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Standing on the Top

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"Standing on the Top"
Single by The Temptations
from the album Reunion
Released1982
Recorded1982
GenreSoul, funk
Length4:15
LabelGordy (Motown)
1616 GF
Motown (UK)
TMGT 1623
Songwriter(s)Rick James
Producer(s)Rick James
The Temptations singles chronology
"Oh, What a Night"
(1981)
"Standing on the Top"
(1982)
"More On The Inside"
(1982)

"Standing on the Top" is a funk song recorded by the Motown group The Temptations, written and produced by (and featuring) musician Rick James.

Background

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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

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"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

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[1]

Chart history

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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.

Chart (1982) Peak
position
U.K. Singles Chart[2] 53
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] 66
U.S. Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80[4] 11
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles[5] 3

References

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  1. ^ "The Temptations – Reunion (1982, Vinyl)".
  2. ^ "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 833.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 256.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 572.