"Get Ready" | ||||
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Single by The Temptations | ||||
from the album Gettin' Ready | ||||
B-side | "Fading Away" | |||
Released | February 7, 1966 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Recorded | Hitsville USA (Studio A); December 5, December 9, and December 29, 1965 | |||
Genre | Soul, R&B | |||
Length | 2:39 | |||
Label |
Gordy G 7049 |
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Writer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
The Temptations singles chronology | ||||
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"Get Ready" | ||||
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Single by Rare Earth | ||||
from the album Get Ready | ||||
B-side | "Magic Key" | |||
Released | February 18, 1970 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Recorded | Hitsville USA (Studio A); 1969 | |||
Genre | Hard rock, blues rock | |||
Length | 2:48 (single edit) 21:06 (album version) |
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Label |
Rare Earth R 5012 |
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Writer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Rare Earth | |||
Rare Earth singles chronology | ||||
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"Get Ready" is a Motown song written by Smokey Robinson, which resulted in two hit records for the label: a U.S. #29 version by The Temptations in 1966, and a U.S. #4 version by Rare Earth in 1970. It is significant for being the last song Robinson wrote and produced for the Temptations, due to a deal Berry Gordy made with Norman Whitfield, that if "Get Ready" did not meet with the expected degree of success, then Whitfield's song, "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", would get the next release, which resulted in Whitfield more or less replacing Robinson as the group's producer.
The original Temptations version of "Get Ready", produced by Smokey Robinson, was designed as an answer to the latest dance craze, "The Duck". The Temptations' falsetto Eddie Kendricks sings lead on the song, which Robinson produced as an up-tempo dance number with a prominent rhythm provided by Motown drummer Benny Benjamin. In the song, Kendricks informs his lover to "get ready" because "I'm bringin' you a love that's true". Melvin Franklin sings lead on the pre-chorus: "fe, fi, fo, fum/look out/'cause here I come" along with several other similar lines. The song made it to number one on the U.S. R&B singles chart, while peaking at number twenty-nine on the pop charts.
The B-side to "Get Ready" was the ballad "Fading Away", which was also led by Kendricks. The song talks about fading love with its narrator asking his soon-to-be-former-lover "Where is your love going?" and saying how much she changed since they fell in love. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, & Bobby Rogers, and produced by Robinson, "Fading Away" was later included on the Temptations 1966 album Gettin' Ready along with the hit side.