The TemptationsMy Girl (2:56)

On 117 albums see all

Buy at Amazon MP3 ($0.89) | Send Ringtones to Cell
More options
Save

Popular tags: soul, motown, oldies, 60s, rnb  See more

Shouts: 475 shouts

Share this track:

About This Track

“My Girl” is a 1964 song recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label which became a number one hit in 1965. Written and produced by The Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, the song became the Temptations’ first U.S. number-one single, and is today their signature song. Robinson’s inspiration for writing this song was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was later featured on the album Anthology.

Recording and success

The recorded version of “My Girl” was the first Temptations single to feature David Ruffin on lead vocals. Previously, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams had performed most of the group’s lead vocals, and Ruffin had joined the group as a replacement for former Temptation Elbridge “Al” Bryant. While on tour as part of the Motortown Revue, a collective tour for most of the Motown roster, Smokey Robinson caught the Temptations’ part of the show. The group had included a medley of soul standards in the show, one of which, The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk”, was a solo spot for Ruffin. Impressed, Robinson decided to produce a single with Ruffin singing lead. Robinson saw Ruffin as a “sleeping giant” in the group with a unique voice that was “mellow” yet “gruff”. Robinson thought that if he could write just the perfect song for Ruffin’s voice, then he could have a smash hit… The song was to be something that Ruffin could “belt out” yet something that was also “melodic and sweet”.
Read more… Edit
Send Ringtones to Cell

Albums featuring this track

See all 117 albums

Shouts

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
See all 475 shouts

Track Stats

1,165,577 Scrobbles 322,876 Listeners

Recent Listening Trend

Listening Now

Top Listeners

See more

Recent Activity

Related Journals

See more