I used to KILL that record when I was a kid!

I recently downloaded it from iTunes and have been playing it a lot.

A dj once told me a story that the reason this version is so long is because Dennis Edwards didn't like this song and refsued to sing the verse. They say that Norman Whitfield told him that he didn't give a care if he liked it or not and that he was going to sing it. Well, Dennis was "protesting" and refused to sing. Well, Norman told him he wasn't leaving the studio until he sang it. That is the reason why the intro was so long because Dennis gave in and decided to sing.

daPrettyman said:

A dj once told me a story that the reason this version is so long is because Dennis Edwards didn't like this song and refsued to sing the verse. They say that Norman Whitfield told him that he didn't give a care if he liked it or not and that he was going to sing it. Well, Dennis was "protesting" and refused to sing. Well, Norman told him he wasn't leaving the studio until he sang it. That is the reason why the intro was so long because Dennis gave in and decided to sing.

Dennis didn't hate singing it, he just hated being told HOW to sing it but Norman wanted that feeling so he pissed Dennis to the point where he sounded the way he did on the record. The rest of the Temptations were pissed as well, not because of the song itself but they wanted to do more ballads again and also they hated that Norman had used the music to topple their voices. If the entire group sounded angry and ticked, it's because they were thanks to Norman's arrogance and dominance.

Yehhhsssssssss!

Timmy84 said:

daPrettyman said:

A dj once told me a story that the reason this version is so long is because Dennis Edwards didn't like this song and refsued to sing the verse. They say that Norman Whitfield told him that he didn't give a care if he liked it or not and that he was going to sing it. Well, Dennis was "protesting" and refused to sing. Well, Norman told him he wasn't leaving the studio until he sang it. That is the reason why the intro was so long because Dennis gave in and decided to sing.

Dennis didn't hate singing it, he just hated being told HOW to sing it but Norman wanted that feeling so he pissed Dennis to the point where he sounded the way he did on the record. The rest of the Temptations were pissed as well, not because of the song itself but they wanted to do more ballads again and also they hated that Norman had used the music to topple their voices. If the entire group sounded angry and ticked, it's because they were thanks to Norman's arrogance and dominance.

I'd heard about the animosity before. Apparently, one reason was that September 3rd was indeed the day that Edwards' father had passed, and he was understandably pissed at Whitfield for using the date in the song's lyric.

deebee said:

Timmy84 said:

Dennis didn't hate singing it, he just hated being told HOW to sing it but Norman wanted that feeling so he pissed Dennis to the point where he sounded the way he did on the record. The rest of the Temptations were pissed as well, not because of the song itself but they wanted to do more ballads again and also they hated that Norman had used the music to topple their voices. If the entire group sounded angry and ticked, it's because they were thanks to Norman's arrogance and dominance.

I'd heard about the animosity before. Apparently, one reason was that September 3rd was indeed the day that Edwards' father had passed, and he was understandably pissed at Whitfield for using the date in the song's lyric.

If you believe Wiki (it does have a link from the "source"), that wasn't the case since Dennis' dad apparently died on October 3rd, not September.

^^ They did use that theory on the Temptations movie too about Dennis' daddy dying on Sept. 3rd.

Timmy84 said:

deebee said:

I'd heard about the animosity before. Apparently, one reason was that September 3rd was indeed the day that Edwards' father had passed, and he was understandably pissed at Whitfield for using the date in the song's lyric.

If you believe Wiki (it does have a link from the "source"), that wasn't the case since Dennis' dad apparently died on October 3rd, not September.

If it says so on Wiki, that's good enough for me! I'm actually a bit relieved, as I have a lot of respect for Norman Whitfield for pushing the envelope with records like that one, but I remember thinking it was kind of cold of he and Barrett Strong to include that.

deebee said:

Timmy84 said:

If you believe Wiki (it does have a link from the "source"), that wasn't the case since Dennis' dad apparently died on October 3rd, not September.

If it says so on Wiki, that's good enough for me! I'm actually a bit relieved, as I have a lot of respect for Norman Whitfield for pushing the envelope with records like that one, but I remember thinking it was kind of cold of he and Barrett Strong to include that.

Yeah I never agreed with that analogy myself. The film producers wanted to create "villains" so that's how they made Norman in a sense lol

I use to hate these types of songs because yo' azz had to stay on the dance floor, you dared not just walk off.

Timmy84 said:

daPrettyman said:

A dj once told me a story that the reason this version is so long is because Dennis Edwards didn't like this song and refsued to sing the verse. They say that Norman Whitfield told him that he didn't give a care if he liked it or not and that he was going to sing it. Well, Dennis was "protesting" and refused to sing. Well, Norman told him he wasn't leaving the studio until he sang it. That is the reason why the intro was so long because Dennis gave in and decided to sing.

Dennis didn't hate singing it, he just hated being told HOW to sing it but Norman wanted that feeling so he pissed Dennis to the point where he sounded the way he did on the record. The rest of the Temptations were pissed as well, not because of the song itself but they wanted to do more ballads again and also they hated that Norman had used the music to topple their voices. If the entire group sounded angry and ticked, it's because they were thanks to Norman's arrogance and dominance.

You're right Timmy! Dennis talks about it here in this video. Interesting how this masterpiece was recorded.

[Edited 11/12/11 14:33pm]

Classic gem

From this 2010 book, the author interviews Dennis:

Dennis says, "Ah well, they made too much of that angle. It wasn't that way. My daddy died on the third of October. I did mention this to Norman but only as a fact, like to say, you know, if it was October, that would be the day my daddy died. That was all there was to it."

The book says that Norman made Dennis do his part at least 30 times to make his voice sound "tired and scratchy".

Also, the same "November" line is in the original version of the song recorded by The Undisputed Truth. The book does say the group did not want to do Run Charlie Run from the same album, because of the lyrics.

(full 12 minute version)

the only way to listen