The Temptations Sing Smokey Explained

The Temptations Sing Smokey
Type:	studio
Artist:	the Temptations
Cover:	Tempts-sing-smokey.jpg
Released:	March 22, 1965
Recorded:	1964–1965
Studio:	Hitsville U.S.A., Detroit
Genre:	Soul, rhythm and blues
Length:	33:21
Label:	Gordy
Producer:	Smokey Robinson
Prev Title:	Meet the Temptations
Prev Year:	1964
Next Title:	The Temptin' Temptations
Next Year:	1965

The Temptations Sing Smokey is the second studio album by the Temptations for the Motown label, released on the Gordy Records subsidiary (G 912) in 1965.^[1] As its name implies, it is composed entirely of songs written and produced by Smokey Robinson, and several other members of the Miracles as well.

Several of the songs are covers of songs Robinson produced for the Miracles or Mary Wells, while the rest were originally recorded by The Temptations. Among these are three successful hit singles, starting with "The Way You Do the Things You Do", which featured Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals. The next two songs feature lead vocals by new Temptation David Ruffin – "It's Growing" and the group's signature song, "My Girl".

Not included are two singles which predate these two singles, "I'll Be in Trouble" and "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" (whose B-side, "Baby, Baby I Need You", is here). These songs would be included on the next Temptations album, The Temptin' Temptations. A third hit single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do", is present here, although it was also issued on the previous Temptations album, Meet the Temptations.

Track listing

Side one

1. "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) – 2:41
2. "Baby, Baby I Need You" (Robinson) (lead singers: Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Temptations ensemble) – 2:53
3. "My Girl" (Robinson, Ronald White) (lead singer: David Ruffin) – 2:55
4. "What Love Has Joined Together" (Robinson, Rogers) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) – 2:58
5. "You'll Lose a Precious Love" (Robinson) (lead singer: David Ruffin; Melvin Franklin on last line of bridge) – 2:35
6. "It's Growing" (Robinson, Warren Pete Moore) (lead singer: David Ruffin) – 3:00

Side two

1. "Who's Lovin' You" (Robinson) (lead singer: David Ruffin) – 2:59
2. "What's So Good About Goodbye" (Robinson) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) – 2:40
3. "You Beat Me to the Punch" (Robinson, White) (lead singer: Paul Williams) – 2:45
4. "Way Over There" (Berry Gordy, Jr., Robinson) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) – 3:03
5. "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (Robinson) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks; co-lead harmonies: David Ruffin, Paul Williams) – 3:00
6. "(You Can) Depend on Me" (Gordy, Robinson) (lead singers: Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams) – 2:32

Unreleased recordings from the Sing Smokey sessions:

• "What's Easy for Two Is So Hard for One" (Robinson) (lead singer: Paul Williams)
• "Happy Landing" (Robinson, White) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks)

Both these songs have subsequently been released.

Personnel

The Temptations

• David Ruffin – vocals (all tracks except "Baby, Baby I Need You")
• Eddie Kendricks – vocals
• Paul Williams – vocals
• Melvin Franklin – vocals
• Otis Williams – vocals
• Elbridge "Al" Bryant – vocals ("Baby, Baby I Need You")

with:

• The Andantes – additional backing vocals ("It's Growing")
• The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
• Detroit Symphony Orchestra – strings

Technical

• Smokey Robinson – producer, executive producer
• Bob Folster – cover design

Chart and singles history

Title	Information
"The Way You Do the Things You Do"	Gordy single 7028, January 23, 1964 B-side – "Just Let Me Know" (recorded 1963; from Meet The Temptations)
"Baby, Baby I Need You" (recorded 1963; b-side of "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)")	Gordy single 7035, August 20, 1964
"My Girl"	Gordy single 7038, December 21, 1964 B-side – "(Talking 'Bout) Nobody But My Baby" (non album side)
"It's Growing"	Gordy single 7040, March 18, 1965 B-side – "What Love Has Joined Together"
"You'll Lose a Precious Love" (b-side of "Ain't Too Proud to Beg")	Gordy single 7057, May 3, 1966

Name	Chart (1964–1965)	Peak position
The Temptations Sing Smokey	U.S. Billboard Pop Albums	35
The Temptations Sing Smokey	U.S. Top R&B Albums	1
"The Way You Do the Things You Do"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	11
"The Way You Do the Things You Do"	U.S. CashBox R&B Singles	1
"Baby, Baby I Need You"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	align="center"	-
"My Girl"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	1
"My Girl"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	1
"It's Growing"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	18
"It's Growing"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	3
"What Love Has Joined Together"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles
"What Love Has Joined Together"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles

• Note – There was no Billboard R&B singles chart from November 1963 until January 1965. Most discographies include R&B information from Cash Box magazine to fill in the gap in the R&B chart, as is done here with the 1964 releases.

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1965 (U.S.)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gordy Album Discography, Part 1 (1962-1981) . 2012-03-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120312084344/http://www.bsnpubs.com/motown/gordy.html . 2012-03-12 .