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.
Neither One Of Us
The Temptations Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's gotten to the point
Where we just can't fake it
For some ungodly reason
We just won't let it be
I guess neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say good-bye
I keep wondering
Wondering
What I'm gonna do without you
And I guess you must be wondering the same thing too
So we go on
Go on together
Living a lie
Because I guess neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say good-bye
Everytime I find the nerve
Everytime I find the nerve to say I'm leaving
Memories
Those old memories get in my way
Lord knows it's only me
Only know it's me
That I'm missing you
When it comes to saying good-bye
That a simple word that I just cannot say
There can be no way
There can be no way
This can have a happy ending
No, no
So we just go on
Hurting and pretending
Convincing ourselves to give it just one more try
Because I guess neither one of us
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
Farewell my love
Goodbye
The Temptations’ song “Neither One Of Us” is a poignant portrayal of a couple who cannot bring themselves to say goodbye, despite the fact that their relationship has reached its end. The opening lyrics set the tone for the song and the mood of the couple. They are sad and resigned to the fact that they will eventually have to go their separate ways. However, they are both holding onto the relationship, even though it has lost its spark, and they both sense that their love for each other is no longer strong enough to keep it going. The couple has reached a point where they can no longer pretend that everything is alright and they are just living a lie. The ending of their relationship is inevitable, but neither of them wants to be the first to say goodbye.
The chorus reinforces this sentiment - neither one of them is ready to let go. They are both wondering what life will be like without the other, and they are afraid to face it alone. They are holding onto the happy memories but know that they can no longer move forward with the relationship. It is quite clear that they are both struggling with the break-up, but neither wants to end the relationship for fear of hurting the other. They are hurting themselves by pretending that everything is okay, instead of facing the truth and dealing with the consequences.
Overall, The Temptations’ song “Neither One Of Us” speaks to the reality of relationships and how hard it is to let go of someone you once loved. The song is a beautiful and heartbreaking portrait of the human condition and how we sometimes cling to things that are no longer good for us.
Line by Line Meaning
It's sad to think we're not gonna be here
It's a regretful realization that our time together is coming to an end.
And it's gotten to the point
Things have deteriorated to an intolerable level.
Where we just can't fake it
We can't pretend everything is okay anymore.
For some ungodly reason
Without a logical explanation, we are unable to move on.
We just won't let it be
We are holding onto something that we should let go of.
I guess neither one of us
We both acknowledge the situation we are in.
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say good-bye
We both are afraid to be the one to end things.
I keep wondering
I am constantly pondering.
Wondering
Continuously thinking about something.
What I'm gonna do without you
I am struggling to imagine how I will survive without you.
And I guess you must be wondering the same thing too
I assume you are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings.
So we go on
Despite our difficulties, we continue to try.
Go on together
We continue to face our problems as a team.
Living a lie
We are pretending everything is okay when it is not.
Everytime I find the nerve
Whenever I work up the courage.
Everytime I find the nerve to say I'm leaving
Whenever I find the strength to admit that it's over.
Memories
Recollections of the good times are holding me back.
Those old memories get in my way
The happy memories are making it hard to move on.
Lord knows it's only me
I am aware that I am the only one who controls my choices.
Only know it's me
I am the only one who is missing you.
That I'm missing you
I am unable to forget you and move on.
When it comes to saying good-bye
I am deeply scared to let go and end things.
That a simple word that I just cannot say
I am finding it difficult to say the word 'goodbye'.
There can be no way
It's impossible.
There can be no way
Our situation is beyond repair.
This can have a happy ending
It is unlikely that we will come out of this situation unscathed.
No, no
It's just not possible.
So we just go on
We continue to exist in this painful cycle.
Hurting and pretending
We are both suffering while attempting to pretend otherwise.
Convincing ourselves to give it just one more try
We are fooling ourselves into thinking it might get better with time.
Neither one of us wants to be the first to say
We both fear being the one to end things.
Farewell my love
A sad and final goodbye.
Goodbye
An abrupt and painful end to our relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES D. WEATHERLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carol Reevey
nice to hear a male group sing this song all right The Temptations 5/14/20