Get Ready (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. It is significant for being the last song Smokey Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if Get Ready did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, Ain't Too Proud To Beg, would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.

Song history

Temptations version

The original Temptations version of "Get Ready", produced by Smokey Robinson, was designed as an answer to the latest dance craze, "The Duck". The Temptations' falsetto Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the song, which Robinson produced as an up-tempo dance number with a prominent rhythm provided by Motown drummer Benny Benjamin. In the song, Kendricks informs his lover to "get ready" because "I'm bringin' you a love that's true". Melvin Franklin sings lead on the pre-chorus: "fe, fi, fo, fum/look out/'cause here I come" along with several other similar lines. The song made it to number one on the U.S. R&B singles chart, while peaking at number twenty-nine on the pop charts.^[1] The B-side to "Get Ready" was the sweet ballad "Fading Away", which was also led by Kendricks. The song talks about fading love with its narrator asking his soon-to-be-former-lover "Where is your love going?" and saying how much she changed since they fell in love. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, & Bobby Rogers, and produced by William "Smokey" Robinson, "Fading Away" was later included on the Temptations 1966 album Gettin' Ready along with the hit side. The group's previous singles since "My Girl" had all landed in the U.S. Pop charts (and R&B charts) Top 20, and this single was expected to do the same. However "Get Ready" was only a Top 30 hit (missing the Top 20 by nine positions), while "Fading Away" missed all U.S. national charts. As was promised, the next single released would have Norman Whitfield's song on it. When Whitfield's "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (also a number-one R&B hit) made it to thirteen on the pop charts, Motown chief Berry Gordy assigned him to be the Temptations' new main producer. Ironically, the song did eventually become a Top 10 pop hit, but not by the Temptations,but by the Motown rock band Rare Earth. (Although the Temptations' version did eventually reach no 10 in the UK in 1969).

Later performances

In 1966, The Supremes covered the song on their 1966 album The Supremes A' Go-Go. It was produced by Motown writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland. In 1967, Dusty Springfield performed a live version of the song at the British Broadcasting Corporation's television series "Dusty".^[2] In 1970, The Miracles finally released their own cover version of the song on their 1970 album A Pocket Full of Miracles. The song was Ella Fitzgerald's last US chart record (1969), reaching the Billboard "Bubbling Under The Top 100" survey.

The B-side, "Fading Away", was later covered by Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers in the late 1960s, and The Marvelettes in the early 1970s (with group member Wanda Young Rogers as lead); The Marvelettes version appears on the album The Return of the Marvelettes. The Hellacopters covered the song on their 2001 EP White Trash Soul.

Rare Earth version

In 1970, Motown's rock band Rare Earth released a cover version of the song as a single. Rare Earth's version of "Get Ready" was the band's first recording for Motown, and was based upon a version of the song it performed as the closing numbers to their live performances. In the live show, each member of the band performed a solo, resulting in a twenty-one minute rendition of the song. It has been debated on whether the actual recording for the album was really recorded at a concert. It has been noted that the audience sounds throughout the song are repetitive and canned. This has been done before with The Kingsmen's version of Louie Louie released on an album with party crowd noise dubbed in.

The band wanted to release "Get Ready" as a single, but Motown declined at first, issuing the unsuccessful "Generation, Light Up the Sky" as the band's first single. Finally deferring to the band's wishes in February 1970, Motown released a three-minute edit of the song as a single, which became a hit. "Get Ready" peaked at number four on the U.S. pop charts, a better performance than the original, and took up the entire second side of their first Motown album, also named Get Ready. The Rare Earth version of the song also peaked at number twenty on the R&B chart.^[3] Today, "Get Ready" is among the most familiar of both the Temptations' and Rare Earth's recordings.

The B-side of the single of "Get Ready" is "Magic Key"^[4], which is found on the same album as "Get Ready". "Magic Key" has a fast tempo, and uses a mixolydian chord progression with a key change on the chorus.

Personnel

Temptations version (1960s)

• Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin
• Background vocals by David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams
• Produced by Smokey Robinson
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Supremes Version

• Lead vocals by Diana Ross
• Background vocals by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard
• Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Miracles version

• Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson
• Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Bobby Rogers.
• Guitar by Marv Tarplin
• Produced by Smokey Robinson
• Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Rare Earth version

• Lead vocals by Pete Rivera
• Background vocals by Gil Bridges and Rod Richards
• Produced by Rare Earth
• Instrumentation by Gil Bridges (saxophone), Pete Rivera (drums), John Parrish (bass guitar), Rod Richards (guitar), and Kenny James (keyboards)

Temptations version (1990-91, CBS Promo "Get Ready for CBS and Milestone album versions)

• Lead vocals by Ron Tyson, Melvin Franklin and Ali-Ollie Woodson
• Background vocals by Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, and Otis Williams
• Instrumentation by L.A. session artists

Human Nature and Smokey Robinson version

• Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson and Phil Burton of Human Nature
• Backing vocals by Andrew Tierney, Michael Tierney and Toby Allen of Human Nature

Other versions and uses in media

Between 1972 and 1974, this song was covered by Singapore-based female singer Ervinna, backing music by The Stylers, on her LP album Top Hits with the local White Cloud Record.

Later covers of "Get Ready" include a 1979 version by the song's author, Smokey Robinson. Pop group The Nolans recorded a version for their hit 1980 album Making Waves.

PWL also produced a version in 1987 by Carol Hitchcock.

The original Temptations version was later adopted as a jingle promo for the 1990 fall season for the Get Ready for CBS Image Campaign. In 1991, The Temptations lineup at that time would remake the song for their album, Milestone.

In 1995 Ash covered this song on the b-face of the single Goldfinger.

In 2006, a re-written "Get Ready" served as the theme song for the launch of The CW (which is, coincidentally, 50% owned by CBS). This version was performed by The Black Eyed Peas members Fergie and will.i.am. It was later turned into an actual full cover of the song called Here I Come on Fergie's album The Dutchess.

The Proclaimers also recorded an adaptation of the song.

A version of the song is featured in the Season 7 promo for the TNT television show, The Closer, covered by MoZella.

In 1993, Backstreet Boys recorded the song as a part of their promotional tape. ^[5]

For the 2011 Peroni Advert, Mario Biondi (musician) recorded the song. Youtube video

Sample

References