ceiling.  The title song, the follow-up single to "Say You Say Me", soared to #2 in both the U.S. and Australia.  Richie spent over $400,000 on the video, which literally has people dancing on the ceiling.  The landmark video used the rotating room effect introduced in the 1951 movie Royal Wedding.

 

The album has gone over four million in sales in the United States alone.  Richie collaborated with Weil again as well as Greg Phillinganes to co-write "Love Will Conquer All".  The song, with Marva King on backing vocals, topped the AC chart and peaked at #9 overall.

 "Ballerina Girl" also hit #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart (his 11th) and reached #7 overall.  

Richie earned American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Video Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Video (for "Dancing On The Ceiling").

 

It was quite a start to Lionel's solo career--13 straight Top 10's to set a record for Top 10 Hits "Out of the Gate"* and a sensational 11 of those 13 going to #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.  "Se La" broke that consecutive Top 10 streak on the Popular chart, although it did reach #5 AC.

          In 1992, Richie released the compilation album Back to Front, a Platinum album.  The new song "Do It To Me" reached #3 Adult Contemporary.

Since then, Lionel has sharply reduced his output of studio recordings and live shows, and, as fast as his solo start was, he has never been able to reach the Top 10 since.  In 1996, he released the album Louder Than Words, which has been certified Gold.

 Another compilation, Truly:  The Love Songs, went Gold in 1997.   In 1998, Lionel released the album Time followed by the 2000 album Renaissance.  The latter yielded "Angel", a nominee for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards.

In 2003, the compilation album The Definitive Collection went Platinum.

 Richie released the album Just for You in 2004, followed by Coming Home in 2006.  Richie was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album (for Coming Home) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "I Call It Love".

In 2008, Richie became the 21st recipient of the George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement Award.  The following year, Lionel released the album Just Go.

In 2012, Richie released the album Tuskegee, performing duets of his hits with some of Country's biggest stars, including Kenny Rogers, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton.  The album went to #1 and was nominated for Favorite Country Album at both the American Music Awards and the Billboard Music Awards.  Astonishingly, it was Richie's first Billboard nomination.

Tuskegee has gone over one million in sales.  Richie embarked on his first tour of North America in over a decade in 2013.  In 2015, Lionel performed before over 100,000 fans at the Glastonbury Festival in England.  

Richie has 20 career hits with his first 13 reaching the Top 10 and five going to #1.  He has achieved 28 hits on the AC chart with amazing success--23 Top 10's and 11 #1's.

According to the newspaper The Daily Herald of Utah, Richie's career album sales have gone over 100 million worldwide.

Lionel has won nine American Music Awards from 17 nominations, two Grammy Awards from 11 nominations, one Golden Globe Award out of two nominations and one Academy Award from three nominations and was nominated for a Billboard Music Award and an MTV Video Music Award.