RIPPERS SONG FACTS! Song Name: My Girl Song Artist: The Temptations Year Released: 1965 Peak US Chart Position: #1 (Billboard Hot 100) Rippers Lead Vocalist: Jason Biggerstaff 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. Robinsons inspiration for writing this song was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was featured on the Temptations album The Temptations Sing Smokey. Musically, the song is notable because the six ascending guitar notes in the opening riff over the C chord are a perfect example of a C major pentatonic scale, played exactly from octave to octave. Similarly, the analogous riff in the song that is played over the F chord is a perfect example of an F major pentatonic scale, also with notes ascending from octave to octave. 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 groups 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 Ruffins 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. After some persuasion from Ruffins bandmates, Robinson had the Temptations record My Girl instead of The Miracles, who were originally to record the song, and recruited Ruffin to sing the lead vocals. According to Robinson, he allowed the group to create their own background vocals because they were so great at background vocals. The signature guitar riff heard during the introduction and under the verses was played by Robert White of the Funk Brothers. This part can be heard without vocals on the 2004 Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack from the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. My Girl climbed to the top of the U.S. pop charts after its Christmas time 1964 release, making it the Temptations first number-one hit. The single was also the first number-one hit on the reinstated Billboard R&B Singles chart, which had gone on a fifteen-month hiatus from 1963 to 1965. In 2004, My Girl was ranked number 88 on Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. My Girl was later sampled for Stay, a single from the Temptations 1998 album Phoenix Rising. The single was re-released in 1992. It did not reach the Billboard charts, but did reach #2 in the UK Singles Chart. This was used as the title and theme song of a movie by the same name starring Macaulay Culkin. Some of the many artists who covered this song include Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Dolly Parton and The Mamas & The Papas. LYRICS Ive got sunshine on a cloudy day When its cold outside Ive got the month of May I guess youd say What can make me feel this way? My girl (my girl, my girl) Talkin bout my girl (my girl) Ive got so much honey the bees envy me Ive got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees I guess youd say What can make me feel this way? My girl (my girl, my girl) Talkin bout my girl (my girl) Hey hey hey Hey hey hey Ooh I dont need no money, fortune, or fame Ive got all the riches baby one man can claim I guess youd say What can make me feel this way? My girl (my girl, my girl) Talkin bout my girl (my girl) Ive got sunshine on a cloudy day With my girl Ive even got the month of May With my girl youtu.be/4P1x7Yy9CXI
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 10:47:04 +0000
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