Gettin' Ready

Untitled

Gettin' Ready is a 1966 album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. It marks the transition of the group from having Smokey Robinson as its main producer, with new producer Norman Whitfield taking over Robinson's position. Two #1 R&B hit singles, one from each producer, are included: "Get Ready" from Robinson with Eddie Kendricks on lead, and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" from Whitfield with David Ruffin on lead. Also included is the original version of "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", which would be rerecorded as a hit for Marvin Gaye in 1969.

The Ruffin-led single, "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep", is not included on this album (although its b-side, "You're Not an Ordinary Girl", is); the reason is because the album was already completed by the time the vocals for the song was recorded, as well as the fact that Smokey Robinson was this album’s executive producer. The track is included on the group’s next album, Greatest Hits.

Track listing

Superscripts denote lead singers for each track: (a) David Ruffin, (b) Eddie Kendricks, (c) Paul Williams, (d) Melvin Franklin, (e) Elbridge "Al" Bryant (outro ad-lib), (f) Florence Ballard (The Supremes-outro ad-lib)

1. "Say You" (Dobyne, Jones, Staunton) * ^{a, d}
2. "Little Miss Sweetness" (Robinson) ^a
3. "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (Holland, Whitfield) ^a
4. "Get Ready" (Robinson) ^b
5. "Lonely, Lonely Man Am I" (Holland, Kendricks, Whitfield) ^{c, d}
6. "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" (Bradford, Strong, Whitfield) ^b
7. "I've Been Good to You" (Robinson) ^{b, d}
8. "It's a Lonely World Without Your Love" (Hunter, Stevenson) ^b
9. "Fading Away" (Moore, Robinson, Rogers) ^b
10. "Who You Gonna Run To" (Robinson) ^c
11. "You're Not an Ordinary Girl" (Moore, Robinson, Rogers, Tarplin, White) ^b
12. "Not Now (I'll Tell You Later)" (Robinson, Williams)*** ^{b, e, f}
13. "Give It Up" ** ^c
14. "The Man Who Don't Believe In Love", ** ^c

(*) in mono (**) bonus tracks for compact disc re-release, unreleased tracks dating from the Elbridge Bryant era of the early 1960s. (***) Recorded in 1963 during the Elbridge Bryant era with The Supremes as background vocals.

Personnel

• David Ruffin: vocals (tracks 1-11)
• Eddie Kendricks: vocals
• Paul Williams: vocals
• Melvin Franklin: vocals
• Otis Williams: vocals
• Elbridge "Al" Bryant: vocals (tracks 12-14)
• The Supremes: background & ad-lib vocals ("Not Now (I'll Tell You Later)")
• Smokey Robinson: producer, executive producer
• Norman Whitfield: producer

Chart and singles history

Title	Information
"Get Ready"	Gordy single 7049, February 7, 1966 B-side: "Fading Away"
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg"	Gordy single 7054, May 3, 1966 B-side: "You'll Lose A Precious Love" (recorded 1964; from The Temptations Sing Smokey)
"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" (from Greatest Hits)	Gordy single 7055, August 4, 1966 B-side: "You're Not an Ordinary Girl"
"I've Been Good to You" (b-side of "You're My Everything")	Gordy single 7063, June 13, 1967

Name	Chart (1966-1967)	Peak position
Gettin’ Ready	U.S. Billboard Pop Albums	12
Gettin’ Ready	U.S. Top R&B Albums	1
"Get Ready"	U.S. Billlboard Pop Singles	29
"Get Ready"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	1
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	13
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg"	U.S. Billboard R&B Singles	1
"I've Been Good to You"	U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	124