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Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland’s Ain’t Too Proud to Beg was voted down twice at Motown’s Friday quality control meetings, where Berry Gordy said the song needed more story. On the third attempt Whitfield pitched the song slightly above David Ruffin’s comfortable range, forcing a strained, desperate vocal. Otis Williams recalled Ruffin sweating so hard that his glasses flew off. Even then the room picked Smokey Robinson’s Get Ready, with Eddie Kendricks singing lead, as the Temptations’ next single.

Whitfield struck a deal with Gordy: if Get Ready missed the pop top 20, his song would be next. It missed, and in 1966 Ain’t Too Proud to Beg spent eight non-consecutive weeks at number one R&B and reached 13 pop, making Whitfield the group’s main producer. The Rolling Stones recorded it for It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll in 1974, and Rick Astley cut it for his 1988 album after a fire at PWL studios destroyed his first recording. The Big Chill soundtrack and the AFI’s list of top film songs kept it alive.

• Cornelius Grant recalled Whitfield vowing never to lose a release that way again.
• The Stones’ version was a US-only single with Dance Little Sister on the B-side and reached the top 20.
• It was Mick Taylor’s final album with the Stones, and the band later played the song live with Amy Winehouse at the Isle of Wight Festival.
• Astley’s version charted in 1989 and was his last single with Stock Aitken Waterman.
• The song ranks number 94 on the AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Songs list.