The Temptations - My Girl
“My Girl” by The Temptations stands as one of the most iconic songs in American music history. Released on December 21, 1964, through Motown’s Gordy Records subsidiary, the song became the group’s first number-one hit, reaching the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts in March 1965. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson and Ronnie White of The Miracles, “My Girl” was crafted specifically for The Temptations’ newest member, David Ruffin, whose powerful yet tender voice Robinson believed could deliver something truly special. The song marked Ruffin’s debut as lead vocalist for the group, launching him into the spotlight and establishing The Temptations as major stars.
The creation of “My Girl” came about after Robinson witnessed Ruffin perform The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk” at Detroit’s 20 Grand nightclub in 1964. Impressed by Ruffin’s vocal abilities, Robinson set out to write something that balanced Ruffin’s naturally commanding baritone with a sweet, melodic quality. Robinson has stated that he wrote the song as a follow-up to his hit “My Guy,” which Mary Wells had recorded earlier that year, and the lyrics were inspired by his wife, Claudette Rogers Robinson, who was also a member of The Miracles. The recording came together with remarkable efficiency: the instrumental track was laid down on September 25, 1964, at Motown’s legendary Snakepit studio by the Funk Brothers, featuring James Jamerson’s instantly recognizable opening bass line and Robert White’s melodic guitar riff. The Temptations added their vocals in November after Robinson taught them the song during a week of shows at the Apollo Theater in New York.
“My Girl” proved to be a watershed moment not just for The Temptations but for Motown as a whole. It became the label’s first number-one hit for a male group and the first chart-topper for the Gordy Records subsidiary. The song’s universal appeal and joyful expression of love helped it transcend musical boundaries, eventually being covered by more than 150 artists including Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Al Green, and The Mamas & The Papas. Its cultural impact has only grown over the decades: the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2017, and ranked number 43 on Rolling Stone’s 2021 list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” In 2024, “My Girl” surpassed one billion streams on Spotify and experienced a resurgence when New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor chose it as his walk-up song, prompting stadium-wide singalongs at Citi Field. As the song celebrated its 60th anniversary in December 2024, it remains The Temptations’ signature song and what founding member Otis Williams has called the “National Anthem of the Temptations,” continuing to resonate with new generations of listeners around the world.
The Temptations My Girl Lyrics
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got so much honey the bees envy me
I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooooh
I don't need no money, fortune or fame
I've got all the riches, baby, one man can claim
Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
With my girl
I've even got the month of May
With my girl
Talkin' 'bout
Talkin' 'bout
Talkin' 'bout
My girl
Ooooh
My girl
As long as I can talk about my girl...