''Gettin' Ready'' is the fourth studio album by

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 ...

for the Gordy ( Motown) label released in 1966. It marks the transition of the group from having Smokey Robinson as its main producer, with new producer

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter 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 of the Mo ...

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 singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptation ...

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 and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations (1964–68) during the group's "Clas ...

on lead. Also included is the original version of "

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" is a Motown song written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford. The song was first recorded by The Temptations as a track on their 1966 album '' Gettin' Ready''. Eddie Kendricks sings lead on th ...

," which would be rerecorded as a hit for Marvin Gaye 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 (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

: Smokey Robinson,

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

, Pete Moore,

Ronnie White Ronald Anthony White (April 5, 1939 – August 26, 1995), usually referred to as Ronnie White, was an American singer, best known as the co-founder of The Miracles and its only consistent original member. White was also known for bringing Stevi ...

, and

Marv Tarplin Marvin Tarplin (June 13, 1941 – September 30, 2011) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their bigges ...

Track listing

Side one

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

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 ...

)* 2:33 #"Little Miss Sweetness" ( Smokey Robinson) (lead singer: David Ruffin) 3:12 #" Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (

Edward Holland, Jr. Edward Holland Jr. (born October 30, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Although he was an early Motown artist who recorded minor hit singles such as "Jamie", ...

) (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 #"

" (

Janie Bradford Janie Bradford (born June 2, 1939 in Charleston, Missouri, United States) is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)", originally recorded by Barrett Strong, and ...

Barrett Strong Barrett Strong (born February 5, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best known for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfi ...

, 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,

William "Mickey" Stevenson William "Mickey" Stevenson (born January 4, 1937) is an American former songwriter and record producer for the Motown group of labels from the early days of Berry Gordy's company until 1967. Life and career He was born William Stevenson and, a ...

) (lead singer: Eddie Kendricks) 2:36 #"

Fading Away "Fading Away" is a song by the Florida-based dance-pop group Will to Power. It appears on their 1988 self-titled debut album and was released as a single in early 1989. The song reached #65 on the US pop chart in February 1989 and #84 on the UK ...

" ( 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,

) (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 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 ...

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

1998 CD reissue bonus tracks

#"Give It Up" ** (Sylvester Potts, Mary Wells) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 2:21 #"The Man Who Don't Believe In Love" ** (Marv Johnson) (lead singer: Paul Williams) 2:27 Notes *(*) in mono *(**) bonus tracks for compact disc re-release, unreleased tracks dating from the Elbridge Bryant era of the early 1960s. *(***) Recorded in 1963 during the Elbridge Bryant era with The Supremes as background vocals.

Personnel

The Temptations

– vocals (side one, tracks 1–5 on side two) *

– vocals * Paul Williams – vocals *

– vocals *

– vocals * Elbridge "Al" Bryant – vocals (track 6 on side two, CD version bonus tracks) with: * The Andantes – backing vocals ("Get Ready") * The Supremes – backing vocals ("Not Now, I'll Tell You Later") * The Funk Brothers – instrumentation * Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation (some tracks)

Producers

* Smokey Robinson – "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" *

and Ivy Jo Hunter – "It's A Lonely World Without Your Love" * Sylvester Potts (of The Contours) – "Give It Up" * Marv Johnson – "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.