| Standing on the Top | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | The Temptations |
| Album: | Reunion |
| Released: | 1982 |
| Recorded: | 1982 |
| Genre: | Soul, funk |
| Length: | 4:15 |
| Label: | Gordy (Motown) 1616 GF Motown (UK) TMGT 1623 |
| Producer: | Rick James |
| Prev Title: | Oh, What a Night |
| Prev Year: | 1981 |
| Next Title: | More On The Inside |
| Next Year: | 1982 |
"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by (and featuring) musician Rick James.
The Temptations, after a brief spell at Atlantic Records in the late 1970s, re-signed with Motown, in 1980. In 1982, reunited with three of their former lead singers, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards, the group, now a seven-piece act, began a reunion tour. They also recorded a new album together, the aptly titled Reunion, a collaboration Motown founder Berry Gordy, Motown VP Smokey Robinson and punk-funk star Rick James. The Temptations provided backing vocals on James' 1981 hit "Super Freak".
"Standing on the Top" was released as the lead single from the group's Reunion album in April, 1982. The album version was almost ten minutes long (9:48) and the single release split the track into two halves; "Part 1" was released as the A-side (4:15) and "Part 2" as the B-side (5:33).
It proved to be one of The Temptations' biggest hits in several years, making it into the R&B Top Ten (#6), but performing only moderately on both the US and UK Singles Chart, peaking at #66 and #53, respectively. In Canada it peaked on the RPM Top 50 at #32 on July 10, 1982.
| Chart (1982) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| U.K. Singles Chart[2] | 53 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] | 66 | |
| U.S. Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80[4] | 11 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles[5] | 3 |
. Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 . Joel Whitburn . 2013 . Record Research . 833.
. Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 256.
. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . 572.