1. The Temptations … Read Full Bio ↴The Temptations may refer to at least two groups
1. The Temptations are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, rnb, and adult contemporary. Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1960 as The Elgins. The group, known for its finely tuned choreography, distinct harmonies, and stylish suits, has been said to be as influential to soul as The Beatles are to rock. Having sold an estimated 22 million albums by 1982, The Temptations are one of the most successful groups in black music history and were the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s. In addition, they have the second-longest tenure on Motown (behind Stevie Wonder), as they were with the label for a total of 40 years: 16 years from 1961 to 1977, and 24 more from 1980 to 2004 (from 1977 to 1980, they were signed to Atlantic Records). As of 2005, The Temptations continue to perform for Universal Records with only one original member, founder Otis Williams, in its lineup.
Like its sister group The Supremes, The Temptations' lineup has changed frequently over the years. The original group included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: second tenor/baritone Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin from The Distants; and first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) from The Primes. Among the most notable future Temptations were lead singers David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards (both of whom became successful Motown solo artists after leaving the group, as did Kendricks), Richard Street (another former Distant), Damon Harris, Ron Tyson, Ali-Ollie Woodson, Theo Peoples, and G.C. Cameron.
Over the course of their career, The Temptations have released four number-one pop hit singles and 14 number-one R&B hit singles, and their material has earned them three Grammy Awards. Most of the early Temptations hits, including "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "My Girl", and "Get Ready" were written and produced by Smokey Robinson and other members of The Miracles, while composer/producer Norman Whitfield and lyricists Eddie Holland and Barrett Strong crafted most of the group's later hits, including "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "I Wish It Would Rain", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".
2. There was also a 50s doo-wop group from New York named the Temptations. They are best remembered for their 1960 top 40 hit "Barbara. After this hit, lead singer Neil Stevens went solo.
Error Of Our Ways
The Temptations Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somethin's goin wrong
Is it in the homes
Kids killin kids
Ain't nothing safe
They take guns to school
And break all the rules
It's a shame the way that we're livin
And starving in Sumaria
From free loving days
And now there is AIDS
Our values have changed (Oh, yes they've changed)
People acting strange (yeah)
You have to watch your back(ooh)
Babies born on crack, oh
The error of our ways
Can we correct the mistakes we've made
I hope it's not too late
God only knows our fate
The error of our ways
Let's hope for a better day
Somethin's got to change
Let us pray
Famlies accused of child abuse
You don't know who's tellin the truth
Society is like a sword
That needs killing that's for sure
Great forest are dying
People standing in Welfare lines
Ecology is unbalanced
It's a challenge
A strange situation
We lost a whole generation
The news on the air
Beware of the colors that you wear
The police are undefined (oh, yes they are)
Beware when you drive (or you might get jacked)
We gotta make a stand (oh, yes we do)
Cause things are out of hand
(Why) Are there so many guns
(Tell me why) So much death among the young
(Why) Oh tell me why
(Tell me why) It's not easy for you to see
(Why) Can't there be any peace
(Tell me why) Can't we undo all the wrong that we've done
(Why) Oh it's up to you and me
They're fighting in Bosnia
And starving in Sumaria
From free loving days
And now there is AIDS
Our values have changed (Oh)
People acting strange (yeah)
You have to watch your back (oh, yeah)
Babies born on crack
The Temptations' song "Error of Our Ways" addresses a variety of societal issues in the late 1980s, including gun violence, drug addiction, child abuse, and global conflicts. The lyrics suggest that our values have shifted and we have lost sight of what is truly important. The song questions whether it is too late to correct the mistakes that we have made as a society, and whether God will ultimately determine our fate.
The first verse of the song highlights the violence and fear that permeates our communities, with kids taking guns to school and breaking rules. The second verse points to broader global issues, such as the war in Bosnia and famine in Somalia. The chorus emphasizes the need for change, both on an individual and societal level, and the hope for a better future.
The lyrics also touch on the importance of challenging societal norms, as seen in the lines "Society is like a sword / That needs killing that's for sure." The song suggests that we must take a stand and challenge the status quo in order to bring about positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
Somethin's goin wrong
Something is going wrong in our society
Is it in the homes
Are the problems coming from within our homes?
Kids killin kids
Children are murdering other children
Ain't nothing safe
There is no place that is truly safe anymore
They take guns to school
Children are bringing guns to school
And break all the rules
They are breaking all the rules
It's a shame the way that we're livin
The way we are living is shameful
They're fighting in Bosnia
There is fighting in Bosnia
And starving in Sumaria
People are starving in Sumaria
From free loving days
From a time of love and freedom
And now there is AIDS
Now there is a deadly disease called AIDS
Our values have changed (Oh, yes they've changed)
Our values have changed, and not for the better
People acting strange (yeah)
People are acting strangely
You have to watch your back(ooh)
You have to be careful and watch your back
Babies born on crack, oh
Babies are being born addicted to drugs like crack
The error of our ways
We have made mistakes and need to recognize them
Can we correct the mistakes we've made
Is it possible to fix the problems we have created?
I hope it's not too late
I hope it's not too late to fix our mistakes
God only knows our fate
Only God knows what will happen to us
Let's hope for a better day
Let's hope that tomorrow will be better
Somethin's got to change
We need to change something
Let us pray
We need to pray for help
Families accused of child abuse
Families are being accused of abusing their children
You don't know who's tellin the truth
It's difficult to know who is telling the truth
Society is like a sword
Society is a powerful force that can hurt or help us
That needs killing that's for sure
It needs to be changed, that's for certain
Great forest are dying
Our forests are dying
People standing in Welfare lines
There are people who are waiting in lines to receive welfare assistance
Ecology is unbalanced
Our environment is not in harmony
It's a challenge
It's a difficult problem to solve
A strange situation
It's a weird and unexpected situation
We lost a whole generation
We have lost a generation of people
The news on the air
The news that is being broadcast
Beware of the colors that you wear
Be careful with the colors you wear
The police are undefined (oh, yes they are)
The police are not clear in their actions
Beware when you drive (or you might get jacked)
Be careful when you are driving or you might be robbed
We gotta make a stand (oh, yes we do)
We need to make a stand or take action
Cause things are out of hand
Things are not under control
(Why) Are there so many guns
Why are there so many guns?
(Tell me why) So much death among the young
Why are so many young people dying?
(Why) Oh tell me why
Why is this happening?
(Tell me why) It's not easy for you to see
Why is it hard for people to see what's happening?
(Why) Can't there be any peace
Why can't there be peace?
(Tell me why) Can't we undo all the wrong that we've done
Why can't we fix the problems we have created?
(Why) Oh it's up to you and me
It's up to us to fix these problems
Contributed by Mackenzie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.