''Gettin' Ready'' is the fourth

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

the Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...

for the Gordy (

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

) label released in 1966. It marks the transition of the group from having

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he ...

as its main producer, with new producer

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter, composer, and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators ...

taking over Robinson's position. Two #1 R&B hit singles, one from each producer, are included: " Get Ready" from Robinson with

Eddie Kendricks Edward James Kendrick (December 17, 1939 – October 5, 1992), better known as Eddie Kendricks, was an American tenor singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temp ...

on lead, and " Ain't Too Proud to Beg" from Whitfield with

David Ruffin David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–1968) during the group's "Classic Five" p ...

on lead. Also included is the original version of " Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," which would be rerecorded as a hit for

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...

in 1969. The album was also one of the last albums to contain tracks co-authored by members of the group until the release of '' The Temptations Do The Temptations'' (1976). As with previous Temptations albums, several songs are written by members of

The Miracles The Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most ...

Bobby Rogers Robert Edward Rogers (February 19, 1940 – March 3, 2013) was an American musician and tenor singer, best known as a founding member of Motown vocal group the Miracles from 1956 until his death. He was inducted, in 2012, as a member of the Mira ...

, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Marv Tarplin.

Track listing

Side one

#" Say You" (Charles Jones, Robert Dobyne, Robert Staunton) (lead singers:

, Melvin Franklin)* 2:33 #"Little Miss Sweetness" (

) (lead singer: David Ruffin) 3:12 #" Ain't Too Proud to Beg" ( Edward Holland, Jr.,

) (lead singer: David Ruffin) 2:36 #" Get Ready" (Robinson) (lead singer:

; adlibs: Melvin Franklin) 2:44 #"Lonely, Lonely Man Am I" (Holland,

, Whitfield) (lead singers: Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin) 2:37 #" Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" ( Janie Bradford,

Barrett Strong Barrett Strong Jr. (February 5, 1941 – January 28, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter known for his recording of "Money (That's What I Want)", which was the first hit single for the Motown record label. He is also known for his songw ...

, Whitfield) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:41

Side two

#" I've Been Good to You" (Robinson) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin) 3:04 #"It's a Lonely World Without Your Love" (

Ivy Jo Hunter George Ivy Hunter (August 28, 1940 – October 6, 2022), known as Ivy Jo Hunter, was an American R&B songwriter, record producer and singer, most associated with his work for Motown in the 1960s. Life and career Raised in Detroit, Michigan ...

, William "Mickey" Stevenson) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:36 #" Fading Away" ( Pete Moore, Robinson,

) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:41 #"Who You Gonna Run To" (Robinson) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 3:12 #"You're Not an Ordinary Girl" (Moore, Robinson, Rogers, Marv Tarplin, Ronnie White) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:54 #"Not Now (I'll Tell You Later)" (Robinson,

Otis Williams Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American second tenor/baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. ...

)*** (lead singers: Eddie Kendricks, Elbridge Bryant, Melvin Franklin) 2:59

1998 CD reissue bonus tracks

#"Give It Up" ** ( Sylvester Potts,

Mary Wells Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the F ...

) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 2:21 #"The Man Who Don't Believe In Love" ** (

Marv Johnson Marvin Earl Johnson (October 15, 1938 – May 16, 1993) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer, songwriter and pianist. He was influential in the development of the Motown style of music, primarily for the song "Come to Me (Marv Johnson so ...

) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 2:27 Notes *(*) in mono *(**) bonus tracks for

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It employs the Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) standard and was capable of hol ...

re-release, unreleased tracks dating from the Elbridge Bryant era of the early 1960s. *(***) Recorded in mid 1963 during the Elbridge Bryant era with

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

as background vocals.

Personnel

The Temptations

– vocals *

– vocals * Paul Williams – vocals * Melvin "Blue" Franklin – vocals *

– vocals * Elbridge "Al" Bryant – vocals *

The Andantes The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by M ...

– backing vocals ("Get Ready") *

– backing vocals ("Not Now, I'll Tell You Later") *

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

– instrumentation *

Detroit Symphony Orchestra The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Detroit, Michigan. Its primary performance venue is Orchestra Hall (Detroit, Michigan), Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown, Detroit, ...

– instrumentation (some tracks)

Producers

– "Little Miss Sweetness", "Get Ready", "I've Been Good to You", "Fading Away", "Who You Gonna Run Two", "You're Not an Ordinary Girl" and "Not Now, I'll Tell You Later", Executive Producer *

– "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Lonely, Lonely Man Am I" and "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", Executive Producer * Robert Staunton and Robert Walker, producers – "Say You" * William "Mickey" Stevenson and

– "It's A Lonely World Without Your Love" * Sylvester Potts (of

The Contours The Contours are an American rhythm and blues vocal group. They recorded for Motown Records. They are known for their 1962 hit single "Do You Love Me", which sold over 1 million copies and became a major hit again in 1988. History Establishment ...

) – "Give It Up" *

– "The Man Who Didn't Believe in Love"

Charts

Singles

Weekly charts

References

{{Authority control 1966 albums The Temptations albums Gordy Records albums Albums produced by Norman Whitfield Albums produced by Smokey Robinson Albums produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson Albums produced by Ivy Jo Hunter Albums recorded at Hitsville U.S.A.