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vinyl LP front cover
cover photo by Jim Britt
photo of album cover by Styrous®
This month, on December 17, is the birthday of Edward James Kendrick, better known as Eddie Kendricks, he was an American tenor singer and songwriter; he co-founded the Motown singing group the Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971.
For You was released in December of 1974, I'd like to think it was especially for his birthday, but maybe not. Kendricks was born in Union Springs, Alabama in 1939.
The Temptations began singing background for Mary Wells
but became the most
successful male vocal group of the 1960s. Although technically Kendricks
was first tenor in the group's harmony, he often sang in the falsetto register. Among the Temptations songs Kendricks sang lead on were Dream Come True (1962), the group's first charting single; The Way You Do the Things You Do (1964), the group's first US Top 20 hit; I'll Be in Trouble (1964); The Girl's Alright With Me (1964), a popular B-side that Kendricks co-wrote; Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue) (1964); Get Ready (1966); Please Return Your Love to Me (1968); and Just My Imagination (1971).
With the Temptations, Kendricks was responsible for creating most of the
group's vocal arrangements, and also served as wardrobe manager. He remained in the group through the rest of the decade, but a
number of issues began to push him away from it in the late 1960s and
early 1970s. He was uncomfortable with singing the psychedelic
style that Whitfield was now crafting for the group as opposed to the
romantic ballads they had sung under the direction of Smokey Robinson; his friend Paul Williams was often too ill to perform with the group; and Kendricks often found himself at odds with bandmates Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin. As he grew away from the group, Kendricks began to rekindle his friendship with ex-Temptation David Ruffin, who convinced him to leave. He also stated that his relationship with Berry Gordy
was less than cordial. "Berry Gordy is a man I don't know, I only met
him about three times," he said, but "I know he didn't particularly care
for me." Kendricks stated that he did not agree with many decisions
that were made.
I wasn't knocked out by the ballads on the album but If You Think (You Can) was my favorite one. In the funk category, One Tear and If You Think (You Can) knock my socks off.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
Side 1:
A1 - Please Don't Go Away, Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Leonard Caston, Written by Leonard Caston - 4:57
A2 - One Tear, Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Leonard Caston, Written by Leonard Caston - 4:00
A3 - Shoeshine Boy, Arranged By Jerry Long, Sanford Shire, Written by Harry Booker, Linda Allen (7) - 3:14
A4 - Deep And Quiet Love, Written by Frank Wilson, Kathy Wakefield - 5:34
A2 - One Tear, Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Leonard Caston, Written by Leonard Caston - 4:00
A3 - Shoeshine Boy, Arranged By Jerry Long, Sanford Shire, Written by Harry Booker, Linda Allen (7) - 3:14
A4 - Deep And Quiet Love, Written by Frank Wilson, Kathy Wakefield - 5:34
Side 2:
B1 - Let Yourself Go, Arranged By Jerry Long, Leonard Caston, Written by Harold Clayton, Leonard Caston, Mbaji, Sigidi - 5:45
B2 - If, Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Leonard Caston, Written by David Gates - 3:09
B3 - If You Think (You Can), Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Leonard Caston, Written by Barbara Dickerson, Leonard Caston - 3:59
B4 - Time In A Bottle, Arranged By Jimmie Haskell, Sanford Shire, Written by Jim Croce - 2:59
Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios
Mixed At – Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios
Copyright © – Motown Record Corporation
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Motown Record Corporation
Credits:
Art Direction – Katarina Petterson*
Backing Vocals [Background] – Carolyn Hurley, Carolyn Majors, Carolyn Willis, Frank Wilson, Harry Booker, Karin Patterson, Leonard Caston, Mara Baygulow, Myrna Matthews, Wayne Cooper (2)
Engineer [Mixing] – Angel Balestier, Frank Wilson
Engineer [Recording] – Angel Balestier, Art Stewart, Russ Terrana
Photography By – Jim Britt
Producer – Frank Wilson, Leonard Caston
Notes:
Recorded and mixed at Motown Recording Studios, Hollywood, California.
℗ © 1974 Motown Record Corporation
Printed in U.S.A.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Side A label): D5RS-7815
Matrix / Runout (Side B label): D5RS-7816-2
Eddie Kendricks – For You
Label: Tamla – T6-335S1, Tamla – T6 335S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1974
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Funk
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