December 21, 1964 – The Temptations release the single “My Girl”
When it comes to R&B legends, they don’t get much bigger than The Temptations. The signature male vocal group of Motown, the Temptin’ Tempts have stayed relevant for more than 60 years, with countless hits and an influence that has extended to vocal groups everywhere.
But the Tempts were still an emerging quintet back in 1964, when Smokey Robinson and Ron White delivered to them a love song that they would record in September of that year. “My Girl” was an ode to a love that had flowery lyrics (“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May”) and a killer melody. And when combined with the group’s exquisite harmonies and the playing of Motown’s Funk Brothers in the background, it became an all-time favorite and this iconic group’s signature song.
On this day in 1964, the Temptations released the “My Girl” single and it shot right to the top of the charts, cementing an historic place for The Temptations that continues to this day. So, on Today in Soul Music History we honor this gem, and are enjoying it all over again.
