"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" is the solo debut single for former

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 1 ...

lead singer

David Ruffin David Eli Ruffin (born Davis Eli Ruffin;Ribowsky, p. 88 January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991) was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...

, released on

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

in early 1969 (see

1969 in music List of notable events in music that took place in the year 1969. __TOC__ Specific locations * 1969 in British music * 1969 in Norwegian music Specific genres * 1969 in country music *1969 in jazz Events Summary Perhaps the two most famo ...

). The song was written by

Harvey Fuqua Harvey Fuqua (July 27, 1929 – July 6, 2010) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive. Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of th ...

Johnny Bristol John William Bristol (February 3, 1939 – March 21, 2004) was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a native of Morganton, North Carolina, about which ...

, Pam Sawyer, and James Roach. Fuqua and Bristol handled the recording's production.

Song Background

Ruffin had been dismissed from the Temptations in June 1968 for what has been repeatedly deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior. The song was originally intended to be sung by the Temptations when Ruffin was still the group's front man. David Ruffin had always been signed as a single artist which was part of the issue with the group who had a collective contract. Once he left, the song was given to him. The song, with its melody and intro based upon the

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

piece "Frühlingslied" by

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...

, is a bittersweet

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

in the style of "

Since I Lost My Baby "Since I Lost My Baby" is a 1965 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Motown Records' Gordy label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore and produced by Robinson, the song was a top 20 pop single on the ''Billboar ...

", " All I Need", "

I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" is a single recorded by the Temptations and released on Motown Records' Gordy label during the spring of 1968. The song is the last with lyrics by Rodger Penzabene, and as the final Temptations singl ...

", "

(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" is a 1963 song that became a 1967 hit single recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, produced and co-written by Norman Whitfield. ''Billboard'' described the single as a "groovy ...

", "

(I Know) I'm Losing You "(I Know) I'm Losing You" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label, written by Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield, and produced by Norman Whitfield. The group performed the song live on ...

" and "

I Wish It Would Rain "I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield. Release Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish ...

", Ruffin, as the narrator, sings of the extensive pain he has felt since his lover has left him. All throughout the song, Ruffin asks his lover why she left him, what he did wrong that drove her away, and professes to her that without her, his life is meaningless. Singing backup for Ruffin on the recording are The Originals, who the same year would score a hit of their own with "

Baby I'm For Real "Baby, I'm for Real" is a soul ballad written by Marvin Gaye and Anna Gordy Gaye, produced by Marvin and recorded and released by American Motown vocal group The Originals for the Soul label issued in 1969. History The Originals version By t ...

". As to the distinct piccolo flute on the recording, Dayna Hartwick stated

Chart performance

"My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" was the focal point of Ruffin's debut solo LP, ''My Whole World Ended''. It peaked at number nine on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on the ''Billboard''

R&B Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

chart. Only one more of Ruffin's solo singles, 1975's

Walk Away from Love "Walk Away from Love" is a song recorded by American singer David Ruffin in 1975. The million-selling single, produced by Van McCoy and written by Charles Kipps, was number one on the US R&B Singles Chart for one week in early 1976, and crossed o ...

, would match its success.

Personnel

* Lead vocals by

* Background vocals by The Originals:

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 ...

, Walter Gaines, Hank Dixon, C.P. Spencer * 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 ...

. * Piccolo flute by Dayna Hartwick.

Cover Versions

*The song was covered by

The Chi-Lites The Chi-Lites (, ) are an American R&B/soul vocal quartet from Chicago, Illinois, United States. Forming at Chicago's Hyde Park High School in 1959, The group's original lineup consisted of singers Robert Lester, Eugene Record, Creadel Jones, ...

on their 1969 debut album '' Give It Away'' * The Spinners covered it on their 1970 second album '' 2nd Time Around''. *

Kiki Dee Pauline Matthews (born 6 March 1947), better known by her stage name Kiki Dee, is an English singer. Known for her blue-eyed soul vocals, she was the first female singer from the UK to sign with Motown's Tamla Records. Dee is best known for h ...

also recorded the track for her 1970 Motown album ''Great Expectations''.

Samples

*In June 2014, the song was prominently sampled in the EDM song "Bullit," recorded by French music producer Laurent Arriau aka Watermät. The song charted in Belgium and hit No. 15 on the UK's official singles chart as a summer party song.

References

1969 debut singles Motown singles Songs written by Pam Sawyer Songs written by Johnny Bristol Songs written by Harvey Fuqua Song recordings produced by Harvey Fuqua 1969 songs Song recordings produced by Johnny Bristol David Ruffin songs {{1960s-single-stub