On December 21, 1964, The Temptations released what is now considered one of the greatest love songs ever recorded.
Smokey Robinson and Ronald White wrote and produced the classic Motown tune “My Girl.” It became the group’s first single. It is now part of the National Registry.
“I remember being in the studio, and we heard ‘My Girl’ for the first time,” Otis Williams, the group’s only surviving founding member, told Fox News Digital.
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The Temptations are, from left, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams and Eddie Kendricks. (Michael Oakes Archives/Getty Images)
“I was in the control room where Smokey was producing, and I said, ‘Smoke, I don’t know how big a record this is going to be.’ Then we were at the Apollo, getting telegrams from the Beatles, Berry Gordy, the Supremes, and Jules Buddell, the guy who was managing Copacabana, and those four telegrams still hang in my house today.
“They are very precious to me,” he said. “I never imagined The Temps would receive so many great accolades at such an early stage. We formed in 1961, but didn’t have any hits until 1964… The song put us on the map.”
When asked who the mystery girl behind the song was, Williams laughed and replied, “You’ll have to ask Smokey about that.”
Singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson rehearses a song with The Temptations in a dressing room at the Apollo in 1964. (Don Paulsen/Michael Oakes Archives/Getty Images)
“Smokey and his wife at the time, Claudette, saw us at a place in Detroit, a very popular nightclub called The 20 Grand,” Williams recalls. They came to see us, and he was like, ‘Man, you guys are dynamite.’ Then he stopped and said, “I have a song for you.” We were young and cocky, so we said, ‘Bring it on – we can sing anything.’”
Billboard.com reported that “My Girl” was the follow-up to another song Robinson wrote and produced, Mary Wells’ “My Guy.” This track is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.
The secret behind the song’s lasting impact is surprisingly simple, Williams said.
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Otis Williams performs on stage in California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
“It has a broad meaning,” he explained. “It’s a song that resonates with any life event. When fathers give away their daughters at weddings, that will always be his girl to some extent.”
“When a man falls in love with a young lady, he says: ‘That’s my girl.’ It has a lot of different meanings, gives a wide range of feelings, and is not limited to just a guy and a girl, it is a way to express love.
Score sheets for “My Girl” and “Beauty is Only Skin Deep” are being played in New York City. (Dom Emmert/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s simply a great song with easy lyrics – it’s not offensive at all,” Williams continued. “It’s a tune that anyone can remember. That’s why it’s priceless… It’s just a great way to express what a man feels about his woman… And that’s what Motown believes in – having great songs with beautiful lyrics that don’t offend anyone.” . “.
On March 6, 1965, The Temptations’ best-selling single “My Girl” hit number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. (World Music Archive)
Williams insisted that there was a lot that today’s artists could learn from his generation.
“Look, I always tell people that the only thing constant in life is change,” he explained. “I try not to upset anyone in their pursuit of success in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not a fan of some of the things I hear on the radio today.”
“When I hear the words…I hear the swearing,” Williams said. “I hear a lot of expletives. Now, I believe in freedom of speech, but this is very reflective of where we are as a society today… You shouldn’t hear expletives on the radio.”
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In 1989, The Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (World Music Archive)
“I believe in great words, words that are not offensive, and will resonate with anyone,” he said. “That’s why Motown was so great. They focused on great songs. They were called ‘Songs for America.’
“I know my time was a different time…but I’m not a fan of what I hear on the radio these days. I don’t know what happened when things got so comfortable that you could hear swearing or people talking about doing really bad things to women, kids shouldn’t hear that “
At 83 years old, Williams has no plans to slow down.
“Look, I always tell people that the only thing constant in life is change. I try not to bother anyone in their endeavors when they want to make it in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not a fan of some people. One of the things I hear in radio today.”
On September 14, 1994, The Temptations were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, and on June 7, 2019, they were awarded a star on the Walk of Fame at the Apollo Theater in New York City. (Universal Music Group)
“God has blessed me to do this for 64 years,” he said. “I feel like being in show business is special. You can reach a lot of people. You can give them hope. You can lift them up through tough times. So we’re always going to try to be a useful act. We’re not going to go out on stage and grab our private parts and sing about doing “This or that.”
“We learned that if you perform with the right kind of respect and dignity, there will always be people who will listen to you,” Williams said. “As long as you give a good performance and keep it healthy, you don’t have to worry about it too much. Our respect for our fans and ourselves has been emphasized.”
My Girl has now surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Williams admitted he’s in awe of younger listeners discovering the song on social media.
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The Temptations have surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. (World Music Archive)
“God and His infinite wisdom brought us into this studio — I truly believe that,” Williams said. “And that was a very special time during the ’60s. Now, the ’60s were crazy, like we are today…but it’s a real testament that a song can still be loved 60 years later.”
“…our audience has grown with us,” he shared. “We were young when we started, but look where we are now.”
