Today, "Just My Imagination" is considered one of the Temptations' signature songs, and is notable for recalling the sound of the group's 1960s recordings. "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The single held the number one position on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart for two weeks in 1971, from March 27 to April 10. The Temptations remained at Hitsville overnight recording "Just My Imagination," and while the other four members went home at six o'clock in the morning, Kendricks remained in the studio, spending several additional hours recording takes for his lead vocal. [3] By 1970, the Temptations had released psychedelically influenced hits such as "Runaway Child, Running Wild", "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and the Grammy Award-winning "Cloud Nine". Williams remained on salary as an advisor, but was plagued with personal problems - he was separated from his wife, owed back taxes and was being treated for alcoholism. The lyrics capture his resignation to his fantasies. By introducing this doubt, the musical bridge simultaneously connects the movement from dream to reality, completed when the final lines shift from imagery to bald statement: "But in reality / she doesn't even know me". Scrobbling is when Last.fm tracks the music you listen to and automatically adds it to your music profile. He didn't come back. Paul was on his last legs. "Just My Imagination" was the result of one of the few times that Whitfield relented and produced a ballad as a single for the group. When released as a single, "Just My Imagination" became the third Temptations song to reach number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1971 album, Sky's the Limit. >> "Just My Imagination" also held the number-one spot on the Billboard …, "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" is a song by American soul group The Temptations. Javascript is required to view shouts on this page. A music video, directed by Phil Harder, was released to promote the single. Title: Just My Imagination (TV Movie 1992) 6.2 /10. Norman Whitfield began the recording of "Just My Imagination" by preparing the song's instrumental track. The Temptations had heard the Funk Brothers' tracks and loved them, but were "totally knocked out", according to Otis Williams, when they heard "the finished record with all the strings".[7]. Whitfield arranged and recorded the non-orchestral elements of the instrumental with Motown's studio band, The Funk Brothers, who for this recording included Eddie "Chank" Willis on guitar, Jack Ashford on marimba, Jack Brokensha on timpani, Andrew Smith on drums, and Bob Babbitt on bass. Go directly to shout page. Nevertheless, Williams was impressed by Kendricks' performance on the recording, and in his 1988 Temptations biography referred to "Just My Imagination" as "Eddie's finest moment".[8]. "[6] Except for their late 1960s duets with Diana Ross & the Supremes, the Temptations had not released a single that was not based in psychedelia since "Please Return Your Love to Me" from The Temptations Wish It Would Rain in 1968. When Kendricks told his friend ex-Temptation David Ruffin about his problems in the group, Ruffin convinced Kendricks that he should begin a solo career. Released on the Gordy (Motown) label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it featur…, The Temptations may refer to at least two groups 1. He began working on his solo album All By Myself shortly before officially leaving the group.[4]. View wiki During the process of recording and releasing the single, Kendricks left the group to begin a solo career, while the ailing Williams was forced to retire from the act for health reasons. It is the third single from the band's fourth album, Bury the Hatchet, released in 1999.A music video, directed by Phil Harder, was released to promote the single.The Cranberries sing this song in the season 2 Charmed episode "She's a Man, Baby, a Man!". Tags: More Than 30 Covers, Sampled in More Than 10 Songs, Quiet Storm, Single, US #1 Hit, US R&B #1 Hit, Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs, Motown. Directed by Stan Lathan. "Just My Imagination" is an acoustic pop song by Irish band The Cranberries. By the time "Just My Imagination" was cut, Paul Williams' contributions to the Temptations' recordings had been reduced, and the group had Otis Williams' old associate Richard Street lined up as Paul Williams' replacement. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, producer/composer Norman Whitfield and lyricist Barrett Strong crafted a string of "psychedelic soul" tracks for the Temptations. A full orchestral arrangement with strings and French horns adorning a bluesy rhythm track and bass line provides the instrumentals. EADGBE. The song was recorded in the midst of a bitter feud between Kendricks and the Temptations' de facto leader, Otis Williams. Playing via Spotify Playing via YouTube Playback options The Cranberries - Just My Imagination Lyrics | AZLyrics.com By the time "Just My Imagination" was recorded, Williams and Kendricks were no longer on friendly speaking terms. "Just My Imagination" redirects here. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. With Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, Merlin Santana, William Lee Scott. The song as a whole captures their full emotional effect on him. In late 1970, the Temptations' single "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)", a psychedelic soul song about world peace, failed to reach the Top 30, and Whitfield decided to record and release "Just My Imagination" as the next single. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Some user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. It is the third single from the band's fourth album, Bury the Hatchet, released in 1999. Watch the clip of us doing the song on Ed Sullivan we're not together.