Get Ready (The Temptations song)

Single infobox |
Name = Get Ready
Artist = The Temptations
from Album = Gettin' Ready
B-side = "Fading Away"
Released = February 7, 1966
Format = 7" single
Recorded = Hitsville USA (Studio A); December 5, December 9, and December 29, 1965
Genre = Soul
Length = 2:39
Label = Gordy
G 7049
Writer = Smokey Robinson
Producer = Smokey Robinson
Last single = "My Baby" / "Don't Look Back"
(1965)
This single = "Get Ready"
(1966)
Next single = "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
(1966)"For other uses, see Get Ready (disambiguation)."

"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. #29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. #4 version by Rare Earth in 1970. It is significant for being the last song Smokey Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if "Get Ready" did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.

Song History

Temptations version

The original Temptations version of "Get Ready", produced by Smokey Robinson, was designed as an answer to the latest dance craze, "The Duck". The Temptations' falsetto Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the song, which Robinson produced as an up-tempo dance number with a prominent rhythm provided by Motown drummer Benny Benjamin. In the song, Kendricks informs his lover to "get ready" because "I'm bringin' you a love that's true". The song made it to number one on the U.S. R&B singles chart, while peaking at number twenty-nine on the pop charts. The b-side to "Get Ready" was the sweet ballad "Fading Away", led by Kendricks also. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson,Pete Moore,& Bobby Rogers , and produced by William "Smokey" Robinson, "Fading Away" was later included on the Temptations 1966 album Gettin' Ready. When Whitfield's "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (also a number-one R&B hit) made it to thirteen on the pop charts, Motown chief Berry Gordy assigned him to be the Temptations' new main producer. Ironically, the song did eventually become a Top 10 pop hit, but not by the Temptations. ( See Rare Earth ).

Later performances

In 1966 The Supremes covered the song on their 1966 album "The Supremes A' Go-Go". It was produced by Motown writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland. In 1967 Dusty Springfield performed a live version of the song at the British Broadcasting Corporation's television series "Dusty". [Dusty Springfield: Live at the BBC. DVD video. BBC, 2007] In 1970 The Miracles finally released their own cover version of the song on their 1970 album "A Pocket Full of Miracles".

Rare Earth version

Single infobox |
Name = Get Ready
Artist = Rare Earth
from Album = Get Ready
Released = February 18, 1970
Format = 7" single
Recorded = Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1969
Genre = Rock
Length = 2:48 (single edit)
21:06 (album version)
Label = Rare Earth
R 5012
Producer = Rare Earth
Last single = "Generation, Light Up The Sky"
(1969)
This single = "Get Ready"
(1970)
Next single = "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
(1970)In 1969, Motown's rock band Rare Earth released a cover version of the song as a single. Rare Earth's version of "Get Ready" was the band's first recording for Motown, and was based upon a version of the song it performed as the closing numbers to their live performances. In the live show, each member of the band performed a solo, resulting in a twenty-one minute rendition of the song. It has been debated on whether the actual recording for the album was really recorded at a concert. It has been noted that the audience sounds throughout the song are repetitive and canned. This has been done before with The Kingsmen's version of Louie Louie released on an album with party crowd noise dubbed in.

The band wanted to release "Get Ready" as a single, but Motown declined at first, issuing the unsuccessful "Generation, Light Up the Sky" as the band's first single. Finally deferring to the band's wishes in February 1970, Motown released a three-minute edit of the song as a single, which became a hit. "Get Ready" peaked at number four on the U.S. pop charts, a better performance than the original, and took up the entire second side of their first Motown album, also named "Get Ready".

Later covers of "Get Ready" include a 1979 version by the song's author, Smokey Robinson. PWL also produced a version in 1987 by Carol Hitchcock The original Temptations version was later adopted as a jingle promo for the 1990 fall season for the Get Ready for CBS Image Campaign. In 1991, The Temptations lineup at that time would remake the song for their album, "Milestone". In 1995 Ash covered this song on the b-face of the single Goldfinger. In 2006, a re-written "Get Ready" served as the theme song for the launch of The CW (which is, coincidentally, 50% owned by CBS). This version was performed by Black Eyed Peas members Fergie and will.i.am. It was later turned into an actual full cover of the song called Here I Come on Fergie's album "The Dutchess". Today, "Get Ready" is among the most familiar of both the Temptations' and Rare Earth's recordings. The Proclaimers also recorded an adaptation.

On May 21, 2008 the Top 12 American Idol Finalists opened the Finale Resluts show by singing the song as their first group performance of the night.

Credits

Temptations version (1960's)

* Written by William "Smokey" Robinson
* Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks
* Background vocals by David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams
* Produced by Smokey Robinson
* Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Supremes Version

* Written by William "Smokey" Robinson
* Lead vocals by Diana Ross
* Background vocals by Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard
* Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier
* Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Miracles version

* Written by William "Smokey" Robinson
*Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson
*Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Bobby Rogers.
*Guitar by Marv Tarplin
* Produced by Smokey Robinson
*Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Rare Earth version

*Lead vocals by Pete Rivera
*Background vocals by Gil Bridges and Rod Richards
*Produced by Rare Earth
*Instrumentation by Gil Bridges (saxophone), Pete Rivera (drums), John Parrish (bass guitar), Rod Richards (guitar), and Kenny James (keyboards)

Temptations version (1990's)

* Written by William "Smokey" Robinson
* Lead vocals by Ron Tyson and Ali-Ollie Woodson
* Background vocals by Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, and Otis Williams
* Instrumentation byL.A. session artists

Human Nature and Smokey Robinson version

*Lead vocals by Smokey Robinson and Phil Burton of Human Nature
*Backing vocals by Andrew Tierney, Michael Tierney and Toby Allen of Human Nature

Sample