BitterSweet Symphony

   Anyone who knows me knows I love music from the sixties and seventies.  I’m not a big reader but love reading books written by musicians from this time. 

    I just finished the autobiography of the Temptations written by Otis Williams. He was one of the original Temps and founder of the group. 

    The book chronicles the lives of the Temptations from the fifties all the way to present day, or to 2002 when the last chapter was written for the updated version. 

   The book goes through all the difficult times from beginning to end.  Whether it was group members quitting, deaths or the band’s name being changed. 

     The Temptations formed and signed with Motown in the early 1960s.  The “original” members were David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams.  Their the ones who sang the most familiar Temp songs, such as My Girl, Ain’t to Proud to Beg and The Way You Do the Things You Do.  

    They are by far the most recognizable Temps of them all.  Throughout the sixties and seventies however the group changed a variety of times.  Most noted was the departure of David and replacement by Dennis Edwards. 

   Dennis sang with the group on many hits such as Papa Was A Rolling Stone and Can’t Get Next To You and the Grammy winning Cloud Nine.  The Temps, like the Supremes, came to be known for how often they switched group members. 

   The Temptations won a total of three Grammy awards during the height of their career.  But with all the fame and success came many downfalls as well. 

  The first came when David began using drugs.  When the Temps were at there most popular in the late sixties, the singer began using cocaine and thinking he was better than the group. 

   He was late to concerts and missed several rehearsals and meetings.  The group had no choice but to let him go. 

    David sang lead on many hits like My Girl so this was a major loss to the group.  Eddie was next to leave.  He began, like David, thinking that he was better than the group so he quit in the early seventies, another huge blow. 

    Of all the heart breaks the group faced, by far the worst was the suicide of Paul.  In the early days of the group performing, Paul was the “rock” of the group.  He was the one who introduced dance to the group’s act, which is now one of the things the Temps are most known for. 

    Paul started drinking heavily at the height of the groups My Girl success.  Before this time he would never drink but life on the road caught up with him and he used drinking as a way to cope.  Through the years he just got more and more addicted. 

     The group stood by him as much as they could but had to let him go in the mid seventies.  A few months later the singer committed suicide by shooting himself.  All the Temps reunited at his funeral and served as pallbearers.

    Throughout all the downs the group stilled soared and is still one of  the most successful male groups of all time.  Their story inspired Otis to write this book and I’m really glad he did. 

    Like I said before, I not a big reader, in fact I’ve probably only read maybe ten full books in my life, but I really loved this one and couldn’t put it down.  I grew up listening to their music but really became interested in the group after watching the mini-series Temptations, which is based on the novel.

     When I watched the movie I was moved by them and their stories so I had to read the book.  I find myself watching the movie all the time now.  It is probably one of the best made for TV movies I’ve ever seen.  Sadly it didn’t win any awards, although nominated. 

    I’m glad the movie and book are out there for fans like me to enjoy.  The Temptations formed when rock n roll, R & B and soul were just starting.  They sort of helped define those genres of music and will always be one of the greatest groups ever.  Temptations Forever.

The group (in the movie) performing My Girl: 

Pictured above: the original Temptations. top row from left to right: Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams. second row, left to right: Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks. laying down in front: David Ruffin