Released 1982 Recorded 1982 Length 4:15 | Format 7" Genre Soul, Funk | |
Label Gordy (Motown)
1616 GF
Motown (UK)
TMGT 1623 | ||
"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by (and featuring) musician Rick James.
Contents
Background
The Temptations, after a brief spell at Atlantic Records in the late 1970s, resigned with the label that had brought them to stardom, Motown, in 1980. In 1982, reunited with three of their former lead singers, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards (all of whom had left at some point previously), the group, now a seven-piece act, began a reunion tour. They also recorded a new album together, the aptly-titled Reunion, which was a collaboration of efforts from the likes of Berry Gordy (Motown's founder), Smokey Robinson (Motown's vice-president) and punk-funk star Rick James. James, who was the cousin of group member Melvin Franklin, had previously used The Temptations as backing vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak".
Details
"Standing on the Top" was released as the lead single from the group's Reunion album in April, 1982. The album version was almost ten minutes long (9:48) and the single release split the track into two halves; "Part 1" was released as the A-side (4:15) and "Part 2" as the B-side (5:33). It proved to be one of The Temptations' biggest hits in several years, making it into the R&B Top Ten (#6) and performing well on both the US and UK Pop Charts, peaking at #66 and #53, respectively.