GET READY (THE TEMPTATIONS SONG)

''For other uses, see Get Ready (disambiguation).''
'"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 Smokey 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.

Contents

Song History

Temptations version

Rare Earth version

Later performances

Credits

Temptations version

Rare Earth version

Sample

Song History

Temptations version

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". 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. When Whitfield's "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (also a number-one R&B hit) made it to thirteen on the pop charts, Motown chief Berry Gordy assigned him to be the Temptations' new main producer.

Rare Earth version

In 1969, Motown's rock band Rare Earth released a cover version of the song as a single. Rare Earth's version of "Get Ready" was the band's first recording for Motown, and was based upon a version of the song it performed as the closing numbers to their live performances. In the live show, each member of the band performed a solo, resulting in a twenty-one minute rendition of the song. It has been debated on whether the actual recording for the album was really recorded at a concert. It has been noted that the audience sounds throughout the song are repetitive and canned. This has been done before with The Kingsmen's version of Louie Louie released on an album with party crowd noise dubbed in.
The band wanted to release "Get Ready" as a single, but Motown declined at first, issuing the unsuccessful "Generation, Light Up the Sky" as the band's first single. Finally deferring to the band's wishes in February 1970, Motown released a three-minute edit of the song as a single, which became a hit. "Get Ready" peaked at number four on the U.S. pop charts, a better performance than the original, and took up the entire second side of their first Motown album, also named ''Get Ready''.

Later performances

Later covers of "Get Ready" include a 1979 version by the song's author, Smokey Robinson. PWL also produced a version in 1987 by Carol Hitchcock The original Temptations version was later adopted as a jingle promo for the 1990 fall season for the CBS television network. In 2006, a re-written "Get Ready" served as the theme song for the launch of The CW (which is, ironically, 50% owned by CBS). This version was performed by Black Eyed Peas members Fergie and will.i.am. It was later turned into an actual full cover of the song called Here I Come on Fergie's album ''The Dutchess''. Today, "Get Ready" is among the most familiar of both the Temptations' and Rare Earth's recordings. The Proclaimers also recorded an adaptation.

Credits

Temptations version

★ Written by William "Smokey" Robinson

★ Lead vocals by Eddie Kendricks

★ Background vocals by David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, and Otis Williams

★ Produced by Smokey Robinson

★ Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Rare Earth version

★ Lead vocals by Pete Rivera

★ Background vocals by Gil Bridges and Rod Richards

★ Produced by Rare Earth

★ Instrumentation by Gil Bridges (saxophone), Pete Rivera (drums), John Parrish (bass guitar), Rod Richards (guitar), and Kenny James (keyboards)

Sample