"Farewell My Love" is a 1963 single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It was the last single that was written and produced by Motown president Berry Gordy for well over a decade, and the last released during the period of the "Original 5" lineup (before member Elbridge "Al" Bryant was fired).[1] It is also noted as the group's last single to miss the Billboard pop chart's Top 40 until 1971's "It's Summer" (and the last to not make it on any U.S. music charts for the next 23 years). Up until now the group was jokingly referred to at this time as the "Hitless Temptations" by the Motown staff, much like their "sister" group, The Supremes, were called the "no-hit Supremes". However, their next single, the Smokey Robinson-produced "The Way You Do the Things You Do", would reach the Top 20 of the U.S. pop chart, breaking the group's streak of being "hitless".
The song tells of a couple's breakup; the narrator speaks of his lover being untrue to him and that he's leaving her to find "someone who cares / And still be there" for him. This is the third of the small handful of pre-psychedelic era songs the group recorded that had more than two members singing lead at one point; the previous were "Isn't She Pretty" and "Check Yourself". As with "Isn't She Pretty", Paul Williams is the song's main lead, yet the song mainly showcases another group member, in this case Eddie Kendricks, who alternates between his famous falsetto and his natural register (first and second tenor). Bryant's voice is also prominently heard here, delivering harmony solos behind Kendricks' and Williams' leads as well as having brief lead lines on the first two choruses ("To me" and "I'm going cry"). Bass singer Melvin Franklin starts the song with do-wop harmonies and later repeats Williams' line, "Why couldn’t you be true?" at the end of the second verse. Although second tenor/baritone singer and leader Otis Williams doesn't have any solos, he is most heard prominently in the chorus and has some ad-libs in the outro of the song.
Although it did not chart nationally, the song was a regional smash hit in the country's mid-west. This would be the group's final A-side released with Williams as the main lead (although B-side releases "Just Let Me Know", "Baby, Baby I Need You", and "Don't Look Back" would be promoted as if they were), and the final one to feature Bryant's vocals altogether (his voice however would appear on two later B-sides). The next three singles from the group would have Kendricks on lead, and then, beginning with "My Girl", David Ruffin, Bryant's replacement, would become the Temptations' new main lead singer.
The B-side to "Farewell My Love" was "May I Have This Dance". (recorded on November 2, 1962). Despite speculation by some that the recorded version of this song was led by Elbridge "Al" Bryant (who performed the lead on stage and was originally credited as the track's lead), in fact it features a lead vocal from Eddie Kendricks in which he's singing mostly in his (rarely recorded) natural tenor and not his more familiar falsetto, which is only heard near the song's end. Backing him are fellow members Otis Williams, Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin; Bryant's vocals do not actually appear on this track. It would be the last time a Temptation track involving producer-songwriter Norman Whitfield would appear on a single where neither side would chart. In three years, after a few more B-sides and album fillers for the Temptations, Whitfield would produce the hit "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and take over as the group's main producer.
Personneledit
Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks
Background vocals by Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Al Bryant and Otis Williams
^Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN0-8154-1218-5.
May 02, 2024
farewell, love, 2001, film, farewell, love, band, farewell, love, band, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sourc. For the 2001 film see Farewell My Love For the Band see Farewell My Love Band This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Farewell My Love news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2016 Learn how and when to remove this message Farewell My Love is a 1963 single by The Temptations for the Gordy Motown label It was the last single that was written and produced by Motown president Berry Gordy for well over a decade and the last released during the period of the Original 5 lineup before member Elbridge Al Bryant was fired 1 It is also noted as the group s last single to miss the Billboard pop chart s Top 40 until 1971 s It s Summer and the last to not make it on any U S music charts for the next 23 years Up until now the group was jokingly referred to at this time as the Hitless Temptations by the Motown staff much like their sister group The Supremes were called the no hit Supremes However their next single the Smokey Robinson produced The Way You Do the Things You Do would reach the Top 20 of the U S pop chart breaking the group s streak of being hitless Farewell My Love Single by The Temptationsfrom the album Meet The TemptationsB side May I Have This Dance ReleasedJune 25 1963RecordedHitsville USA Studio A May 25 1963GenreSoul R amp B Doo wop PopLength2 49LabelGordyG 7020Songwriter s Berry Gordy Jr Producer s Berry Gordy Jr Smokey RobinsonThe Temptations singles chronology I Want a Love I Can See 1963 Farewell My Love 1963 The Way You Do the Things You Do 1964 Contents 1 Overview 1 1 Personnel 2 May I Have This Dance 2 1 Personnel 3 ReferencesOverview editThe song tells of a couple s breakup the narrator speaks of his lover being untrue to him and that he s leaving her to find someone who cares And still be there for him This is the third of the small handful of pre psychedelic era songs the group recorded that had more than two members singing lead at one point the previous were Isn t She Pretty and Check Yourself As with Isn t She Pretty Paul Williams is the song s main lead yet the song mainly showcases another group member in this case Eddie Kendricks who alternates between his famous falsetto and his natural register first and second tenor Bryant s voice is also prominently heard here delivering harmony solos behind Kendricks and Williams leads as well as having brief lead lines on the first two choruses To me and I m going cry Bass singer Melvin Franklin starts the song with do wop harmonies and later repeats Williams line Why couldn t you be true at the end of the second verse Although second tenor baritone singer and leader Otis Williams doesn t have any solos he is most heard prominently in the chorus and has some ad libs in the outro of the song Although it did not chart nationally the song was a regional smash hit in the country s mid west This would be the group s final A side released with Williams as the main lead although B side releases Just Let Me Know Baby Baby I Need You and Don t Look Back would be promoted as if they were and the final one to feature Bryant s vocals altogether his voice however would appear on two later B sides The next three singles from the group would have Kendricks on lead and then beginning with My Girl David Ruffin Bryant s replacement would become the Temptations new main lead singer Personnel edit Lead vocals by Paul Williams verses bridge Eddie Kendricks choruses outro Al Bryant choruses harmony vocals and Melvin Franklin 2nd verse harmony vocals Background vocals by Paul Williams Eddie Kendricks Melvin Franklin Al Bryant and Otis Williams Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers May I Have This Dance edit May I Have This Dance Single by The TemptationsReleasedJune 25 1963RecordedHitsville USA Studio A November 2 1962GenreSoulLength2 14LabelGordyG 7020Songwriter s Janie Bradford Norman WhitfieldProducer s Berry Gordy Jr Norman Whitfield Smokey Robinson The B side to Farewell My Love was May I Have This Dance recorded on November 2 1962 Despite speculation by some that the recorded version of this song was led by Elbridge Al Bryant who performed the lead on stage and was originally credited as the track s lead in fact it features a lead vocal from Eddie Kendricks in which he s singing mostly in his rarely recorded natural tenor and not his more familiar falsetto which is only heard near the song s end Backing him are fellow members Otis Williams Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin Bryant s vocals do not actually appear on this track It would be the last time a Temptation track involving producer songwriter Norman Whitfield would appear on a single where neither side would chart In three years after a few more B sides and album fillers for the Temptations Whitfield would produce the hit Ain t Too Proud To Beg and take over as the group s main producer Personnel edit Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks Background vocals by Paul Williams Melvin Franklin Al Bryant and Otis Williams Written by Norman Whitfield and Janie Bradford Produced by Norman Whitfield Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersReferences edit Williams Otis and Romanowski Patricia 1988 updated 2002 Temptations Lanham MD Cooper Square ISBN 0 8154 1218 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Farewell My Love amp oldid 1196279688, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
