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Post by Aba21 on Feb 2, 2003 23:50:25 GMT -5
Kalisa.....when I first met Melvin the second time around he came to my hotel room and sat down to talk. I was saying to him how big a fan I am of him and the Temps and he says how big. I say I know all your songs. He says Oh Yeah then what was on the back of TWYDTTYD and I say I'll Be in Trouble or whatever the song was. My mind is so old I don't remember them like I once did.. and then it was on. For the next hour he asked me the B-Sides and I got them all right. He said Oh Yeah...you a Temptation all the way! We used to laugh about that all the time with him asking me one everytime I saw him for the rest of his life. after a while he asked me what was on the other side of Hoops of Fire and I said I don't know Melvin they ain't made a 45 in15 years!!!!! We would laugh about that!!!
One of my most vivid memories was the fact he liked to hear their music even when he wasn't singing. Ron used to like me to send him Eddie stuff. I thought that was cool. When you sing something everyday you would think they would get tired of hearing it but not Melvin. He would give me history on why they recorded a song. Or he would teach me the harmonies on a particular song. Can you imagine ME sitting there working on harmonies with Melvin Franklin? Or what song they weren't all that thrilled with. I once was brave enough to tell him I didn't like Pappa..... until it became an oldie. He said at first neither did he but after they heard it played back after recording it he liked it better but didn't think it would be a hit cause it had all ready been done by another group.
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Post by kalisa2 on Feb 3, 2003 0:10:01 GMT -5
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D<----more grinning ear-to-ear
We are SO VERY BLESSED to have you here to warm our hearts with this kind of story, to give us a little peek behind the curtain at the people who made up this group that we all love so much!!
THANK YOU!!!
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Post by Aba21 on Feb 3, 2003 0:17:51 GMT -5
Thank you for wanting to know.  |
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Post by sukkafu on Feb 3, 2003 3:00:56 GMT -5
it's so nice to have a warm fuzzy to balance out the other crapola that we get so much. aba, mike, and others have been really fortunate to have these moments and have been quite generous in sharing them with us. i like it! i like it!  |
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Post by MikeNYC on Feb 3, 2003 10:07:15 GMT -5
Me Too ! |
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Post by janebse on Feb 3, 2003 20:46:56 GMT -5
In reference to Papa being done by another group... I think the name they use is "Undisputed Truth" or something like that. I have read that several places but have never found a song that I thought sounded anything like Papa. And I think it was just one track that was supposedly used by "Undisputed Truth."
I think we have discussed this before, at what point does use of a musical phrase or track become plagarism and at what point is it acceptable. I remember we tossed it around, and the end result for me was that there was no certain point for anything. Maybe it was just whatever the judge said if someone sued.
But the song is so undeniably a Temptation song that I can't even imagine another group coming close to their success with it.
And that reminds me of some comments made in the late '80's about the "unique Temptation sound." The author was referring to what David brought to the Temptations and said it was "charisma, stage presence." But he prefaced that comment with the statement that the Tempts already had that unique Temptation sound and David's voice neither changed it or added to it. And that got me thinking that they had the Temptation sound with Al, and David, et al.
And that got me thinking how much I like to hear all of their voices together. And that got me to thinking how I hate to hear a song where you can't hear all of the Temptations. And that got me to thinking how amazing all of their voices blended together or whatever they did. And that got me to thinking how much I like the Temptations.
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Post by Ivory Fair on Feb 3, 2003 23:40:00 GMT -5
Mike, to quote my home-fries Bessie Smith, "... stay 'way from me 'cause I'm in my sin........ stay 'way from me 'cause I'm in my sin ......... if this place gets raided, it's ME AND MY GIN!!!"  |
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Post by sukkafu on Feb 4, 2003 2:47:31 GMT -5
oh, okay??? ivory i don't even have gin rummy!
the temptations live has quite a feel. i was listening to it on my mach audio system in the car and it's as if i was there! i closed my eyes (not while driving) and i imagined being in the crowd as david was singing and melvin was booming and it was almost real.
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Post by KEEKS on Feb 4, 2003 7:48:12 GMT -5
You guys are the GREATEST!!! * Kikiaj wipes a tear from her eye* Truly a blessing...
TEMPTATIONS (and the -aholics) FOREVER!!!)
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Post by Aba21 on Feb 4, 2003 10:49:48 GMT -5
Suk...that's one of the best live lps ever made. That was some show at the Roostertail in Detroit. I love their What Now My Love/Yesterday Medley and I Wish You Love. What an lp!!!!! ;D
Jane...Undisputed Truth did do the song and I have the lp. But you're right it's a Temps song now albeit one I didn't care for at the time it was released but as it became older my feelings changed. I just didn't think of it as a song the Temps would do then.
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Post by MikeNYC on Feb 4, 2003 11:59:43 GMT -5
Undisputed Truth did it FIRST,then the Temptations did it.Reminds me of the song "I Feel A Song In My Heart",the Five Stairsteps made it first,but My Baby Gladys Knight put FIRE to that song . Not too many people know what the Temptations sounded like before David. David Ruffin made people stand up and take notice of the Temptations,he added more than "stage presence",his performance is what set them apart from any other group. The way he phrased the lyrics was perfect! He was aPLUS to the group. Sounds like that author really didn't pay attention to the Tempts,or never got a chance to see the Tempts when Ruffin was there! David Ruffin was the best singer at MOTOWN ! Stevie Wonder will tell you that! He says it in Street Gold ! David also remembered the lyrics to a lot of "B"side Tempts tunes.Was not afraid to sing a capella,not too many singers will do that ! Ivory,B.B.Kings has Gin,but you won't be there to drink any.  So I guess I'll have to wait untill Otis comes around to keep the Gin flowing. I would have one for you,butI'm a COURVOISIER man. Plus I'm driving and Mikey don't play that ! Best I can do for you is to have a CHERRY COKE & a SMILE,will that work ? |
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Post by Ivory Fair on Feb 4, 2003 23:38:16 GMT -5
Sure, if it's got some gin in it! ;D
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Post by sukkafu on Feb 6, 2003 2:52:59 GMT -5
nope, but it will have some grin in it! ;D
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Post by Aba21 on Mar 6, 2003 21:37:34 GMT -5
The first shows I went to with Ron in the group along with Dennis and Richard and Mel and Otis, they didn't sing Papa Was A..... in the first show and between shows Ron asked me how I like the show. I said great I'm just glad you didn't sing Papa Was A... cause that's the only song I'm not crazy about. He said really, well we gon sing it in this show. I was embarrassed to say the least. Afterwards he asked me again what I thought and I said it sounded good live but it will have to grow on me. I didn't like it when Glenn was in the group and I didn't like it then. But the song has grown on me. When you have as much music as they have, I just didn't think it was a song that needed to be sung in the rotation. Shows you how much I know, huh?
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Post by kim on Mar 7, 2003 0:03:04 GMT -5
Hey you are entitled to your opinion. I've heard that song so much in my lifetime I'm not offended if they don't sing that in concert. Now I do take exception and get a little miffed if I don't hear "I Can't Get Next To You" that is a must have for me! LOL!!! |
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