Keep on Truckin is a 1973 hit song recorded by Eddie Kendricks for Motown Records Tamla label. The song was Kendricks first major hit as a solo artist, coming two years after his departure from The Temptations. Keep On Truckin reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles Chart upon its release, and was Kendricks only number-one hit. By 1973, Eddie Kendricks was two years deep into a solo career following his bitter split from The Temptations in 1971. While his former bandmates went on to record hits such as Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) (which was a reported jab at Kendricks and fellow ex-Temptation David Ruffin), and their seven-minute opus, Papa Was a Rollin Stone, Kendricks had begun to reach a cult R&B fan base following his last two albums. Working closely with Frank Wilson, who was the main producer in most of Kendricks solo efforts, the duo worked on a song that would aim at the dance floor rather than the serene ballads that Kendricks was used to recording. His earlier single, Girl You Need a Change of Mind, was a cult favorite for club fans. With co-writers Anita Poree and Leonard Caston, Jr., Wilson created a song rivaling that of the Temptations Norman Whitfield-produced cinematic soul that had become commonplace among the groups recordings, but instead of instigating drama, the songs grooves were clearly aimed at the dance floor. Upon its release in the summer of 1973, the song would finally bring Kendricks out of the shadow of his former band as the songs catchy beats and melody became a crossover hit. By late fall, the song had reached number one on the US pop and R&B singles chart, matching the performance of the biggest singles released by his former group. When ...Truckin became a hit, the Temptations hit luster was waning, with Hey Girl (I Like Your Style) barely reaching the Top 40, and the follow-up funk song, Let Your Hair Down, becoming only a modest hit. Much like their Superstar, which would notably be covered by David Ruffin, Kendricks included a jab at his former bandmates with the lyric: In old Temptations rain, Im duckin For your love through sleet or snow, Im truckin The single version of the song, entitled as Part 1 features the sound of a truck going by, before the coda. The song would later be included in debates about the first-recorded and released disco record alongside The Hues Corporations Rock the Boat and Barry Whites Cant Get Enough. The song gave Kendricks a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance losing out to Stevie Wonders Superstition and would remain his signature hit though he would score other hits such as Boogie Down, Shoeshine Boy, Happy and Hes A Friend. The songs instrumental bridge would later be sampled by singer Ralph Tresvant for his song Shes My Love Thang, rapper Mr. Cheeks on his 2002 single, Lights, Camera, Action and in the Jennifer Lopez 2007 single, Do It Well.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:36:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015