The Temptations’ ‘My Girl’ turns 60: Otis Williams shares the story behind the hit song

On Dec. 21, 1964, The Temptations released what is now considered one of the greatest love songs ever recorded.

Smokey Robinson and Ronald White wrote and produced the Motown classic “My Girl.” It went on to become the group’s first No.1. It is now part of the National Recording Registry.

“I remember I was in the studio, and we heard ‘My Girl’ for the first time,” said Otis Williams, a member of the self-made group, told Fox News Digital.

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“I was in the control room where Smokey was singing, and I said, ‘Smokey, I don’t know how big a record this is going to be.’ Then we were at the Apollo. We got calls from The Beatles, Berry Gordy, The Supreme and Jules Podell, the guy who still runs Copacabana.

“They are very precious to me,” he thought. “I never thought The Temps would be getting so many hits at first. We formed in 1961, but we didn’t have a hit until 1964… The song put us on the map.”

When asked who the mystery girl behind the single was, Williams laughed and replied, “You’d have to ask Smokey.”

Singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson rehearses a song with the Temptations in their studio at the Apollo in 1964. (Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

“Smokey and his wife at the time, Claudette, saw us at a place in Detroit, a very famous night club called 20 Grand,” Williams recalled. “They came to see us, he said, ‘Men, you boys.’ Then he stopped and said, ‘I have a song for you.’ We were young and cocky, so we were like, ‘Bring it on – we can sing anything.’

“My Girl” was the follow-up to another song written and produced by Robinson, Mary Wells’ “My Guy,” Billboard.com reported. That song is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Williams said the secret to a song’s lasting impact is surprisingly simple.

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Otis Williams performs on stage in California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

“It has such a broad meaning,” he explained. “It’s a song that goes with any event in life. When fathers give gifts to their daughters at their weddings, that will always be his girl in a sense.

“When a guy falls in love with a lady, he says, ‘That’s my girl.’ It has many different meanings, and gives a variety of feelings. It is not just for boys and girls.

Score sheets for “My Girl” and “Beauty Only Skin Deep” were shown in New York City. (Dom Emmert/AFP via Getty Images)

“It’s just a nice song with simple lyrics – it’s not angry at all,” Williams continued. “Music that can be remembered by anyone. That’s why it’s so precious… It’s just a great way to express how a man can feel about his woman… And that’s what Motown believed in – having good songs with good lyrics that don’t offend anyone. .”

It was on March 6, 1965, that The Temptations’ biggest selling single, “My Girl,” hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. (World Music Archives)

And there’s a lot today’s musicians can learn from his generation, Williams insists.

“Look, I always tell people that the one constant in life is change,” he explained. “I try not to knock anyone in their efforts to make their bones in the shows. But I have to say this, I am not impressed with some of the things I hear on the radio today.”

“When I hear the lyrics… I hear blasphemy,” Williams said. “I hear a lot of derogatory language. Now, I believe in freedom of speech, but it’s very indicative of where we are as a society today… You shouldn’t be hearing profanity on the radio.”

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In 1989, The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. (World Music Archives)

“I believe in good words, words that are not offensive and will be heard by anyone,” he said. “That’s why Motown was so good. They emphasized good songs. They were called, ‘American Songs.’

“I know that my time was another time… but I am not happy with what I hear on the radio these days. I don’t know why things have become so relaxed that you can hear people talking or talking. By doing very bad things to women, children should not hear that.

At 83, Williams has no plans of slowing down as a player.

“Look, I always tell people that one thing is constant in life. I try not to knock anyone in their efforts to make their bones in the business. But I have to say this, some people have impressed me with the things I hear on the radio today.”

– Otis Williams

On September 14, 1994, The Temptations were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, and on June 7, 2019, they were awarded a star on The Apollo Theatre’s Walk of Fame in New York City. (World Music Group)

“God has blessed me to do this for 64 years,” he said. “I feel like being in show business is something special. You can reach so many people. You can give them hope. You can lift them up in difficult times. So we’re always going to try to be a healthy act. We’re not going to go out on stage and be successful. We’re going to hold our private parts and sing doing this or that.”

“We were taught that if you sing with respect and dignity, you will always have people listening to you,” said Williams. “As long as you give a good performance and keep it healthy, you don’t have to worry about it too much. We were emphasizing respect for our audience and ourselves.”

“My Girl” has now crossed the 1 billion stream mark on Spotify. Williams admitted that it scares him that young listeners are finding this song on social media.

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Temptations has surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. (World Music Archives)

“God and his infinite wisdom brought us to that studio – I truly believe that,” Williams said. “And this was a very special time in the ’60s. Now, the ’60s were crazy, just like we are today… but it’s a real testament that a song can still be loved 60 years later.”

“… Our listeners have grown with us,” he said. “We were small when we started, but look where we are now.”