Harman Patil (Editor)

The Temptations Sing Smokey

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Released
  
March 22, 1965

Length
  
33:21

Release date
  
22 March 1965

Label
  
Gordy

Recorded
  
1964-1965

Artist
  
The Temptations

Producer
  
Smokey Robinson

Genres
  
Soul music, Doo-wop

The Temptations Sing Smokey httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen77fTem

The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965)
  
The Temptin' Temptations (1965)

Similar
  
The Temptations albums, Soul music albums

The temptations sing smokey


The Temptations Sing Smokey is the second studio album by The Temptations for the (Motown) label, released on the Gordy Records subsidiary (G 912) in 1965. As its name implies, it is composed entirely of songs written and produced by Smokey Robinson, and several other members of the Miracles as well.

Contents

Several of the songs are covers of songs Robinson produced for the Miracles or Mary Wells, while the rest were originally recorded by The Temptations. Among these are three successful hit singles, starting with "The Way You Do the Things You Do", which featured Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals. The next two songs feature lead vocals by new Temptation David Ruffin: "It's Growing" and the group's signature song, "My Girl".

Not included are two singles which predate these two singles, "I'll Be in Trouble" and "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" (whose b-side, "Baby, Baby I Need You", is here). These songs would be included on the next Temptations album, The Temptin' Temptations. A third hit single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do", is present here, although it was also issued on the previous Temptations album, Meet the Temptations.

Track listing

Superscripts denote lead singers of each track: (a) David Ruffin, (b) Eddie Kendricks, (c) Paul Williams, (d) Melvin Franklin, (e) Otis Williams, (f) Temptations ensemble.

All selections produced by Smokey Robinson.

Side one

  1. "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers) b
  2. "Baby, Baby I Need You" (Robinson) f, c, b
  3. "My Girl" (Robinson, Ronald White) a
  4. "What Love Has Joined Together" (Robinson, Rogers) b
  5. "You'll Lose a Precious Love" (Robinson) a, d
  6. "It's Growing" (Robinson, Warren Pete Moore) a

Side two

  1. "Who's Lovin' You" (Robinson) a
  2. "What's So Good About Good Bye" (Robinson) b
  3. "You Beat Me to the Punch" (Robinson, White) c
  4. "Way Over There" (Berry Gordy, Jr., Robinson) b
  5. "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (Robinson) b, a, c
  6. "(You Can) Depend on Me" (Gordy, Robinson) b, e

Unreleased recordings from the "Sing Smokey" sessions:

  • "What's Easy for Two Is So Hard for One" (Robinson) c
  • "Happy Landing" (Robinson, White) b

    • Both these songs have subsequently been released.

    Personnel

  • David Ruffin: vocals (all tracks except "Baby, Baby I Need You")
  • Eddie Kendricks: vocals
  • Paul Williams: vocals
  • Melvin Franklin: vocals
  • Otis Williams: vocals
  • Elbridge "Al" Bryant: vocals ("Baby, Baby I Need You")
  • The Andantes: background vocals ("It's Growing")
  • Smokey Robinson: producer, Album executive producer

    • Chart and singles history

  • Note: There was no Billboard R&B singles chart from November 1963 until January 1965. Most discographies include R&B information from Cash Box magazine to fill in the gap in the R&B chart, as is done here with the 1964 releases.

    • Songs

    1The Way You Do the Things You Do2:41
    2Baby - Baby I Need You2:52
    3My Girl2:44

    References

    The Temptations Sing Smokey Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA