Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
Encyclopedia
"Girl" is a 1964
hit single by The Temptations
for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the group’s first A-side
release to be produced by Norman Whitfield
, who co-wrote the song with Edward Holland, Jr.
of the Holland-Dozier-Holland
songwriting team. With Eddie Kendricks
singing lead for the third single in the row, it peaked on the Billboard Hot 100
Pop charts in the Top 30 at number 26.
As the narrator of the up-tempo song, Kendricks tells his girl "I love you, girl, with all my heart & soul/ I can't understand why you treat me cold", and now his "heart feels the pain" cause by her mistreatment of him. This single would be Kendricks last as lead on an A-side until "Get Ready" in 1966, and the last for Whitfield as producer until "Ain't Too Proud to Beg
" (due to it missing the Pop chart's Top 20).
The next Temptations single, "My Girl", would be the first to feature David Ruffin
as lead and would be produced by Smokey Robinson
. Ruffin, up to this point, had only sung lead on stage and on a few unreleased tracks, otherwise singing backgrounds behind Kendricks and then main lead singer Paul Williams
. When "My Girl" hit #1 on the R&B and Pop charts in 1965, it signaled the continuing of Robinson as the group’s main producer, and the start of Ruffin's run as The Temptations' main lead singer.
recorded a version of the song for his album of soul covers, Going Back
. In the 1990s, Italian-Brazilian songstress Deborah Blando recorded a version of the song as the first cut out of her debut album, A Different Story. She retitled the song to "Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)". The song and video were a theme for Pepsi adverstisements in the summer of 1991.
1964 in music
-Events:*January 1 – Top of the Pops is broadcast for the first time, on BBC television.*January 3 – Footage of the Beatles performing a concert in Bournemouth, England is shown on The Jack Paar Show....
hit single by The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the group’s first A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
release to be produced by Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
, who co-wrote the song with Edward Holland, Jr.
Edward Holland, Jr.
Edward Holland, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter and record producer....
of the Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Holland–Dozier–Holland is a songwriting and production team made up of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. They are considered to be one of the greatest songwriting teams in popular music...
songwriting team. With Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
singing lead for the third single in the row, it peaked on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
Pop charts in the Top 30 at number 26.
As the narrator of the up-tempo song, Kendricks tells his girl "I love you, girl, with all my heart & soul/ I can't understand why you treat me cold", and now his "heart feels the pain" cause by her mistreatment of him. This single would be Kendricks last as lead on an A-side until "Get Ready" in 1966, and the last for Whitfield as producer until "Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Ain't Too Proud to Beg
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by The Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland, Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for...
" (due to it missing the Pop chart's Top 20).
The next Temptations single, "My Girl", would be the first to feature David Ruffin
David Ruffin
Davis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
as lead and would be produced by Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
. Ruffin, up to this point, had only sung lead on stage and on a few unreleased tracks, otherwise singing backgrounds behind Kendricks and then main lead singer Paul Williams
Paul Williams (The Temptations)
Paul Williams was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations...
. When "My Girl" hit #1 on the R&B and Pop charts in 1965, it signaled the continuing of Robinson as the group’s main producer, and the start of Ruffin's run as The Temptations' main lead singer.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Eddie KendricksEddie KendricksEddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
- Background vocals by Melvin FranklinMelvin FranklinDavid Melvin English better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, was an American bass singer. Franklin is best known for his role as a member of Motown singing group The Temptations from 1960 to 1994....
, Paul WilliamsPaul Williams (The Temptations)Paul Williams was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations...
, David RuffinDavid RuffinDavis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
, and Otis WilliamsOtis WilliamsOtis Williams is an American baritone singer. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he has also acted as a sporadic songwriter and record producer. Williams co-founded the Motown vocal group The Temptations in early 1960 as The Elgins, a group in which he continues to perform... - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
Chart history
| Chart (1964) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
26 |
| U.S. Cash Box R&B Singles Chart | 11 |
Cover versions
Phil CollinsPhil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
recorded a version of the song for his album of soul covers, Going Back
Going Back (Phil Collins album)
Going Back is Phil Collins's eighth studio album. It was released on 13 September 2010 in the United Kingdom and 28 September 2010 in the United States. and features covers of 60s Motown & Soul standards...
. In the 1990s, Italian-Brazilian songstress Deborah Blando recorded a version of the song as the first cut out of her debut album, A Different Story. She retitled the song to "Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)". The song and video were a theme for Pepsi adverstisements in the summer of 1991.