*To find the blueprint for a legendary singing group, look no further than The Temptations. Any group worth their salt has shades of the hitmaking quintet on them.
From their united outward appearance to their synchronized moves to their catalog of classic hits, The Temps were nothing to play with back in the day.
In the eyes of many folk, music would not be where it is today without The Temptations. Like many things, music evolves to become a product of its time. Although he isn’t out to “knock anybody in their endeavors wanting to make their bones in show business.” Temptations founder Otis Williams admits the current-day music he hears on the radio strikes a chord with him…on a negative scale. something he is “not impressed with.”
“Look, I always tell people that the one thing that’s constant in life is change,” Williams, the group’s last surviving member, explained to Fox News. “I try not to knock anybody in their endeavors wanting to make their bones in show business. But I have to say this, I’m not impressed with some of the stuff I hear on the radio today.”
“When I hear the lyrics… I hear cussing,” he bluntly mentioned. “I’m hearing a lot of degrading language. Now, I believe in freedom of speech, but it’s very reflective of where we are as a society today… You shouldn’t be hearing cussing on the radio.”
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Flipping the conversation, Williams reverted to music back in his day, emphasizing the universal vibe of lyrics that hit home with listeners who enjoy tunes that are simply great and exhibit quality over controversy.
“I believe in great lyrics that aren’t offensive and will resonate with anyone. That’s why Motown was so great. They stressed great songs. They were called, ‘Songs for America,'” the singing icon shared.
“I know my time was a different time… but I’m just not impressed with what I hear on the radio these days. I don’t know what happens when things have gotten so relaxed that you can hear cussing or people talking about doing very naughty things to women. Kids shouldn’t be hearing that.”
Williams’ comments come amid the 60th anniversary of The Temptations’ classic hit single “My Girl.” The tune, written and produced by the entertainer’s fellow Motown hitmakers Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, is noted for being the group’s first No.1 single and signature song.
Despite its Dec. 21, 1964, release, Fox News notes “My Girl” has been discovered by a new generation of listeners who have found and embraced it on social media. The song, which crossed the 1 billion streams mark on Spotify, is now part of the National Recording Registry.
To have social media users as fans of “My Girl” is something Williams is in awe of: “God and his infinite wisdom brought us into that studio – I truly believe that,” the 83-year-old entertainer said. “And this was a very special time during the ‘60s. Now, the ‘60s was crazy, like we are today… but it’s a true testament that a song can still be loved 60 years later.”
Staying true to what brought his group so far, Williams continues to promote The Temptations’ knack for giving fans something the whole family can enjoy without going overboard in making their performances cringeworthy.
“God has blessed me to be doing this for 64 years,” said the music legend, who shows no sign of putting the brakes on performing for music lovers. “I feel being in show business is special. You can reach so many people. You can give them hope. You can uplift them during tough times. So we will always try to be a wholesome act. We will not come out on stage and grab our private parts and sing about doing this or that.”
“We were taught that if you perform with the right kind of respect and dignity, you will always have people listening to you,” Williams added. “As long as you give a good performance and keep it wholesome, you don’t have to worry about it too much. We were stressed respect for our audience and ourselves.”
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MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: Salute to A Legend: Temptations’ Otis Williams Talks 60 Years of Making Music! – EURexclusive
