The Temptations-Standing On The Top

[milvaperkins]

Rick James Bitch

[FireitupBedford]

I remember taking my daughter who was only 9 at the time to see the Temptations and when they started singing this she got pisted when one of the guys were singing Rick's part. When I told her that Rick wasn't here tonight she was real disappointed...lol

[saltfan2]

Kan it get anymore badass?...no

[ELGORITHM]

Class

[zell778]

This got to be the baddest jam I ever heared, Just wish New Edition would remake this!

[blkpanther11]

thanks steve love it "TEMPTATIONS4EVER'

[Charoletta77]

good music 10 stars

[MetalheadJay78]

Wasn't this the last time the original Temptations were all together(minus Paul Williams)? It's a real shame that this reunion didn't last longer as David and Eddie left soon after the album and tour. I would like to know if there are any live recordings from this reunion tour in '82(video and audio)? Rick James was the perfect guy to rejuvenate their career. I wish they would have done more hard funk. Well, at least we have the Psychedelic Soul era(1969 - 1974). Dennis is just as important!

[DanielSchmidt94521]

@MetalheadJay78 Yeah I have seen pictures of the concerts of all of them together but I have not seen any live video. I think this is the best we are going to get. It is too bad and a shame that even at the hall of fame they didn't get a chance to sing more.

[gausedora]

YES YOU RIGHT ALL OF VOICE WAS FIND DAVID AND EDDIE SOUND GREAT TO ME. MELVIN WAS SMILE BE CAUSE HE KNOW OITIT WAS WRONG FOR PUT DAVIDAND PAUL,OUT OF THE GROUP.AND HE WAS BOSS WHY DID GET DAVID HELP KNOWN HE WANT HIM OUT ALL OF YOU DID BUT EDDIE.ANDNOW TEMP.ARE STILL HERE AND SOUND GOOD,,,,,,

[emmettk]

@gausedora You can say what you want about the decision to let David go; (Paul was a different case, he wasn't fired, his issues were making him physically unable to perform). It proved to be the right decision- the Tempts went on to greater success while David's demons got the best of him in spite of his great talent. You can't help someone who doesn't believe he needs it. You can't have anarchy and succeed in any business and Otis had the best mind for business in the group.

[TheNikki810]

thank you for posting this,i feel liked David looked so good and sounded good,MY MY MY MY

[letmesing6868]

if you did't care why respond?

[venus3003]

you cant tell me that rick and david didnt get high together while doing this one.

[MrMerrick1]

@venus3003 who cares there will be another  rick james or david ...classic

[venus3003]

lol at rick with a can of "coke" @ :33.

[blackprix]

What a combination ... Rick getting down with the Temps!! Unbelievable results ... good stuff!!!!!!!

[pecanchocolatedeluxe]

Amazing how they could get so many amazing voices into one group.

[jody808]

i'm glad they made this video to see them performing all together for one of the last times

[PetePeterkin]

Too bad the re-union got trashed in The Temptation movie.

They didn't even mention Rick James...WOW!

[erriqueyoung]

rick is just BAD-THE FUC_ ASS.period

[zariahnyree]

I finally got this video on DVD! Its on Rick James' DVD. I wish this tv special were on DVD.

[wise4me]

unlike any other!!!!

[mewjaws5754]

This is fabulous!! all of together except Paul.

[bubblinbrownsuga66]

I just love their crisp choreography. Only extremely gifted performers can carry off tight , complicated dance routines while singing and make it so smooth and effortless. It's too bad that most modern acts leave the major dancing to their backing dancers.

[5232731]

this is awesome!!

[bigbankX]

"and what's L-7 square" ... lol

[bigbankX]

This is priceless .... I remember when i first heard that Rick James was producing a temps record i thought "Damn, the temps are about to get FONKED up!" ... This was pure magic ... RIP to Rick, Melvin, Eddie, David, Paul ..

[m64h]

This was Rick returning the favor after the Tempts sang background on his "Superfreak."

"Temptations sing!" "Whoa-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!"

[bigbankX]

ur 100% correct

[hilltopboots]

Of the orginial Tempting Temptations, only Otis is alive and yes, he still tours.

[1975tooto]

Hey,at 3.05 no other than Jim Brown!!

[therealsoulproduct]

Classic Soul and Funk.

RIP, Rick and pretty much most of the Temptations. I think only Dennis and Otis are the survivors now.

[djreelballer]

I think Richard Street and the other falsetto singer are alive too. I would consider them REAL temptations especially Richard Street.

[jstmeanu]

Yes, he was related to one of the Temps & was with them from the beginning.

[tuzwol]

@jstmeanu ,yeah he was the nephew of Melvin Franklin

[jstmeanu]

@djreelballer I agree, Richard Street was around from the beginning......love the old Temps

[heartofhumility24]

on the top getting down yeah!...classic

[raveonsteviewoo]

To all the haters, Eddie and David sounded as good as they alway did. And Ruffin still looks fine to me.

[zariahnyree]

I would have been stalkin both of them! I cant say the other I would have b/c someone may take me seriously. :-) but he sang in the K,R ___ Trio

[FluffyBunniesOnFire]

FAVORITED

[selfpay1]

this the shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[funkclive]

this is one of the best funk tracks ever recorded p. funk lives

long live the funk

[roybean89]

a little while ago you tube showed Standing On TheTop in its entirity ,but it was taken away, could you please re-install it. Thats the version without Stevie wonder.

[Krazy3912]

I wish Paul Williams were alive for this fantastic video.

[pofh]

NUTHIN BUT THE PUNK FUNK!!!

[zariahnyree]

Fact: Rick James is Melvin Franklin's nephew and Melvin is a distant cousin of David Ruffin.

[BumpCityDave]

Two great men taken from us far too soon!!!

[Madhofd]

whats the difference between a nephew and a cousin?

[TLPINC]

The Greatest Vocal Group Ever

[jody808]

i love their choreography on the video and it was good seeing them back together again...for a minute

[mhinsda]

awesome. what album was this?

completely wowed! here with stevie wonder intro!

wow!

[hippolytelin]

alextheawsome, i cannot agree with u that david sounded horrible, this was an excellent performance!!!!!, he never sounded better, even when he, eddie and dennis did their stint as the three leads of the Temps, his voice was as godd as it was back in the 60. Even though they say that eddie's voice was shot, it was still very good when the 3 did their tour. I am very happy to see them all together again, great dancing as usual and even with drugs, david still looked fine, they all look fine

[JERRiCKKABaBy]

@hippolytelin YES!!! i say the samething jsut because of that damn movie everyone be saying oh Eddie's voice is real weak when in fact his voice didnt get bad till 1991 during thisa time it was still pretty good. Also that movie has everyone lookin at Paul to see if he's drunk smh ridiculous

[AuralExamination]

Ha ha i love their dance moves ... get it!

[selecta0]

This is one of Ricks BEST - the whole album is too good for words

Enjoy

[egmjag]

Another one of those songs that seemed to be in reaction to the music industry and most rock and pop radio stations that refused to recognize funk which almost every ignorant person conveniently brushed aside as disco. Oh I remember those days well.

Rick James was angry when he called a rock radio station and argued with the DJ that is was unjust of them to refuse to play funk since it was in the vein of rock 'n roll.

[joehancock01]

i got this on video

[tropicalpancake56]

Great performance...outstanding choreography!!! This looks like the work of the grand master of them all...Cholly Atkins....I could be wrong...

[sexidimplez08]

I Love This Sonq..

[CAU98]

This is a great song! How cool to have David Ruffin and Kendricks back with the group!

I wonder how great they would have been if the "Classic 5" had stayed together another decade. How ever said this is a bad song doesn't know R&B music.

[firdaws1977]

I like very much temptation

[blondi35]

Temptations forever, the greatest of all time,thanks for posting

[firdaws1977]

terrible!!

[Kamaria7]

You may this is terrible but this was a hit for them dear

[firdaws1977]

je n'ai jamais dit que je n'aimais pas!!

[zariahnyree]

where is this video from? Was this a special aired on tv or was it on a specific video? I really would like to see the entire video. Its beautiful to see all the tempts together. Richard Street was actually with Otis and the Distants.

[MUSICENCYLOPEDIA]

This was taken from the Motown on Showtime series. They did doucmentaries on Michael Jackson, The Temptations & The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson.

[kagsy81]

Rick James is standing in the presence of greatness....

I hope they are all somewhere jamming together now!

[myjazzvibes]

You know, I enjoyed Richard Street's performance with the Tempts after Paul left the group. Richard Street did a great job filling the huge space that was left when Paul had to semi-retire. g

[chalomirof63]

123djblive: It sure looks like him!!

[123djblive]

Isn't that Jim Brown at the end!!

[motown250]

pure tempts

[amd77j]

Just shows that Rick James understood and knew greatness and how to present it. R.I.P. Rick, Eddie, Melvin, and David and thanks for the memories.

[BerlinLynn]

Couldn't have said it any better - !!

[1990bethany]

Look at Melvin go, hes ROCKIN in the studio and on stage, looks like hes so happy they're all back together,he cant stop grinning.

[anfieldroad2005]

Luv the vid its sad david looked old cos e was so handsome ye.

[dofriesgowiththat]

them young cats aint got nothing on these brothas. Damn did u see them moves. Thats was some bad ass choreagrahpy. together with great singing. id slap anybody thinkin they can get some of this right here.

[MUSICENCYLOPEDIA]

I feel you. This is what you call performing and giving it your all.

[PaTudie]

I'd like to see this WHOLE video from start to finish. So very cool. If only Melvin and Eddie and David would have gotten together and done something in their last days!!!

[FireitupBedford]

When I say that funk is here to stay...FUNK IS HERE TO STAY..HO

[FireitupBedford]

Leave it to the Funkmaster Rick James to get them all back together for this. One of the all time great jams.

[FireitupBedford]

That is very true.

[RegCrowd]

That's news to me. I hadn't heard that before.

[lgp1987]

Could you send me this video? I'm currently working on a Tempts documentary and could use this video in my production.

[raininmyst]

this song is FONKY!! yeah this is better than just funky!!!! RIP Rick James!

[blondi35]

I love this song,thanks for posting,this were the best reunion ever,i wish it would last, maybe thing would of been different for them,hey they were temptation,and friend just for that moment,thats something to remember.

[Redcar43]

I Love All Of Them. The Ones That Are Now Gone

RIP. Great Job You Guys. Your Music Will Live

Forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GuadalajaraJoe]

good GOD! nasty FUNK!

[86pimp3]

This is great, fuck the haters.

[ceejaykaygee]

this was the bomb

[acfgklm]

Rick James what a way to compliment your uncle. Cracking track. Funk doesn't get much better. Not a good version but who cares. Just good to hear it again.

[lovelyusako]

Eddie Sounds Horrible. You Can Barely Understand What He Is Saying, And In His First Verse, You Can't Understand It At All. I Had To Google The Lyrics To See What He Was Saying. Glenn Leonard Was Only Invited To Assist Eddie, Shelly States That In Interviews And Books. David Sounds Bad, But It's Still Better Than Nearly Everybody In The World. Dennis Edwards... One Word... ELECTRIC...

[ManAndAHalf]

Yeah, Eddie's smoking really took a toll on his voice. Shelley Berger said that his voice was shot when he and Ruffin came back for the Reunion. I figured Glenn Leonard was kept as insurance for Eddie. Always enjoy watching this video though.

[luvthetempts]

What do you mean Glenn was invited?

Glenn was a Temp when Eddie and David joined the group for the reunion tour.

[marquink]

Glenn was to leave the group when Eddie returned, but his voice was too weak for the high parts.(smoking) So they kept him as a back up to Eddie.

[DynastyGang]

I love you Temps

Bev

[365degrees]

old school is the best best best

[naturreal1705]

Shit Rick James, David Ruffin, & Eddie Kendricks were all on the same drugs... cocaine is a hell of a drug. Too damn bad because they were legends. ~ Dennis Edwards did look like he kept himself up.

[Funkdogg]

it's not too bad. things just go the way they go. Ther greatest songs ever made where writen by artists on drugs

[discojeff]

Damn funky Thanx for the scooling

[kax61]

Thanks Rick. You gave us Punk Funk. We'll never forget you.

[kax61]

Rick, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, the Temps....hmmmmm. I need this stuff.

[superflyscot]

Wow, great.Thanks for making the effort to translate it to digital. Is this the greatest Tempts moment?A great song, a funk classic, and it not only features the Tempts, but the Tempts with Edwards, Street, Kendricks and Ruffin all together, along with MF and Otis, AND Rick alongside on guitar, with all members in a tux and a great choreographed sequence. I wonder if this is THE classic Temptations promo, alongside the Motown '25 YTF' Tops battle. Wonder if it is available anywhere.

[enique1103]

this is a rare find! thanks for posting.

[dynamite8503]

eddie's lips are so freaking sexy!

[alextheawsome]

SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOO Great to see them all back together again! David sounds horrible, but that's what drugs will do.

[FireitupBedford]

If it hadn't been for Rick James they wouldn't have gotten back together. They did it because he asked them to.

[Godstempts]

what are you talking about! he sounds great, just like he did in the sixties and seventies. crack really doesn't mess up your voice. stuff like cigarettes and junk will, but regardless eddie sounded good too.

[TCall2004]

I thought David sounded great.

In spite of the drugs.

[Krazy3912]

David sounded like he did back in the 60s. He was great (along with Dennis Edwards) Now Eddie (on the other hand) sounded as though his years of smoking cigarettes were taking a toll on his ability to his his high falsetto notes.

[foreverdooney]

" when ur on the top there's no place you can really go but down, down, down"

[TCall2004]

Sad - Rick is gone as are David, Eddie and Melvin.

[emt186]

if any one has it could you post otis william singing for once in my life,,it was on here at one time but disapeared

[Jerky101]

I was blessed to see the TEMPTATION REUNION TOUR at the GREEK Theatre in Los Feliz, Ca. U N B E L I V A B L E. It started with the Four orginals Plus Dennis. They sung all the early hits. Then with a line up change they went though their hits. The stage was clear for the solo hits. David, Eddie Dennis each sung his solo hits. Jus AMAZING!!

[missann7]

I'm jealous. I can only imagine seeing David and Eddie!

[Jerky101]

Don't be...

You can share my excitment and sheer joy of seeing the Tempts in thier glory!

[BillieJean92]

just love dis song!

[KingCharltonHeston]

You know, they still look young here, the only one who really looks "old" is David Ruffin, even though he was only in his 40s then, like the others. I guess the hard and often painful way he lived his life took a toll on him, eh? Shame really.

[TCall2004]

David died at 50. Drug overdose.

Dennis looked terrific.

[KingCharltonHeston]

Yeah, I know. Just makes it all the more tragic that he wasn't all that old when he died.

Agreed, Dennis looked good here.

[Godstempts]

it is so nice to see all their smiling faces together, they're probably grinning and laughing in heaven right now.

[KingCharltonHeston]

Interesting. Was that Melvin wearing a Superman shirt?

[s9marti7]

Yep that was Blue in the Superman shirt.

[BIGROB80]

Beautiful video and footage with Legends-RICK JAMES King of Punk FUNK!

[boomfield]

ownage.

Plat's a noob.

Thank you so much for postin this :-)

[faeriestar123]

Rick James was Melvin's nephew huh? Wierd! I'd never seen this and it was soooooooo cool!

[MindTricked]

Great post! I've been wanting to see some footage of this for years. Now, if only I can find the actual video for the song - I haven't seen it since the 80s.

[FireitupBedford]

RICK JAMES IS THE MAN (RIP)

[selecao88]

The funk, the funk, and nothin' but the FUNK ! we want the funk !!! One of the funkiest funk-tracks of allt time. "We understand it !" RIP Rick James.

[boomfield]

hey Stevenarada,

thx, again thx for uploading this rare stuff.

And yeah, i agree with Wafuller. Weired Temptations times.

Must have been funny, Temptations meet RJ.

Rare.

This footage is very cool.

[Stevenarada]

I'm really, really glad you like it!!! Thanks for your comments!

[tashac06]

u do know that melvin franklin was rick james' uncle right?

[boomfield]

...great horn section!

could it be the Phenix Horns?

[Stevenarada]

No, it wasn't the pheonix horns, Rick used his own guys, but their name excapes me at the moment, I'll have to look it up and find out.

[MUSICENCYLOPEDIA]

The name of Rick's horn section was the Punk Funk Horns

[dodji35]

Quelle merveille cette chanson!Un divin cadeau.

[Wafuller]

Fuck yo couch nigga!!!

[Wafuller]

I'm Rick James bitch!!!

[Wafuller]

Who would of thought that The Temptations would be back together, and Rick James would produce one song for them. It was a weird year in 1982 for The Temptations. I'm rich BIATCH!!! R.I.P. Rick James.

[ManAndAHalf]

One of my all time favorites. Thank you.

[moritosuzuki]

OMG! Words can not say how much I love this video! Thank you!!

[funkpill]

Never seen this version before...HIP!!!

[Jan2612]

made my weekend - thank you for uploading this x

[Stevenarada]

My Pleasure!!

[tashac06]

yea thanks!

[Tamiko38]

do u have the full version of this video this has been cut...

[Stevenarada]

Sorry!this is all I have!

[Tamiko38]

thanks anyway ..but i found it on my space videos. look it up...

[Chuckdeezul]

They were "On the Top Gettin' Down Yeah"

[tashac06]

i loved the part where eddie said "all we're saying is we want the funk" he sounded so cute. Lol.

[Stevenarada]

you're so right about that! haha!

[tashac06]

ok i thought i was the only one that was thinking that. lol.

[soulchild01]

WTF!!!!!! I thought I was the only one who had this on tape!! My father taped this in 1986 on a special about the careers of the Temtations/Four Tops called Motown on Showtime. Thats the first time I saw the video too! Marvin Gaye and of course Michael Jackson had a Motown on Showtime special too!!! We need the full version of the video though!

[jody808]

that was like a dream having all the Tempts back together, too bad it didn't last and RIP Paul Williams

[tashac06]

omg thank u so much for postin this. This is the 1st time that I see any footage of the Reunion. Love David, Dennis, and Eddie in it. And the beginning with Paul's pic and stuff.

[GambitsGirl]

This is amazing. Truly Amazing. Thanks so much. I always wanted to see some footage of the Reunion and this is the first time I have seen any of the footage. Its looks, desprite their history, that they had fun doing this. And that makes me happy to see it.

[Stevenarada]

No worries! I'm glad you enjoyed! I never get sick of watching myself!