The Temptations have four #1 hits. Their last one, 1971’s “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” is a funk masterpiece is the epitome of the adage: the only thing better than a great short song is a great long song.
Written by Motown hitmakers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong who also gave us “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “War,” and “I Can’t Get Next To You,” originally had the song grooving for a solid 12 minutes.
And who can blame them. Starting with that ominously seductive and unrelenting bass line that immediately asks, “what the heck is going on here?”
Then the strings, then wah wah porn guitar, then a trumpet proclaiming something is coming our way.
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