It Was 50 Years Ago Today: “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
August 9, 1966
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
#1 on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles chart, June 25 – July 22 & July 30 – August 26, 1966
The Temptations had finally cast off their reputation as the “Hitless Temptations” with the help of Smokey Robinson, whose “My Girl” made them stars. Robinson became the group’s de facto writer and producer, penning a string of ballads that kept the Tempts in the charts, if not exactly setting them on fire.
Label head Berry Gordy seemed satisfied with the Temptations’ steady success, but another Motown staffer saw wasted potential. Norman Whitfield was an up-and-comer at Motown; he’d co-written Marvin Gaye’s 1963 Top Ten single “Pride and Joy,” and co-written and produced the 1964 hits “Too Many Fish in the Sea” for the Marvelettes and “Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)” for the Temptations — the latter the group’s last single before “My Girl.” Whitfield was determined to prove that he was the right fit for the Tempts, and that they could be the right fit for him.
Smokey Robinson was one of Motown’s most reliable songwriters and producers, Berry Gordy’s best friend, and, as frontman for the Miracles, a hugely successful artist in his own right. Whitfield, in comparison, was a nobody, but he had ideas and persistence. Specifically, he had a song in mind that would be perfect for the Temptations, one that he had penned with writing partner Eddie Holland of Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Three times, Whitfield brought “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” to one of Motown’s notorious quality control meetings, where Gordy and company decided which records would be released as singles, and which would languish on the shelves. Three times, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” was rejected in favor of a Robinson composition.
It wasn’t just Whitfield who believed in “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” however. The Temptations themselves recognized the song’s hit potential and were eager for the song to be released. Perhaps it was their enthusiasm that persuaded Gordy to make a deal with Whitfield: if Robinson’s next single for the Tempts missed the pop Top 20, then “Ain’t Too Proud” would be released as the follow-up.
It was by no means a sure thing; the record in question, “Get Ready,” was easily the best single the Temptations had released since “My Girl,” and its up-tempo, breezy dance style, led by Eddie Kendricks’ smooth falsetto, put a fresh spin on the group’s established formula. But while “Get Ready” managed to top the R&B charts, it peaked at a (relatively) lowly #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. Robinson was out; Whitfield was in.
Forget what you know of the Temptations’ legacy; listen to the string of Temptations singles that precede “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and you might get why Gordy was so hesitant to give Whitfield a chance. The Temptations were the elegant lovermen of soul pop, all polish and suits and coordinated dance moves.
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” however, was something raw, with lead singer David Ruffin’s gruff voice pushed above his normal range into pure pleading desperation. The arrangement lacked the strings and studied sophistication of the Robinson productions, instead propelled by a rougher, funkier sound inspired by James Brown. When Ruffin opens the song with a raspy gasp of “I know you wanna leave me” with only a drum roll as a lead-in, it’s not only electrifying — it’s a clear line of demarcation between the Temptations’ past and future.
Gordy’s gamble paid off: “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” topped the R&B chart for eight nonconsecutive weeks (their longest-ever run atop that chart) and returned them to the pop Top 20, peaking at #13. Even better, the next four singles Whitfield produced for the group all made the Top 10, a spot the group and producer would return to many times over the next several years.
With Whitfield behind the wheel, the Temptations finally established a discography that lived up to their designation as the Supremes’ male counterparts. More importantly, the new styles Whitfield explored with the group — whether the funk-influenced grit of “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” or the psychedelic soul of tracks like “Cloud Nine” and “Ball of Confusion” — helped keep Motown modern and relevant, as the label’s once innovative crossover soul-pop became passé amid the heavier sounds of the late ’60s and early ’70s.
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” may have been a solid hit for the Temptations, but its ultimate importance was giving Whitfield a platform to deliver the innovative sounds that would push Motown forward.
It Was 50 Years Ago Today examines a song, album, movie, or book that was #1 on the charts exactly half a century ago.
