The pure emotion that David Ruffin put into "I Wish it Would Rain" is still amazing...it still gives me goose bumps
the story behind this song is so sad, the pain you hear in those words was so so real
The writers>>
Norman Whitfield
Barrett Strong
Roger Penzabene Lyrics..
Rodger was a staff writer at Motown, he wrote the lyrics, and the lyrics to the sad follow up "I Could Never Love Another After Loving You" (Ruffin's last recording with the original Five)
Rodger wrote from his heart....he loved his wife and she was cheating on,
everyone at Motown apparently knew she was cheating, and still he stuck by her,
"I Wish it Would Rain" was released right before Christmas 1967....on New Years Eve Rodger Penzabene committed Suicide, a week after the single's release!
Talk about "Soul" Music, talk about "feeling" the music, this poor guy was really in pain and he transfered that pain to those haunting beautiful songs
Friday
Saddest song....but so beautiful
Just a thought...would the Tempts be called "Stalkers" today??
I must say that I love the Temptations...and listen to them all the time.
However, there are times when I wonder...how would some of these songs go over
in today's world??
Some people laughingly refer to "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" as the "stalker song"!
Probably in today's world, with Facebook and Myspace and cell phones, and all sorts
of stalkers, the song would raise eyebrows..and hackles. Not "politically correct"
However, as a product of the times it was written in I like the song and think it is
more about a young guy who is not afraid to do what he can to win his girlfriend back.
Face it...most of the Tempts songs are about Love (until the Psychedelic time)
and in most of the song's whichever Tempt singing is either professing love,
asking to be taken back, or sad cause of losing a love. You never heard them singing
about being nasty to women or talking about "baby got butt" or being crude or rude.
Besides who wouldn't want (the young) David Ruffin to stalk them LOL??
In the "Stalker" mode...listen to the words of "Aint Too Proud to Beg", "Please, Return your Love to Me"..."I will Never Love Another"
Davids last song with the original Temptations?
It amazes me that the Tempts were able to get it together and make such a beautiful
song during what was surely a "tense" and tough time.
"I Could Never Love Another" is from 1968. The info at YouTube says "one of David's last hits">> but no, it was his last hit (and last recording) with the original Temptations. The harmony is amazing and David's soulful voice carries so much yearning and passion....
enjoy>>
I really liked this song, however, I realize many people may not know it, and while it charted it was not a huge hit.
No matter what problems they were going through at the time, you can hear how beautifully their voices blend...this is their final song together (until the short lived "Reunion" decades later)
We don't have any videos of them performing this : they recorded it in the studio
They fired David Ruffin before ever performing it, however it still charted
During the brief "Reunion" David recorded "You Better Beware" with the group
and it is on their "Temptations Reunion" Album.
What a voice....the only thing (IMHO) lacking was the writing, they just didn't
have the songwriters they needed. I personally think Motown "cheezed" them :(
Click here to hear David sing "You Better Beware" with the Reunited Temptations
Monday
David Ruffin's First Lead with the Temptations
From the movie one might think "My Girl" was the first time David Ruffin took the lead>> but really this was his first turn at Lead.
"You'll Lose a Precious Love" was on the album "The Temptations Sing Smokey"
This was recorded on March 2, 1964
David's voice is just amazing isn't it?? And I LOVE Melvin's thrilling Bass! They just don't make em like this anymore.
I think the B side,s the album fillers, the cover songs of the Tempts are better most of today's music.
Sunday
The Temptations Dance Tribute
Dancing Machines :) Check it out
One of the things that truly set the Tempts apart is their dancing ability!
They truly set the bar that no other group has reached...but many have tried, and when
you see groups over the past 40 years you see the influence they had.
Here is a fantastic Tribute to the Dancing Temptations!
I really love the way they put so much thought and attention to every song, really every song has it's own dance and routine!
They look like they are having so much fun!
Watch this great video and enjoy!
Tuesday
More About Paul Williams
More about Paul Williams
Sometimes with the attention given to David and Eddie, people forget about Paul.
Paul was a real force in shaping the fantastic group that would become the Temptations.
Paul was a great dancer and was the one who put together the original dance routines
the group used!
As I said before, I think the Temptations Movie has given Paul an unfair rep:
Alcoholic? Suicide?? yes, that is likely...however, there is also some evidence that he might have been murdered?
Plus while Paul did turn to alcohol, the movie failed to show that he suffered from Sickle Cell Anemia....he was in terrible pain and my own thought is that he "self medicated" with booze.
I have firsthand knowledge of people inflicted with the curse of alcoholism and I know that many people use it to drown both physical and pschological pain
Paul was terribly short of breath and tired and in pain from Sickle Cell. The movie made it seem as if he only picked up booze for no reason. As the years went by they had to have oxygen backstage for Paul after each set/show. From all I have read the info about using Richard Street to sing Paul's parts behind the stage is true however. Any way you look at it a real tragedy
Paul had a great voice too...more true R&B, a little rougher, he did sing lead on some of their early records. You can also hear him distinctly in some of the work they did with Dennis Edwards "
Paul sang lead on one of my favorites..."Don't Look Back"
Trivia Fact : The Temptations have NEVER sung "Don't Look Back" in concert since Paul's tragic death....except for when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then they sang it in tribute to him. Paul also was honored with the award posthumously at the ceremony for them in 1989
Trivia Fact : Paul Williams Jr, Paul's son, sings and tours with "The Temptations Review with Dennis Edwards" !!
The Temptations in West Palm Beach...Feb 2009
but then....came....the....GREATEST GROUP EVER.....THE TEMPTATIONS
and they were...fantastic...amazing....breathtaking!
Oh and they still can dance....so smooth. They looked great in snazzy blazers and white pants. When they sang "My Girl" and "I Wish it Would Rain" I admit I cried
IF you get a chance to see these masters of soul....see them. Otis looked fantastic by the way....Thank you Otis for keeping the group together all these years.
The Temptations are special and magic..."you surely must be Magic"
Oh...My....I will also admit I bought a snazzy black and red Temptations Tee Shirt haha
Tempts and Four Tops Concert...Feb 2009 : Four Tops
I was lucky enough to see the Tempts yet again, at Kravitz Center in West Palm Beach.
The Four Tops were fantastic...Bless them...Levi is surely missed.
How amazing that those 4 guys stayed together "till death do us part"
It was wonderful to see and hear them. I was especially thrilled when they sang "Bernadette" and "Just Ask the Lonely"
Yes, I love the Temptations Movie...but some corrections
YES....I love the Temptations Movie....and have watched it so many times I know it by heart
However, I do want to set some things straight here
Otis wrote the book but did NOT have production control of the tv movie
The movie came out shortly after the death of Melvin
Melvin (by all accounts) was the sweetheart that he was shown to be in the movie
However, the movie sort of neglected the fact he was a good family man and dad,
as well as being the best Bass singer ever and Otis Williams Best Buddy Forever
Melvin did NOT die in front of Otis and his mother...Melvin DID destroy his health due to cortisone shots he kept taking to ease the pain of the RA he was inflicted with. He developed diabetes
and heart problems from the cortisone shots *(and maybe did not recover fully from the time he was shot by the car thief)
However, the Tempts recorded their last song with Melvin "Blue" on the album "For Lover's Only"...the last song Melvin sang on was "Life is But a Dream"....and that was the last time Otis sang with him. Melvin took ill, lapsed into a coma and died 6 days later in hospital, NOT in his mother's kitchen.
Another problem in the movie is David Ruffin's tragic death....he admittedly was brought to the hospital but the driver told them "This is David Ruffin of the Temptations"....and then the driver/rat took off...the hospital tried to save David but failed...however, he was NOT left in a morque unknown as the movie states...that is just wrong
I also feel that Paul Williams was given an unfair treatment and I will make a whole other post about this
One thing that I have read : people who knew David Ruffin all praise the talents of Leon in his portrayal of the great singer!
Temptations Forever...in Perspective
My very favorite group of all time...ever...Temptations forever
The Tempations in Perspective
I grew up with the Temptations Music...hit after hit...always something new
on the radio. They were the Premier American Group...just about the ONLY American
group that kept turning out hits during the "British Invastion"
Hit after Hit...
I now sit around on Youtube arguing with 13 year old boys in Spain etc about this..
I don't think kids today understand just how "dominant" the Temptations really were.
They rose to the top with the "Classic Five" lineup...the hits from Eddie and David..
then despite troubles and line up changes they came out with new and exciting material with Dennis Edwards, moving from "Classic Soul" into Funk.
Today we see so many flash in the pan groups. We see groups that are one hit wonders. And Prima Donna Groups that take years between albums.
The Temptations just kept on bringing out the songs, the voices....the harmony
Love songs, funny songs, dancing songs, sad songs, Christmas Songs, "Standard" songs,
funky songs, "message songs", even a bit of gospel and Broadway...
I loved them all. Plus they were on TV a lot too...even Ed Sullivan which was a HUGE show back in the 60's.
If I had only one group to listen to forever, it would of course be the Temptations
In fact...that is about what I do anyhow...mostly I listen to the Tempts
(with a bit of Motown, Manhattans, Classic Rock and yeah a little pop thrown in there)
The Tweens (Spanish and otherwise) should understand that these songs were what everyone listened to. Hit after Hit.
Temptations Forever...my all time Favorite Group.
I have seen them in various lineups..and I have loved
every one. I last saw them in West Palm Beach in Feb 2009...Fantastic
Links, Favorite Videos, Facts, Trivia, and Tributes to the Temptations.