Standing on the Top

The Temptations, after a brief spell at Atlantic Records in the late 1970s, re-signed with Motown, in 1980. In 1982, reunited with three of their former lead singers, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards, the group, now a seven-piece act, began a reunion tour. They also recorded a new album together, the aptly titled Reunion, a collaboration Motown founder Berry Gordy, Motown VP Smokey Robinson and punk-funk star Rick James. The Temptations provided backing vocals on James' 1981 hit "Super Freak".

"Standing on the Top" was released as the lead single from the group's Reunion album in April, 1982. The album version was almost ten minutes long (9:48) and the single release split the track into two halves; "Part 1" was released as the A-side (4:15) and "Part 2" as the B-side (5:33).

• Lead vocals by David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Glenn Leonard and Rick James
• Background vocals by Otis Williams, Mary Jane Girls, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Richard Street and Glenn Leonard
• Clavinet by Rick James
• Bass by Oscar Alton
• Drums by Lanise Hughes
• Guitar by Tom McDermott
• Keyboards by Erskine Williams
• Synthesizer by Levi Ruffin
• "Punk Funk" Horns:
  • Saxophone by Chris Powell
  • Trumpets by Ken Scott and LaMorris Payne
• Percussion by Nathan Hughes

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It proved to be one of The Temptations' biggest hits in several years, making it into the R&B Top Ten (#6), but performing only moderately on both the US and UK Singles Chart, peaking at #66 and #53, respectively. In Canada it peaked on the RPM Top 50 at #32 on July 10, 1982.