MOTOWN SPOTLIGHT – July 2025
I had planned something totally different this month but somehow I got engrossed in a ‘live’ album that stirred up some fabulous memories for me as it marked nearly a year since I had left the family home in East Sussex to live and work in London. A decision not taken lightly because it meant a country girl becoming a city girl, with a pace of life I found difficult to keep up with at first. However, my ambition to be in the music business was my driving force, so really there was no way I could fight against it. In hindsight, it was one of my best decisions ever! So, let’s see where this unplanned MS leads us…
‘The Temptation Walk’
Since their number US one single “My Girl” in 1964, the singles that followed, namely, “It’s Growing” and “Since I Lost My Baby” had kept The Temptations very much in the public eye. By now they had become a regular touring act by themselves or with their fellow artists. And by the close of ’65, they’d even invented their own dance routine, lovingly called “The Temptations Walk”, a series of basic steps in a high-strutting routine, that was stunning to watch, and which was adopted by fans and contemporaries alike but not to the same high standard. When it came to dance routines, these guys were kings.
The group’s final release of the year, “My Baby” seemed to bring an end to their run of ballads. With the start of 1966, Smokey Robinson was again responsible for their next hit (and a timeless classic it was too) namely “Get Ready”. Apparently, it was written to cash in on ‘The Duck,’ the then-current dance craze. Who knew! But, on the downside, the song marked the end of the group’s two-plus years working relationship with Smokey.
Berry Gordy had made a deal with Norman Whitfield that roughly meant if “Get Ready” wasn’t a huge money spinner, he could have future control over the group. So, although it was a chart topping R&B hit, it only peaked in the US top thirty, not a result expected following their previous top selling partnership. “It wasn’t cute or sweet, and it wasn’t a ballad” wrote Otis Williams in his autobiography, Temptation. “Smokey called it the most direct song he ever wrote. It wasn’t a bad song, but I thought it lacked an edge.”
Subsequently, Norman changed their musical direction with his co-penned and produced “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” and “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep”. Otis continued: “His greatest accomplishment, I think, was that he did with us what a producer should do. He took us in new directions without losing the heart of our sound. His backing tracks crackled with more intricate percussion, wailing, almost rock-style electric guitars, and arrangements that presented us as five distinct singers instead of one lead singer fronting a homogenized doo-wop chorus.”
With Norman at the helm, international hits became the norm (no pun intended) and all were responsible for The Temptations being in demand across the world. While this situation was what they and Motown dreamed of, it presented problems because future recordings had to be prepared in their absence, and invariably released without the group being aware of the final mix. This really annoyed Eddie Kendricks, who was by the way, the lead vocal on “Get Ready”. He recalled,”I never got the opportunity to digest all the material I recorded. Often the tracks would be completely ready and I’d just go into the studio and lay down my vocals sometimes without having seen the material ahead of time.”
Just a little more about these guys during this late-sixties period before I get to the reason for starting this in the first place. Bet you can’t wait! With success again came unrest within the membership. David Ruffin wanted his name out front of the group in line with Diana Ross, Martha Reeves and Smokey Robinson. Berry Gordy refused. To further aggravate the situation, I was told David would travel around in his own limousine while the rest of the group used the bus. He also hired his own entourage to travel with him and stayed in separate hotel suites. Eventually, his ploys backfired with the band voting him out in 1968. Nonetheless, he continued to follow them on tour and invariably invited himself up on stage to join them, much to the group’s embarrassment.
Although David Ruffin was fired from The Temptations, he wasn’t sacked from Motown. He was still under contract, something apparently he didn’t want to be. So, he filed a lawsuit against Berry Gordy and the company requesting, among other things, a financial accounting and release from his contract. David lost and, much against his better judgment, remained a signed artist, and when that contract was amended to offer him a solo career, he accepted. Dennis Edwards replaced him. Big shoes to fill, as he remembered: “It was tough settling into The Temptations particularly when David had been such an idol. You’d appear somewhere and David’s fans would be there and you could tell they weren’t too sympathetic. All I could do was try the best I could.”
All this preamble brings me to the album that was released on the Gordy label in July 1970, the year Motown celebrated its tenth anniversary, “The Temptations Live At London’s Talk Of The Town“, recorded during their two-week stay at this top venue. They were the second Motown group to perform here as The Supremes enjoyed their fortnight’s stay in January 1968. A story for another time I expect. I’ve previously written about Eddie Kendricks’ absence from the opening night (remember the picture of him lounging in his hotel room?) so we’ll gloss over that to concentrate on other things that happened during the group’s stay.
But first, here’s what Otis Williams had to say about their opening night which, if I remember correctly, I reported in MS March 2023. “At first we didn’t really know what to do without Eddie as nobody else can sing that high. We covered up as best we could but had to cut out a lot of numbers that we usually do. Normally, our act lasts for an hour or so. However, now that Eddie has joined us, the show will be much better. We can include songs like ‘I’m Gonna Make You Love Me’ and ‘You’re My Everything’. We weren’t at our best that night – far from it. We were all very nervous and also missing Eddie badly. However, we were pleased about the reviews because they seemed fair.”
“I Can’t Get Next To You” was released to coincide with the visit, where the opening night saw a star-packed audience enjoying one of Motown’s finest. Due to Eddie’s absence, their pop-slanted act was shortened, as there were some songs that couldn’t be replicated with only four singers. I’ve lifted a couple quotes from the front cover of the US album release which I had unearthed from my collection and am listening to now. It’s a practically brand new copy as I wasn’t a great lover of ‘live’ albums back in the day. In time, I changed my mind.
Anyway, here goes: “The enthusiastic discotheque audience gave a rousing reception to The Temptations, the famous American rhythm and blues group who were making their debut at the Talk of the Town. Despite the absence of one of their group [Eddie Kendricks], (a flu victim), and with the help of their own rhythm section and several microphones, they had no difficulty whatsoever in making themselves heard! Certainly a polished and professional act.” And…”A big thrill was a dressing room visit from two of The Beatles – Ringo Starr and George Harrison. The Tempts consider The Beatles the finest male group in the world. They were almost embarrassed to find The Beatles think the same about them.”
Then, Ray Connolly wrote in The Evening Standard dated 13 January. And do remember this was written in 1970. “If you can imagine a cross-breeding of an electronic, mohair-suited Ink Spots with the Television Toppers (and maybe just a touch of the Black and White Minstrels) then you’ll get a pretty good idea of what The Temptations did on stage at the Talk of the Town last night.”
On 27 January, the guys met [Archbishop of Canterbury] Dr Michael Ramsey at Lambeth Palace, when they discussed American and British race relations before receiving the Archbishop’s blessing. Harold Wilson, our prime minister at the time, had tasked Michael Ramsey with heading up a committee to look into race relations. Erm….I might be unfair here, but perhaps someone at Lambeth Palace thought it was a great press opportunity to link their boss with a US black group.
The Temptations meet The Archbishop of Canterbury
That aside, The Temptations told him of the work they were doing with various Detroit youth groups, the problems of integration and housing, and the effect Dr Martin Luther King’s death (4 April 1968) had on Americans. Although they performed as a group, they told the Archbishop they acted as individuals in working towards the cause of brotherhood. For instance, they were active contributors to the Paul Williams Scholarship, the Chadsey High School Afro-American Club, and the Don Bosco Home For Boys.
Whatever the real reasoning behind this unlikely meeting, the press lapped it up, with Motown issuing a statement that included, “It was a meeting of minds and interests that had great meaning for the Archbishop and the entertainers.” Paul Williams was quoted as saying he felt it was, “A beautiful experience. I’m very concerned with racial and housing problems in the United States.”
Otis Williams with Lynne and Jackie
Other off-stage activities included meeting the press at a reception arranged by Motown/EMI, who bankrolled their trip. Only three Temptations actually made it as Eddie had just flown into London and Paul was suffering from jet lag. There were the obligatory shopping trips for clothes, and, for one Temptation, a visit to an apartment in Sherborne Gardens, Ealing, the home of “Motown Ad Astra” the UK fan club. And home to myself, Lynne Pemberton and Jackie Lee, who previously ran The Temptations’ fan club from Warrington, and Gerry Jones, responsible for Marvin Gaye’s club. It so happened, Otis Williams was kicking his heels and decided to visit. Lynne drove to The Mayfair Hotel in her trusty mini [car] to collect him – a bit of a squeeze – and he spent a few hours with us. She then returned him to go on stage that evening.
Now for the life of me I can’t remember how many shows we saw but I’m thinking it was more than one. How on earth we afforded them also beats me, as I don’t recall EMI flashing the cash with complimentary tickets. And, of course, there wasn’t the ‘luxury’ of credit cards then. But, they were worth every missed meal, because from the eight-minute introduction-medley highlighting several of their hits, The Temptations bounded on stage to work their way through such an impressive and memorable selection of hits that featured them all as lead singers. Then there were singles like “Run Away Child, Running Wild”, “Don’t Let The Joneses Get You Down”, “Cloud Nine” and “I Can’t Get Next To You”, while turning down the tempo with “This Guy’s In Love With You” and “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”, added a balance to the act. I reckon I spoke for British fans at the time when I moaned over the introduction-medley because it denied us full length versions of our favourites, with “Get Ready”, “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep”, “You’re My Everything” and “My Girl” among them. Otherwise, it was temptin’ Temptation heaven!
So, for an MS that was unplanned, yet written from the heart, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it, particularly as I had the added thrill of listening to the album as I did so. Finally, just to add the belt-and-braces bit: “Live At London’s Talk Of The Town” was issued, with a different cover to that of the US release, on Tamla Motown in April 1970. Tony Blackburn wrote the sleeve notes. Then in January 1979, Music For Pleasure released another version, again with a different sleeve, when this time, I think, Roger St Pierre penned the notes.
Well, that’s it. Next month normal service (whatever that means!) will be resumed, so hope you’ll join me again.
Sharon Davis
