March 20, 2024, marks the 60th anniversary of the release of the album that introduced The Temptations to the world, the aptly titled Meet The Temptations.
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The album was be the Motown quintet’s first step toward stardom, although it only reached No. 96 on the Billboard 200. The group really took off after the release of its second album, The Temptations Sing Smokey in 1965. That record featured the chart-topping hit “My Girl.”
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Here are five fascinating facts about The Temptations’ debut album:
Meet The Temptations Is Made Up of Previously Released Singles
The album is a collection of singles that The Temptations released between 1961 and early 1964. Nearly all of those singles were unsuccessful, with the exception of “(You’re My) Dream Come True” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do.”
“(You’re My) Dream Come True” peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1962. To find out more about “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” read on.
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Singer David Ruffin Only Appears on One Song on the Album
The Temptations first formed in 1960 under the name The Elgins. The group’s original lineup featured Elbridge “Al” Bryant, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, and Melvin Franklin.
In December 1963, shortly before Meet The Temptations’ release, Bryant was fired from the group, and Ruffin was hired soon after. He arrived in time to record backing vocals on one track that appeared on the record. That track was “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” and it became The Temptations’ first Billboard Hot 100 hit.
On Meet The Temptations, most of the lead vocal duties were split between Kendricks and Paul Williams, but starting with The Temptations Sing Smokey, Ruffin also began to sing lead on select tunes.
“The Way You Do the Things You Do” Fell Just Short of Being a Top-10 Hit
“The Way You Do the Things You Do” was released in January 2024. The infectious song, which showcased the falsetto lead vocals of Kendricks, reached No. 11 on the Hot 100. It fared even better on the Cashbox R&B singles chart, topping that tally in April of ’64.
The song was co-written by Smokey Robinson and his Miracles bandmate Bobby Rogers.
In a 2009 interview with Mojo magazine, Otis Williams, shared recollections on The Temptations’ early thoughts about the tune.
“The first time we heard the song, we loved it,” he recalled. “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.”
Meet The Temptations features two other songs solely written by Robinson (“I Want a Love I Can See” and “Slow Down Heart”), as well as one he co-wrote with another prolific Motown songwriter, Norman Whitfield (“The Further You Look, the Less You See”).
Berry Gordy Jr. Co-Wrote Most of the Album
Seven of the 12 songs on Meet The Temptations were written or co-written by Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. He also co-produced the record.
Gordy wrote “(You’re My) Dream Come True,” “Paradise,” “Just Let Me Know,” “Your Wonderful Love,” and “Farewell My Love.” He co-wrote “Isn’t She Pretty” and “Check Yourself” with members of The Temptations.
Two Other Famous Motown Songwriters Sang Backing Vocals on One Track
According to Otis Williams’ autobiography and other sources, brothers Brian and Eddie Holland contributed backing vocals to the song “Check Yourself.” Along with Lamont Dozier, the siblings were part of the famed Motown songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland.
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