Standing on the Top

"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by (and featuring) musician Rick James.

Background

The Temptations, after a brief spell at Atlantic Records in the late 1970s, resigned with the label that had brought them to stardom, Motown, in 1980. In 1982, reunited with three of their former lead singers, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards (all of whom had left at some point previously), the group, now a seven-piece act, began a reunion tour. They also recorded a new album together, the aptly-titled Reunion, which was a collaboration of efforts from the likes of Berry Gordy (Motown's founder), Smokey Robinson (Motown's vice-president) and punk-funk star Rick James. James, who was the cousin of group member Melvin Franklin, had previously used The Temptations as backing vocalists on his 1981 hit "Super Freak".

Details

"Standing on the Top" was released as the lead single from the group's Reunion album in April, 1982. The album version was almost ten minutes long (9:48) and the single release split the track into two halves; "Part 1" was released as the A-side (4:15) and "Part 2" as the B-side (5:33). It proved to be one of The Temptations' biggest hits in several years, making it into the R&B Top Ten (#6) and performing well on both the US and UK Pop Charts, peaking at #66 and #53, respectively.

Personnel

• Lead vocals by David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Glenn Leonard and Rick James
• Background vocals by Otis Williams, Mary Jane Girls, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Richard Street and Glenn Leonard
• Clavinet by Rick James
• Bass by Oscar Alton
• Drums by Lanise Hughes
• Guitar by Tom McDermott
• Keyboards by Erskine Williams
• Synthesizer by Levi Ruffin
• Saxophone by Chris Powell
• Trumpets by Ken Scott and LaMorris Payne

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References