David Ruffin
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 - David Ruffin (RIP 1991) -- vocals
supporting musicians (1974) - Eddie Brown -- percussion - Ron brown -- bass - Dennis Coffey -- lead guitar - Kenny Copeland -- trumpet - Henry Davis -- bass - Mark Davis -- keyboards - Freddie Dunn -- trumpet - James Gadson -- drums, percussion - Ed Greene -- drums, percussion - Joe Greene -- background vocals - Jessie Kirkland -- background vocals - Johnny McGlee -- lead guitar - Mykal Moore -- sax - Melvin Ragin -- lead guitar - Lisa Roberts -- background vocals - Aaron Smith --- drums, percussion - Stephanie Spruill -- percussion - Earl Van Dyke -- keyboards - Julia Waters -- background vocals - Luther Waters -- background vocals - Maxine Waters -- background vocals - Oren Waters -- background vocals - Carolyn Willis -- background vocals - Eddie Willis -- lead guitar
supporting musicians (1976) - Robert Alexander -- horns - Albert Bailey -- backing vocals - Alfred Brown -- strings - Selwart Clarke -- strings - Melvyn Davis -- horns - Diane Destry -- backing vocals - George Devens -- horns - Gordon Edwards -- bass - Jon Faddis -- horns - Paul Faulise -- horns - Steve Gadd -- drums, percussion - Eric Gale -- guitar - Bernie Glow -- horns - Mervin Gold -- horns - Dominick Gravine -- horns - Emanuel Green -- strings - Brenda Hilliard -- backing vocals - Theodore Isreal -- strings - Harold Kohon -- strings - Beverly Lauridsen -- strings - Jesse Levey -- strings - Harry Lookofsky -- strings - Guy Lumia -- strings - Ralph MacDonald -- congas, tambourine - Joseph Malignaggi -- strings - George Marge -- strings - Van McCoy -- acoustic piano, backing vocals - Hugh McCracken -- guitar - Buddy Morrow -- horns - Gene Orloff -- strings - Leon Pendarvis -- keyboards - Aaron Rosand -- strings - Richard Tee -- keyboards, synthesizers - Mitsue Takayama -- strings - Yoko Matsuo -- strings
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- The Ruffin Brothers
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Genre: soul Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Everything's Coming Up Love Company: Motown Catalog:
M6 866S1 Country/State: Whynot, Mississippi Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: Still in shrink wrap (opened) Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
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With
popular tastes rapidly changing; moving on to dance music and disco, the
mid-'70s were particularly tough on soul acts. Acts that had once been
million sellers suddenly found themselves struggling to hold on to recording
contracts, let alone churning out massive hits. That was certainly the
predicament David Ruffin found himself in. In an obvious move to
update his sound an
"Me
'n Rock 'n Roll are Here To Stay" track listing: 1.) Discover Me (Van McCoy) - 4:22 rating: *** stars Opening a song with a choir seldom ends well. Admittedly the choir was actually the group Faith, Hope and Charity, but when you add in McCoy's heavy orchestration, things started to go downhill rapidly. About all I can say is Ruffin's craggy voice saved this from being a completely disaster. The tune had a pleasant melody, but 80% of the song consisted of Ruffin and the backing singers repeating the title time after time after time. The refrain ran out its welcome well before the end of the song. 2.) First Round Knock-Out (Van McCoy) - 8:44 rating: ** stars Admittedly I've never been a big fan of Van McCoy's disco-influenced production. He brings so much to his projects - strings, horns, choruses ... it frequently overwhelms the artists he works with. 'First Round Knock-Out' is a perfect example of those characteristics. Clearly intended for the dance floor, nuried in this mess were at least a couple of good ideas but they were simply smothered in the arrangement and no matter how hard he tried, Ruffin couldn't power his way out of the mess. Adding to the problem; the song went on and on. By the time it hit the five minute mark I'd had enough. Had someone like Smokey Robinson, or Holland-Dozier-Holland been producing, one suspects the emphasis would have been on the hook - in and out with a couple of knockout jabs and on to the next tune. McCoy had actually written the tune for boxer Smokin' Joe Frazier. In spite of the fact he didn't have much of a voice (guess nobody was brave enough to tell him the truth) , Frazier actually recorded it as a 1975 single for Motown.
- 1975's 'First Round Knock-Out' b/w 'Looky Looky (Look At Me Girl)' (Motown catalog number M 1378F)
3.) Good Good Times (Charles H. Kipps Jr.) - 3:41 rating: *** stars One of two Charles Kipps compositions, forgoing the disco influences, 'Good Good Times' harkened back to Ruffin's Motown glories. Nah, it wasn't a particularly good song, but at least the focus was on Ruffin's voice and the arrangement was relatively paired down. 4.) On And Off (Van McCoy) - 3:21 rating: *** stars One of the more mainstream and commercial songs, the bouncy 'On And Of' would have been stronger without McCoy's overwhelming production effects - xylophone, Faith, Hope and Charity, strings, etc. Motown tapped it as the album's second single:
- 1976's 'On and Off' b/w 'Statute of a Fool' (Motown catalog number M 1405F) # 48 US R&B charts
(side
2) Under McCoy's tutelage Washington D.C.'s The Choice Four had previously recorded 'Ready Willing and Able' on their 1974 debut album "The Finger Pointers". Unlike The Choice Four's classic soul vocal group arrangement, the remake was polished-up, sped up and given a pseudo-disco arrangement. You could recognize it as being the same song, but the new arrangement added emphasis on the title refrain. Yeah it's a disco song, but Ruffin's energetic delivery makes it worth hearing. 2,) Everything's Coming Up Love (Van McCoy) - 4:54 rating: **** stars And just went you'd resigned yourself to hearing Ruffin wasting his talents at the alter of disco madness, along came the classic old school title track. Easily one of the best solo sides he ever cut, 'Everything's Coming Up Love' has a charming, hideously catchy melody that was the perfect forum for Ruffin's big, growling voice (yes, hearing him briefly switch into a falsetto was an unexpected treat). Check him ab-libbing towards the end of the song.
- 1976's 'Everything's Coming Up Love' b/w 'No Matter Where' (Motown catalog number M 1393F) # 49 US Billiboard pop charts; # 8 Billboard R&B charts 3.) Let's Get Into Something (Van McCoy) - 4:52 rating: ** stars The spoken word intro was an instant turnoff for me. From there the string, woodwinds and backing vocalists just overwhelmed the performance. 4.) Until We Said Goodbye (Charles H. Kipps Jr.) - 3:34 rating: ** stars 'Until We Said Goodbye' was another disco-fied remake of a song initially recorded by The Choice Four (this one appeared on their 1975 self-titled album).. And once again The Choice Four version was far stronger the Ruffin's cover.
© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024
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Genre: soul Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Me 'n Rock 'n Roll are Here To Stay Company: Motown Catalog:
M6 818S1 Country/State: Whynot, Mississippi Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: original inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1800 Price: $20.00 |
Today David Ruffin's post-Temptations catalog is criminally overlooked . Admittedly Ruffin was a supremely troubled man who left a trail of destruction in his wake, but the fact 1974's Norman Whitefield produced "Me 'n Rock 'n Roll are Here To Stay" is an all but unknown outside of hardcore collecting circles is hard to understand.
Ruffin's
fourth solo album, the collection served to bring Whitefield's instantly
recognizable sound to the table. Tunes like I
Saw Here When You Met Her'', 'Smiling Faces Sometimes' and
"Me
'n Rock 'n Roll are Here To Stay" track listing: 1.) I Saw Here When You Met Her (Norman Whitfield) - 6:50 rating: **** stars Admittedly the synthesizer opening was a surprise and a bit disconcerting ... I remember thinking did I put a Michael Oldfield album on my mistake ? But then that patented Norman Whitfield sound and Ruffin's immediately recognizable voice kicked in and you knew you were in the right place. Musically this dark and ominous ballad was on a par with Whitfield's best work with The Temptations. Nice way to start the album. 2.) Take Me Clear from Here (Vincent DeMirco) - 3:35 rating: **** stars
The breezy 'Take Me Clear from Here' was a near perfect groove for Ruffin. Kicked along by a devastatingly tuneful bass line you had to wonder how Motown managed to miss releasing this one as a single. Interestingly, the tune was tapped as a Dutch 45:
1974's 'Take Me Clear From Here' b/w 'Blood Donors Needed (Give All You Can)' (Motown catalog number 5C 006-96 273)
3.) Smiling Faces Sometimes (Barrett Strong) - 5:32 rating: *** stars Interesting choice for a cover - you had to wonder if Ruffin felt a certain connection with the lyrics given his difficult relationship with Motown. Ruffin's spoken word introduction may have been intended to give the song a certain degree of gavials (always wanted to use that word in a review),, but it just sounded silly to me. Slowing the tune's original arrangement didn't do it any favors. Stick with The Undisputed Truth's hit version. 4.) Me 'n Rock 'n Roll Are Here To Stay (Norman Whitfield) - 3:02 rating: **** stars The title left me fearing this was going to be a gimmick, '50s-styled rock homage. Thankfully those fears were misplaced with Whitfield surrounding Ruffin with a surprisingly tough slice of soul. Not exactly rock and roll, but still one of the toughest things he ever recorded. Ruffin seldom sounded like he was having as much fun. Motown tapped it as the leadoff single:
- 1974's 'Me and Rock 'n Roll (Are Here to Stay)' b/w 'Smiling Faces Sometimes' (Motown catalog number M 1327F)
(side
2) With Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams on lead vocals, The Temptations originally recorded the tune in 1972 for their "Solid Rock" album. The song was rumored to have been written as a slam against another Motown producer who'd managed to piss off Whitfield and Strong, but by the time the tune was completed the lyrics were clearly aimed at Ruffin (who 'd been fired from the group in 1968) and Eddie Kendricks (who left for a solo career in 1971). The Temptations' version was better, though Ruffin didn't do bad cover - you had to wonder if he knew the tune was aimed at him.. Docked a star for the irritating crowd noises that were dubbed on the arrangement. Motown tapped it as another single:
- 1973's 'Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)' b/w 'No Matter What' (Motown catalog number M 1336F)
2.) No Matter Where (Clarence Drayton - Terry Smith) - 3:31 rating: **** stars Great acoustic guitar powered opening and one of the most readily commercial tunes Ruffin ever recorded. Another tune where you had to wonder how Motown managed to miss the boat by not releasing it as a single. Supposedly the song was going to be released as a 45, but Motown elected to withdraw it from the release schedule. 3.) City Stars (Charles Higgins, Jr - Dobie Gray) - 3:21 rating: **** stars With a charming country-soul edge and a patented life-in-the-city-is-tough lyric, 'City Stars' was one of the album's highlights. 4.) I Just Want To Celebrate (Dino Fekaris - Nick Zesses) - 2:39 rating; ** stars The version most folks will know comes from Rare Earth and Ruffin's cover didn't differ drastically. Once again you were left to wonder what the added audience noise was supposed to accomplish.
© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024
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d
find a niche in the disco market, 1976's "Everything's Coming Up
Love" found Ruffin continuing his partnership with writer,
arranger and producer Van McCoy. Motown certainly dug into its
pocketbook, backing Ruffin with an all star cast of New York-based sessions
players and supporting vocals from Diane
Destry, Brenda Hillard and Albert Bailey (better known as he group Faith,
Hope & Charity). Just my opinion, but the hardcore disco tunes
were bland and forgettable. Clocking in at almost nine minutes 'First
Round Knock-Out' was an improvement over the original version recorded by
boxer Joe Fraser. Other than that low tripwire, it didn't have much going
for it. Disco-fied remakes of McCoy's
'Ready, Willing and Able' and Charles Kipps 'Until We Said Goodbye' weren't
nearly as good as The
Choice Four's classic soul vocal group versions (though 'Ready, Willing and
Able' grew on you). Exhibited by the breezy, old school title track
Ruffin still had the talent, but elsewhere he'd seemingly lost the vision,
struggling to find a niche in the new music market. Certainly not a
complete artistic disaster, but at best competent and professional.
Nothing a casual fan needed worry about.
'Superstar (Remember How You Got Where
You Are)' would not have sounded out of
place on an early-'70s Temptations release. In fact 'Superstar (Remember How You Got Where
You Are)' was
previously recorded by The Temptations. While it wasn't quite a classic
album song--for-song, this may have been Ruffin's most consistence and
satisfying release. Ruffin's instantly recognizable voice was still in
fine form (Ruffin had to have one of music's most effective pleasing
deliveries), and meshed well with Whitfield's production style, giving the
collection a nice feel. Perhaps it was beginning to sound a bit old school for a mid-'70s audience
that was increasingly turning its attention to dance music, but still a fun
listen. Lots of highlights on this one, among them the breezy
'No Matter Where' (which would have been a dandy single, the Dobie Gray
co-written 'City
Stars' and 'Superstar
(Remember How You Got Where You Are)'. The
album hit # 37 on the R&B charts, but did little on the pop charts.
