"Just Another Lonely Night" is a 1965 song co-written and co-produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson and

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 ...

. It was recorded by four Motown acts:

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

, Brenda Holloway, The

Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. Founded as the ...

, and

The Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...

. The Temptations first recorded in 1965 for the Gordy (Motown) label. Their version would be released as an album track on ''

The Temptin' Temptations ''The Temptin' Temptations'' is the third studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1965. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on ...

''. It features a lead by Paul Williams, one of the group's original lead singers who by then had been eclipsed by David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks as lead even on the group's album tracks and A B-sides. Although Williams still recorded several leads, they were often overlooked for release by the label. Williams and the other Temptations constantly complained about not allowing Williams more leads on album tracks, and singles, but Motown paid them no heed.

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 Mar ...

were added for additional backing vocals on the track. Brenda Holloway later covered the song in 1966, and the Four Tops in 1967; the Andantes backed both recordings. In the Tops' case, lead singer

Levi Stubbs Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, June 6, 1936 – October 17, 2008) was an American baritone singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the R&B group the Four Tops, who released a variety of Motown hit records during the 1960s and 1970s. He has b ...

recorded his lead soon after the Tempts completed their version, and the group (with the Andantes) dubbed backing vocals over the Tempts/Andantes original instrumental and vocal backing track. Joining the Andantes as backing vocals on Holloway's version were the Originals, who were signed to label earlier that year. Detroit-based R&B group The Fantastic Four covered it as a 1969 single on Motown's Soul label, with the Andantes brought in once again to provide additional backing vocals.The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9: 1969

iner notes Iner or INER may refer to: * Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, or INER * Iner Souster FemBots are a Canadian indie rock band from Toronto formed in 1998. FemBots are known for their unique sound of combining instrumental everyday items, junk ...

New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records The group was one of the acts (along with Edwin Starr,

J. J. Barnes James Jay Barnes (November 30, 1943 – December 10, 2022) was an American R&B singer and songwriter. Biography He recorded several singles, starting in 1960. His early releases including "Just One More Time" and "Please Let Me In", on the rec ...

, etc.) whose contracts were bought by Motown when they purchased both the Ric-Tic and Golden World labels. At Ric-Tic, the group was the label's most successful act, outselling Starr and the other acts signed. However, success would not follow them to Motown and the single failed to chart. "Just Another Lonely Night" was the second track on The Fantastic Four's cancelled and unreleased Motown album ''How Sweet He Is''.

Personnel

Temptations version

* Lead vocals by Paul Williams * Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks,

Melvin Franklin David Melvin English (October 12, 1942 – February 23, 1995) better known by the stage name Melvin Franklin, or his nickname "Blue", was an American bass singer. Franklin was best known for his role as a founding member of Motown singing g ...

, Paul Williams, David Ruffin,

Otis Williams Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American 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. 7–9 He is o ...

, and

(Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) * Instrumentation by

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 ...

Brenda Holloway version

* Lead vocals by Brenda Holloway * Background vocals by The Originals (Hank Dixon,

C. P. Spencer C. P. Spencer (born Crathman Plato Spencer, January 13, 1938 – October 20, 2004) was an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Detroit, Michigan. Best ...

, Walter Gaines, and

Freddie Gorman Freddie Gorman (born Frederick Cortez Gorman, April 11, 1939 – June 13, 2006) was an American musician and record producer, most famous as a singer, songwriter for the Motown label in the late 1960s and mid 1970s. He was a native of Detroit ...

) and

(Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) * Instrumentation by

Four Tops version

* Lead vocals by

* Background Vocals by Renaldo "Obie" Benson,

Lawrence Payton Lawrence Albert Payton (March 2, 1938 – June 20, 1997) was an American tenor, songwriter, vocal arranger, musician, and record producer for the popular Motown quartet, the Four Tops. In 1997, at 59 years old, Payton died of liver cancer. Bio ...

, and

Abdul "Duke" Fakir Abdul Kareem Fakir (born December 26, 1935), professionally known as Duke Fakir, is an American singer. He is a founding member of the Motown quartet the Four Tops, from 1953 to the present day. A first tenor, Fakir is the group's lone surviving ...

( Eddie Kendricks,

, Paul Williams, David Ruffin, and

) and

(Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers

Fantastic Four version

* Lead vocals by James Epps * Background Vocals by Ralph Pruitt, Joseph Pruitt, Wallace "Toby" Childs, and

(Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) * Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers *Arranged by Paul Riser and Wade Marcus

References

{{authority control 1965 songs 1969 singles The Temptations songs Four Tops songs Brenda Holloway songs The Fantastic Four (band) songs Songs written by William "Mickey" Stevenson Songs written by Ivy Jo Hunter Song recordings produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson Song recordings produced by Ivy Jo Hunter