You're My Everything

"You're My Everything" is a 1967 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It is the first of three singles (and four songs) to be co-written for the group by Motown songwriter Roger Penzabene. It reached number three on the U.S. R&B chart and number six on the U.S. Pop chart. It would be the third single from the group's 1967 album The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul.

This is one of the small handful of A-sides led by Eddie Kendricks since David Ruffin (who leads on the bridge and ad-libs on the outro) became the Tempt's lead singer, the last one was the 1966 song "Get Ready". As the song's main narrator, Kendricks tells his girl just how much she really means to him.

Now, I was blessed the day I found you,

Gonna build my whole world around you,

You're everything good girl, and you're all that matters to me

There is real sentiment behind the song's words, as lyricist Penzabene wrote his songs as personal statements to his wife, to let her know how much he cared about. Later he would find out she had been unfaithful to him and publicized his pain in the songs, "I Wish It Would Rain" and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)", to show her how much he was hurt by her. After both of those songs were completed and recorded, Penzabene committed suicide.

The single is backed by a cover of The Miracles "I've Been Good To You", also led by Kendricks. As such it is one of the handful of singles by The Temptations where both sides charted (it peaked at 24 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts).

Personnel

• Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin (bridge and outro)
• Background vocals by David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams
• Guitar by Cornelius Grant
• Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Not to be confused the song "You're My Everything", written by Lee Garrett and recorded by Santa Esmeralda.