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.
I Truly
The Temptations Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Violets of...) blue, girl.
The roses mean I love you.
The violets mean I'll always be true, girl. (Be true, girl)
Because I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do.
in spite of the way you acting, that you love me too.
Hmm, you try, to keep me away, girl.
Just to prove you don't really care.
But I believe you feel the same way I do.
And this torture just ain't fair. (No, this torture just ain't fair)
I'm sending you a bracelet.
In grave in gold that, "I love you" girl. (Love you, girl)
And I'll send my heart if I could, to prove I'll always be true, girl.
Because I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do.
in spite of the way you acting, that you love me too.
Come on and say it dear.
Oh, say it dear.
I hope you'd understand.
That the red roses and violets of blue, girl, (Hope you'd understand)
And that bright shining bracelet, help me, baby, say 'I love you'. (I love you. Love you)
And I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do. (Yes, I do)
I believe that you love me.
So baby, come on and say it.
A-Say it. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
I truly, truly believe. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
(I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
The Temptations' song "I Truly Truly Believe" is a love song about a man who is trying to convince his lover to express her love for him. He sends her a bouquet of red roses and violets as a sign of his love for her and his vow to always be true to her. He also sends her a bracelet engraved with 'I Love You', and he wishes he could send her his heart too if he could.
The lyrics suggest that the woman is acting distant and aloof, which is causing the man great pain. But he insists that he truly believes that she loves him too, and he wants her to express her feelings for him. He feels that the gifts he's sending her are a way of telling her that he loves her and wants to be with her forever.
The song is an excellent example of classic Motown love songs from the 60s, with a catchy melody, soulful harmonies and a romantic message. It's an enjoyable listen for anyone who appreciates old-school R&B music.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm sending you red roses and violets.
I'm sending you two types of flowers to express my love and commitment: red roses symbolize my love for you, and violets symbolize my faithfulness to you.
(Violets of...) blue, girl.
I'm referring to the traditional rhyme that associates violets with the color blue, so I'm emphasizing the symbolism of violets as a representation of my loyalty to you, girl.
The roses mean I love you.
Red roses have long been a symbol of romantic love, so my decision to send you them means that I love you deeply and genuinely.
The violets mean I'll always be true, girl. (Be true, girl)
The violets represent my commitment to being faithful to you at all times, which is a critical element of our relationship, girl.
Because I really love you.
I want to emphasize that my decision to send you flowers and express my emotions is a reflection of my true and sincere love for you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do.
I have enormous faith and confidence in our relationship, and I wholeheartedly believe that we are meant to be together, yes I do.
in spite of the way you're acting, that you love me too.
I acknowledge that you may not always show your love for me in the same way that I do, but I still firmly believe that you love me deeply and genuinely, despite any doubts or concerns I may have.
Come on and say it dear.
I'm encouraging you to verbalize your feelings and express your love for me, as that will strengthen our relationship and provide much-needed reassurance.
Hmm, you try, to keep me away, girl.
I sense that you might be trying to push me away or create distance between us, which is concerning and upsetting to me, girl.
Just to prove you don't really care.
I worry that your attempts to distance yourself from me are meant to demonstrate that you don't actually care about me or our relationship.
But I believe you feel the same way I do.
Despite any doubts or concerns I may have, I still firmly believe that you share my love and commitment to this relationship.
And this torture just ain't fair. (No, this torture just ain't fair)
This emotional turmoil and uncertainty is deeply painful and difficult, and I'm expressing frustration and sadness about our situation, which feels unfair to me.
I'm sending you a bracelet.
I'm sending you another gift as a symbol of my love and commitment, this time in the form of a bracelet.
In grave in gold that, "I love you" girl.
The bracelet bears a message of love and commitment, engraved in gold, specifically for you, girl.
And I'll send my heart if I could, to prove I'll always be true, girl.
If I could, I would give you my heart as a physical symbol of my love and commitment, to prove that I will always be faithful and true to you, girl.
I hope you'd understand.
I'm expressing hope that you will understand the depth and sincerity of my love and commitment, and the significance of the gifts I'm sending you.
And that bright shining bracelet, help me, baby, say 'I love you'. (I love you. Love you)
The bracelet is another way for me to express my love and commitment to you, baby, and to reinforce my message that I genuinely love you and will always be faithful and true.
And I really love you.
I want to stress once again that my love for you is genuine, deep, and unwavering.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do. (Yes, I do)
I'm repeating and reaffirming my belief that we are meant to be together, and that my love for you is real and true, yes I do.
I believe that you love me.
Despite any doubts or uncertainty, I have faith and confidence that you truly love me and are committed to our relationship.
So baby, come on and say it.
I'm urging you once again to express your love for me verbally, as that will strengthen our connection and provide reassurance about the depth and sincerity of our feelings.
A-Say it. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
I'm encouraging you to say that you love me and are committed to our relationship, as I believe that we share those emotions and can strengthen our bond through verbal communication and affirmation.
I truly, truly believe. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
To conclude, I want to emphasize once again that I have faith and confidence in our relationship, and that my love for you is deep, genuine, and unwavering, yes I do.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN STORY, GEORGE GORDY, JOHNSON-GORDY MARGARET, MARGARET JOHNSON-GORDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean Mangundayao
I'm sending you red roses and violets.
(Violets of...) blue, girl.
The roses mean I love you.
The violets mean I'll always be true, girl. (Be true, girl)
Because I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do.
in spite of the way you acting, that you love me too.
Come on and say it dear.
Hmm, you try, to keep me away, girl.
Just to prove you don't really care.
But I believe you feel the same way I do.
And this torture just ain't fair. (No, this torture just ain't fair)
I'm sending you a bracelet.
In grave in gold that, "I love you" girl. (Love you, girl)
And I'll send my heart if I could, to prove I'll always be true, girl.
Because I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do.
in spite of the way you acting, that you love me too.
Come on and say it dear.
Oh, say it dear.
I hope you'd understand.
That the red roses and violets of blue, girl, (Hope you'd understand)
And that bright shining bracelet, help me, baby, say 'I love you'. (I love you. Love you)
And I really love you.
And I truly, truly believe, yes I do. (Yes, I do)
I believe that you love me.
So baby, come on and say it.
A-Say it. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
I truly, truly believe. (I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
(I truly believe, yes I do, yes I do, yes I do)
Frances Holman
A voice that is truly missed, as all the original "Temptations", Rest in peace.
Fortune Vereen
Classic!
Dawn Cargile
Such a rich and wonderful voice! Melvin...no one can ever take your place!!!
Wymell Williams
No doubt about it or I can say no bout a doubt it when it comes to Melvin's voice actors get so confused
Mads4it
That bass voice resonates my soul. Just awesome and too bad it wasn't featured more heavily. He just totally rocks!
Sadaqah Green
Melvin was definitely the Super Glue Voice 🎼💯. Will NEVER be another group anywhere close to the Tempting Temptations 🎼🥰🎼
Norma J.
Love everything about this song, a breath of fresh air to hear Melvin sing.
William Southerland
amen. the best group of all times. even my 18 yr old grandson agrees, he loves the temptations
Janice Johnson
Ameen yeah my Father and brother loved this Song. May they rested in peace. 💚💙💝😍
Darren Duncan
This song kept coming into my head out of nowhere today so here I am. Haven't heard it in decades. Was never one of my favorite Temptations songs. Strange how the mind works. Just oddly found myself singing one line of it over and over.