You're My Everything (The Temptations song)
Encyclopedia
"You're My Everything" is a 1967
hit single recorded by The Temptations
for the Gordy (Motown) label. It is the first of three singles (and four songs) to be co-written for the group by Motown songwriter Roger Penzabene
. It reached number three on the U.S. R&B
chart and number six on the U.S. Pop
chart. It would be the third single from the group's 1967 album The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
.
This is one of the small handful of A-sides led by Eddie Kendricks
since David Ruffin
(who leads on the bridge and ad-libs on the outro) became the Tempt's lead singer, the last one was the 1966 song "Get Ready
". As the song's main narrator, Kendricks tells his girl just how much she really means to him.
There is real sentiment behind the song's words, as lyricist Penzabene wrote his songs as personal statements to his wife, to let her know how much he cared about. Later he would find out she had been unfaithful to him and publicized his pain in the songs, "I Wish It Would Rain
" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)
", to show her how much he was hurt by her. After both of those songs were completed and recorded, Penzabene committed suicide.
The single is backed by a cover of The Miracles
"I've Been Good To You
", also led by Kendricks. As such it is one of the handful of singles by The Temptations where both sides charted (it peaked at 24 on the Billboard
Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts).
Not to be confused the song "You're My Everything", written by Lee Garrett
and recorded by Santa Esmeralda
.
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
hit single recorded 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 is the first of three singles (and four songs) to be co-written for the group by Motown songwriter Roger Penzabene
Roger Penzabene
Roger Penzabene was a songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most notable compositions are "The End of Our Road" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye, and a trilogy of hits for the Temptations: "You're My Everything", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "I Could Never Love Another ".The...
. It reached number three on the U.S. R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart and number six on the U.S. Pop
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...
chart. It would be the third single from the group's 1967 album The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul
The Temptations with a Lot 'o Soul is a 1967 album by The Temptations for the Gordy label. Featuring four hit singles, With a Lot o' Soul is the most successful Temptations album from their "classic 5" era, during which David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Otis...
.
This is one of the small handful of A-sides led by 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...
since 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...
(who leads on the bridge and ad-libs on the outro) became the Tempt's lead singer, the last one was the 1966 song "Get Ready
Get Ready (Motown song)
"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. #29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. #4 version by Rare Earth in 1970...
". As the song's main narrator, Kendricks tells his girl just how much she really means to him.
- Now, I was blessed the day I found you,
- Gonna build my whole world around you,
- You're everything good girl, and you're all that matters to me
There is real sentiment behind the song's words, as lyricist Penzabene wrote his songs as personal statements to his wife, to let her know how much he cared about. Later he would find out she had been unfaithful to him and publicized his pain in the songs, "I Wish It Would Rain
I Wish It Would Rain
"I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label and produced by Norman Whitfield.-Background:...
" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)
I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)
"I Could Never Love Another " is a single recorded by The Temptations and released on Motown Records' Gordy label during the spring of 1968...
", to show her how much he was hurt by her. After both of those songs were completed and recorded, Penzabene committed suicide.
The single is backed by a cover of The 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...
"I've Been Good To You
I've Been Good To You
"I've Been Good To You" is a 1961 R&B song by The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. It was released as the B-side of their Billboard Top 40 hit, "What's So Good About Goodbye", and was included on their album I'll Try Something New the following year. This sad, melancholy ballad charted #103...
", also led by Kendricks. As such it is one of the handful of singles by The Temptations where both sides charted (it peaked at 24 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).
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 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...
(bridge and outro) - Background vocals by David Ruffin, 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...
, 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... - Guitar by Cornelius GrantCornelius GrantCornelius Grant was born April 27, 1943 in Fairfield, Texas, a small town 80 miles south of Dallas. Raised by his grandmother, who he adored, he taught himself how to play guitar at the age of nine. When he was 13, his family moved to Detroit....
- Other 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...
Not to be confused the song "You're My Everything", written by Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett is an American rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, most famous for co-writing the song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours".-Career:...
and recorded by Santa Esmeralda
Santa Esmeralda
Santa Esmeralda is a U.S./French Disco group formed in the 1970s, which earned a #1 club hit in 1977 with a cover version of the song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood".-Mr. "Misunderstood":Leroy Gómez was born in Wareham, Massachusetts of Cape Verdean descent...
.