The recorded version of "My Girl" was the first Temptations single to feature David Ruffin on lead vocals. Previously, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams had performed most of the group's lead vocals, and Ruffin had joined the group as a replacement for former Temptation Elbridge Bryant. While on tour as part of the Motortown Revue, a collective tour for most of the Motown roster, Smokey Robinson caught the Temptations' part of the show. For their set, the group had included a medley of soul standards, one of which, the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk", was a solo spot for Ruffin. Impressed, Robinson decided to produce a single with Ruffin singing lead. Robinson saw Ruffin as a "sleeping giant" in the group with a unique voice that was "mellow" yet "gruff".[3] Robinson thought that if he could write the perfect song for Ruffin's voice, then he could have a smash hit.[3] The composition was to be something that Ruffin could "belt out" yet something that was also "melodic and sweet".[3]
After some persuasion from Ruffin's bandmates, Robinson had the Temptations record "My Girl" instead of the Miracles, who were originally going to record the song, and recruited Ruffin to sing the lead vocals. According to Robinson, he allowed the group to create their own background vocals "because they were so great at background vocals".[4] Consequently, the Temptations came up with boosts like "hey hey hey" and a series of "my girls" that echo David's vocal."[5] The opening bass notes are recognized around the world. As Smokey Robinson says, "I can be in a foreign country where people don't speak English and the audience will start cheering before I even start singing "My Girl." They know what's coming as soon as they hear the opening bass line. [He sings the famous line created by bassist James Jamerson:] 'Bah bum-bum, bah bum-bum, bah bum-bum.'"[6] The signature guitar riff heard during the introduction and under the verses was played by Robert Whiteofthe Funk Brothers. This part can be heard without vocals on the 2004 deluxe edition of the soundtrack from the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
The Temptations also recorded German- and Italian-language versions of the song, "Mein Girl" and "Solamente Lei",[7] released in 1965[8] and 1966[9] respectively. Both versions were later included on two various Motown artists compilation albums, the one-CD Motown Around the World (1987)[10] and the two-CD Motown Around the World: The Classic Singles (2010),[11][7][12] as well as on the Temptations' compilation album 50th Anniversary – The Singles Collection (1961–1971) (2011).[13]
"My Girl" climbed to the top of the U.S. pop charts on March 6, 1965, after its Christmas time 1964 release, making it the Temptations' first number 1 hit. The single was also the first number 1 hit on the reinstated Billboard R&B Singles chart, which had gone on a fifteen-month hiatus from 1963 to 1965.[14] The single also gave the Gordy label its first number 1 on the Hot 100.[15]
Over time, "My Girl", with its signature introduction and unrestrained expression of joy, became one of Motown's best-known and most successful singles. "My Girl" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.[16]
Cash Box described the single as "a pulsating, shuffle-wobble ballad" performed "in very tempting style" and with a "striking arrangement".[17]Record World said, "Teens won't be able to resist Temptations' new one, which is a sweet and slow tribute to a teen angel."[18] In 2004, "My Girl" was ranked number 88 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[19] The song was re-ranked and moved to number 43 in the 2021 edition.
In 1965, Otis Redding recorded the song for his album Otis Blue.[42] Released as a single, it was the first version to be successful in the United Kingdom, reaching No.11 in the UK Singles Chart.[43]
