Of Mice and Motown

Now playing: "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" The Temptations & the Supremes

I grew up on this stuff, but have only recently appreciated the vast depth of this Motown supergroup. Because of the close similarity of The Temptations movie and my all-time fave, The Five Heartbeats, I refused to watch the former until recently. Two weeks ago, I finally watched it. My thoughts were that the story was good, and kindled my interest in songs like "Aint Too Proud to Beg", "Beauty's Only Skin Deep" and "Don't Look Back". But, of course it was vastly skewed as Otis Williams, whose only real musical claim to fame is being the original group's sole survivor was the teller (he who lives until the end gets to write the story). Watching the movie set me on a path on intrigue, to rediscover this music, these people who made up this group.

Being the daughter of a Hittsville aficionado had it's benefits growing up. In the past, I've read Motown memoirs, like Diana's "Secrets of a Sparrow" and Mary Wilson's "Dreamgirl," her "scratch your eyes out" account of being cast in Duchess Diana's shadow as she pulled no punches (and many nights on Berry Gordy's "director's couch") to ascend to stardom. But, as much as people love to hate Miss Ross, I just couldn't imagine anyone else singing that fitting mice-squeak lead to "Reflections" or "Someday We'll Be Together."

And it's the same way with the Temps. Who would they have been without David Ruffin "With a Tuffin", his effortless timing, soulful delivery and stage presence, even if the man did succumb too early (hopefully not like Whitney) to the perils of drugs and alochol? I searched for their story and found an account by David's "common law" wife. I plan to read soon, to get more on the story of this troubled man, and group, that was by all accounts, uber-talented, but ill-fated. Like many other black superstars--Phyllis Hyman, Donny Hathaway, Paul Williams--gone too soon.