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". ==Details==

"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). ==Personnel==

• 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 ==Chart history==

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. ==References==