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Released in March 1965 on Gordy Records, The Temptations Sing Smokey was written and produced entirely by Smokey Robinson over about 18 months at Hitsville USA, with help from Berry Gordy and Miracles Ronald White, Bobby Rogers and Warren Moore. Robinson reworked songs first written for Mary Wells or cut by the Miracles, rearranging them for five voices, with Eddie Kendricks’ falsetto on top and Melvin Franklin’s bass underneath. The album captures a lineup change: the 1963 track Baby Baby I Need You features Elbridge “Al” Bryant, while later songs feature David Ruffin.

The Way You Do the Things You Do, with Kendricks on lead, reached number 11 pop, but Billboard published no R&B singles chart from November 1963 to January 1965, so its number one R&B ranking comes from Cash Box. My Girl, written by Robinson and Ronald White and sung by Ruffin, went to number one on both the pop chart and the restored R&B chart. Arranger Paul Riser balanced the Funk Brothers with Detroit Symphony strings, and the album hit number 35 pop and number one R&B.

• The episode credits Robinson with writing melodies that pushed Ruffin to the edge of his range.
• Bryant’s smoother doo-wop style blended in, while Ruffin’s raspy gospel tone cut through the mix.
• James Jamerson’s bass held the low end while the strings stayed in the upper register.
• The Andantes added backing vocals on It’s Growing.
• The record runs about 33 minutes and was cut in the converted house on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit.