I'll Be in Trouble
Encyclopedia
"I'll Be in Trouble" is a 1964
hit single by The Temptations
for the Gordy (Motown) label. Written by Miracles
lead singer Smokey Robinson
, the single was a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number 33.
This single was the follow-up to "The Way You Do the Things You Do
", with falsetto
Eddie Kendricks
as the main lead, the group's bass singer, Melvin Franklin
, also has got a lead part on the bridge. As the song's narrator, Kendricks asks his lover to always stay with him, telling her "no matter what you do or say, I know I'm gonna love you anyway", and if she leaves anyway "I'll Be in Trouble." Known for creating repetitive follow-ups, Motown at this time was relying on a formula to create songs with a similar sound that would be present in records by their various recording artists. Sure enough this song does have a similar sound as the previous single, and the label hope it would repeat (and surpass) the success of "The Way You Do the Things You Do".
The single was issued with "The Girl's Alright with Me
", also led by Kendricks, as its B-side
. As such it is one of the handful of singles by The Temptations where both sides charted (it peaked at 2 on the Billboard
Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts). However, as it was only a Top 40 Pop hit, it did not meet with the expected degree of success, and producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield
would be given the next single (the Kendricks led "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
"). When it also failed to hit the desired placing on the Pop charts, Robinson would return as The Temptations producer beginning with "My Girl". Both sides of this single would later appear on the group's 1965 album The Temptin' Temptations
. The song was later covered by The Marvelettes
in the early 1970s, with group member Wanda Young Rogers
as lead; their version appears on the album The Return of the Marvelettes
.
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. Written by Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
lead singer 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...
, the single was a Top 40 hit 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...
, peaking at number 33.
This single was the follow-up to "The Way You Do the Things You Do
The Way You Do the Things You Do
"The Way You Do the Things You Do" was covered in 1989 by the band UB40. It was the sixth single from their 1989 album Labour of Love II. The song was released in 1989 in the major of the European countries .-Track listings:7"-Single...
", with falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
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...
as the main lead, the group's bass singer, Melvin Franklin
Melvin Franklin
David 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....
, also has got a lead part on the bridge. As the song's narrator, Kendricks asks his lover to always stay with him, telling her "no matter what you do or say, I know I'm gonna love you anyway", and if she leaves anyway "I'll Be in Trouble." Known for creating repetitive follow-ups, Motown at this time was relying on a formula to create songs with a similar sound that would be present in records by their various recording artists. Sure enough this song does have a similar sound as the previous single, and the label hope it would repeat (and surpass) the success of "The Way You Do the Things You Do".
The single was issued with "The Girl's Alright with Me
The Girl's Alright with Me
"The Girl's Alright with Me" is a 1964 song recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy label. The B-side to their Top 40 hit "I'll Be in Trouble", the song was also able to chart on its own, peaking at number 102 on Billboard Pop Charts...
", also led by Kendricks, as its B-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...
. As such it is one of the handful of singles by The Temptations where both sides charted (it peaked at 2 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts). However, as it was only a Top 40 Pop hit, it did not meet with the expected degree of success, and producer/songwriter 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...
would be given the next single (the Kendricks led "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
"Girl " is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy 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...
"). When it also failed to hit the desired placing on the Pop charts, Robinson would return as The Temptations producer beginning with "My Girl". Both sides of this single would later appear on the group's 1965 album The Temptin' Temptations
The Temptin' Temptations
The Temptin' Temptations is a 1965 album by The Temptations for the Gordy label. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on the Temptations' first 1965 album, The Temptations Sing Smokey...
. The song was later covered by The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr...
in the early 1970s, with group member Wanda Young Rogers
Wanda Young
Wanda Young is an American singer, famous for being the member and later lead singer of the popular Motown all-female singing group The Marvelettes.-Biography:Wanda was born in 1943 and raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan...
as lead; their version appears on the album The Return of the Marvelettes
The Return of The Marvelettes
The Return of The Marvelettes was marketed as the last album by the group, although in reality their last had been 1969's In Full Bloom...
.
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...
and 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.... - Background vocals by Melvin Franklin, 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... |
33 |
| U.S. Cash Box R&B Singles Chart | 22 |