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On December 21, 1964, The Temptations released what is now considered one of the greatest love songs ever recorded.
Smokey Robinson and Ronald White wrote and produced the classic Motown tune “My Girl”. It became the group’s first number 1 single. It is now part of the National Record Registry.
“I remember being in the studio and we heard ‘My Girl’ for the first time,” Otis Williams, the group’s only surviving founder, told Fox News Digital.
The Temptations, from left, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams and Eddie Kendricks. (Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
“I was in the control room where Smokey was producing, and I said, ‘Smoke, I don’t know how big of a record this is going to be.’ Then we were in Apollo. We got telegrams from the BeatlesBerry Gordy, The Supreme and Jules Podell, the guy who ran Copacabana. I still have those four telegrams in my house today.”
“They are very precious to me,” he thought. “I could never have imagined that The Temps would receive so much wonderful praise at such an early stage. We formed in 1961 but didn’t have a hit until 1964… The song put us on the map.”
When asked who the mystery girl behind the single was, Williams laughed and replied, “You’d have to ask Smokey.”
Singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson rehearses a song with the Temptations in their dressing room at the Apollo in 1964. (Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
“Smokey and his wife at the time, Claudette, saw us at a place in Detroit, a very popular nightclub called The 20 Grand,” Williams recalled. “They came to see us, and he said, ‘Man, you’re dynamite.’ Then he stopped and said, ‘I have a song for you.’ We were young and ambitious, so we said, ‘Come on – we can sing anything.'”
“My Girl” was the follow-up to another song written and produced by Robinson, “My Guy” by Mary Wells, Billboard.com reported. And that track is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Williams said the secret to the song’s lasting impact is surprisingly simple.
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Otis Williams performs on stage in California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
“It has such a broad meaning,” he explained. “It’s a song that resonates with every event in life. When fathers give their daughters away at their weddings, it’s always going to be his girlfriend in some way.
“When a guy falls in love with a young lady, he will say, ‘That’s my girl.’ It has many different meanings and gives a wide range of feelings. It’s not just attributed to a guy and a girl. It’s a way of expressing love.”
Recordings for “My Girl” and “Beauty is Only Skin Deep” exhibited in New York. (Dom Emmert/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s just a great song with simple lyrics – not offensive at all,” Williams continued. “It’s a tune that everybody can remember. That’s why it’s so priceless… It’s just a beautiful way of expressing what a man would feel for his wife… And that’s what Motown believed in – having great songs with beautiful lyrics that aren’t offensive to anyone .”
It was March 6, 1965, when The Temptations’ biggest-selling single, “My Girl,” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (Universal Music Archives)
And there’s a lot that today’s artists can learn from his generation, Williams insisted.
“Look, I always tell people that the only thing constant in life is change,” he explained. “I try not to tear anyone down in their efforts to make their bones in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not impressed with some of the things I hear on the radio today.”
“When I hear the lyrics … I hear swearing,” Williams said. “I hear a lot of demeaning language. Now, I believe in free speech, but it’s very much a reflection of where we are as a society today… You shouldn’t be hearing profanity on the radio.”
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The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. (Universal Music Archives)
“I believe in great lyrics, lyrics that aren’t offensive and that will resonate with everyone,” he said. “That’s why Motown was so great. They emphasized great songs. They were called ‘Songs for America’.
“I know my time was different… but I’m just not impressed with what I hear on the radio these days. I don’t know what happened when things got so laid back that you can hear swearing or talk about me doing very mean things to women, kids don’t should listen.”
At age 83, Williams has no plans to slow down as a performer.
“Look, I always tell people that the only thing constant in life is change. I try not to tear anyone down in their endeavors to make their bones in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not impressed with some of the things I hear on the radio today.”
On September 14, 1994, The Temptations received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, and on June 7, 2019, they received a star on The Apollo Theatre’s Walk of Fame in New York. (Universal Music Group)
“God has blessed me to do this for 64 years,” he said. “I feel like being in show business is special. You can reach so many people. You can give them hope. You can lift them up in hard times. That’s why we’re always going to try to be a healthy act. We’re not going to go on stage and grab our private parts and sing about it how we do this or that.”
“We were taught that if you perform with real respect and dignity, people will always listen to you,” Williams said. “As long as you put on a good performance and keep it healthy, you don’t have to worry too much about it. Respect for our audience and ourselves is emphasized.”
“My Girl” has now crossed the 1 billion stream mark on Spotify. Williams admitted that he’s scared that younger listeners are discovering the song on social media.
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The Temptations have surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. (Universal Music Archives)
“God and his infinite wisdom brought us to that studio – I truly believe that,” Williams said. “This was a very special time during the ’60s. Now, the ’60s were crazy, like we are today… but it’s a real testament that a song can still be loved 60 years later.”
“… Our audience has grown up with us,” he said. “We were young when we started, but look where we are now.”
