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.
Ol' Man River
The Temptations Lyrics
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Here we all work while the white boys play
Gettin' no rest from the dawn till sunset
Gettin' no rest till the judgement day
You don't look up, you don't look down
You don't dare make the rich boss frown
Bend your knees and bow your head
And tote that barge until you're dead
Let me go 'way from the rich man boss
Show me that stream called the River Jordan
That's the old stream that I long to cross
Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
He don't plant taters
And he don't plant cotton
And then what plants 'em, are soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
You know, you and me
Sometimes we have to we have to sweat, sweat and strain
Our bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge, lift that bale, you get a little drunk
And you land, you gotta land, yes you land, in jail
Oh
I get weary and so sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin', and fraid of dyin'
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' ah
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along, ooh
The Temptations’s song Ol’ Man River is a rally cry for the Black community to rise up against the oppressive white society represented by the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River in the song is seen as a symbol of endurance and unchanging force, yet it's also revealing of the dehumanizing conditions under which black people labored. The lyrics speak to the hard labor that black people had to endure along the Mississippi river, while the white bosses were just playing. The phrase “Gettin’ no rest from the dawn till sunset” speaks to the unforgiving and brutal nature of the work, which continued with no break.
The line, “You don't look up, you don't look down, You don't dare make the rich boss frown, Bend your knees and bow your head, And tote that barge until you're dead” demonstrates the fear that black people had towards the white bosses, who were in many cases brutal towards them. This fear prevented them from standing up against the harsh working conditions.
The chorus of the song, “Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River, He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin', Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along,” suggests that while the river may not speak, it has witnessed the atrocities taking place along its banks. The river is seen as a silent witness to the injustices against black people, and its constant flow symbolizes the enduring nature of the struggle. The lyrics "Show me that stream called the River Jordan, That's the old stream that I long to cross" alludes to the biblical narrative of crossing the River Jordan into the Promised Land, which for black people would be a life free of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we all work 'long the Mississippi
We work hard along the Mississippi River
Here we all work while the white boys play
While white people play, we continue working without any rest
Gettin' no rest from the dawn till sunset
No rest from morning to evening
Gettin' no rest till the judgement day
We won't get any rest until the day of judgement
You don't look up, you don't look down
We don't have the luxury to look around while working
You don't dare make the rich boss frown
We can't afford to upset our wealthy boss
Bend your knees and bow your head
We need to bow down and submit ourselves to the demands of our boss
And tote that barge until you're dead
We have to carry out the same grueling work until we die
Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
I want to leave this place and never come back
Let me go 'way from the rich man boss
I want to be free from the shackles of my wealthy boss
Show me that stream called the River Jordan
I want to go to the River Jordan
That's the old stream that I long to cross
I want to cross the River Jordan and leave my suffering behind
Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
The River Jordan, it flows continuously
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
The River Jordan may appear to be silent, but it must know something we don't
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
The River Jordan keeps flowing despite everything else in its path
He don't plant taters
The River Jordan doesn't have to do any work like planting potatoes
And he don't plant cotton
The River Jordan doesn't have to do any work like planting cotton
And then what plants 'em, are soon forgotten
Whatever we plant is soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
The River Jordan continues to flow without stopping
You know, you and me
Both you and I
Sometimes we have to we have to sweat, sweat and strain
Sometimes we have to work hard, with our bodies aching and in pain
Our bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Our bodies hurt from working too much
Tote that barge, lift that bale, you get a little drunk
We work so much that we need to drink to get some relief
And you land, you gotta land, yes you land, in jail
But sometimes, that drinking leads us to jail
Oh
Expression of frustration
I get weary and so sick of tryin'
I get tired and lose hope after trying so hard for so long
I'm tired of livin', and fraid of dyin'
I'm tired of living like this and scared of dying in this situation
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' ah
The River Jordan is the only thing that remains constant in this world
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along, ooh
The River Jordan keeps flowing, regardless of what is happening around it
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind