"I Want a Love I Can See" | ||||
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Single by The Temptations | ||||
from the album Meet the Temptations | ||||
B-side | "The Further You Look, the Less You See" | |||
Released | March 18, 1963 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Recorded |
Hitsville USA (Studio A); January 31 and February 1, 1963 |
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Genre | Soul, R&B | |||
Length | 2:30 | |||
Label |
Gordy G 7015 |
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Writer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
The Temptations singles chronology | ||||
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"I Want a Love I Can See" is a 1963 single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. The single was the group's first A-side to be written and produced by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson. Robinson had previously written the B-side "Slow Down Heart", but for over the past year Berry Gordy, Jr. had been The Temptations' main producer.
Lead singer Paul Williams, in the role of the song’s narrator, talks about what he thinks is true love.
This single not only marked Williams return as lead on the A-side, but would also be the only one with him as the sole lead (although there are a few B-sides with him only as lead). During the previous year, fellow group member Eddie Kendricks was given the lead on the singles' A-sides with very little success. By early 1963, the Tempts was a regional R&B favorite with their most successful single being "Dream Come True", a Top 30 R&B hit, but they couldn’t make the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Because of this, the group was given the nickname "The Hitless Temptations", while Motown continued to try to give them a top 20 hit on both the Pop and R&B charts. Robinson by this time had become one of Motown's top producers and songwriters, delivering hits such acts as Mary Wells and his own group The Miracles (and a few minor charters to sister group The Supremes), and when the Tempts were given this song they were sure this would be the hit they needed. According to some sources, including Otis Williams autobiography, bass singer Melvin Franklin did not record vocals on either side of this single, as he was visiting family in Alabama. However, this cannot be substantiated by official Motown studio records.