"Don't Look Back" is a 1965 song recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. The b-side to their Top 20 hit "My Baby", "Don't Look back" broke out and became a hit among the R&B audience on its own, reaching #14 on the R&B charts. Considered one of original lead singer Paul Williams' showcases, "Don't Look Back" was regularly employed as the closing number for Temptations live performances. In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... The Classic 5 lineup of The Temptations, circa 1965. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... 33⅓ LP vinyl record album The vinyl record is a type of gramophone record, most popular from the 1950s to the 1990s, that was most commonly used for mass-produced recordings of music. ... For alternate uses, see Number 45. ... Hitsville U.S.A. was the nickname given to Motown Records first headquarters. ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and video recordings, on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. ... Motown Record Company, L.P., also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label specializing in the musical genres of R&B, pop, soul music, and hip-hop music. ... In the music industry, a record producer is responsible for completing a master recording so that it is fit for release. ... William Smokey Robinson (born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. ... Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ... Since I Lost My Baby is a 1965 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... This article is about the 1966 Temptations song. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (link goes to calendar). ... The Classic 5 lineup of The Temptations, circa 1965. ... Motown Record Company, L.P., also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label specializing in the musical genres of R&B, pop, soul music, and hip-hop music. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... Paul WIlliams (far right), with the Temptations in 1967. ...

Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, the authors of the #1 Temptations hit "My Girl", "Don't Look Back" is a reassurance to the tentative that finding true love is worth the heartbreak and failed relationships it takes to reach it. As the song's narrator, Paul Williams promises his lover, in his trademark gritty yet warm tone: The Miracles is a vocal harmony group that was formed in 1955 at Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan. ... William Smokey Robinson (born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. ... Ronald Ronnie White (April 5, 1939 - August 26, 1995) was an African American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a founding member of The Miracles, and the only member to survive all of that groups lineup changes. ... My Girl My Girl, released December 21, 1964, is a 1965 #1 hit single recorded by The Temptations for the Motown label. ...

If you just put your hand in mine

We're gonna leave all your troubles behind

keep on walkin' and don't look back.

Smokey Robinson, the song's producer, specifically assigned Paul Williams to sing lead on the song. Although Williams had been the group's original lead singer, his role had by 1965 been eclipsed by David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks, who had both sung lead on the songs that became hits for the Temptations. As such, Williams was often overlooked for leads, even on album tracks and b-sides, prompting him to complain, "shit, y'know, I sing too!" David Ruffin. ... Eddie Kendricks, on the cover of his 1981 album Love Keys. ...

At many Temptations live shows during the mid-1960s, "Don't Look Back" received more audience reaction than "My Baby" did. In fact, on the 1967 Temptations Live! album, the women in the audience can be heard demanding that the group perform the song, which they preceded to do. Paul Williams, who developed many of The Temptations's dance steps, developed a showstopping routine for the live shows that had him following the song's advice to "keep on walkin'" and performing a strut across the stage to the delight of the audience. 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As Paul Williams' specialty number, "Don't Look Back" was retired from The Temtptations' repertoire after Williams, suffering from complications of sickle-cell disease and alcoholism, was forced to leave the group in 1971. Sickle-shaped red blood cells Sickle-cell disease is a genetic disorder in which red blood cells may change shape under certain circumstances. ... Polish propaganda poster saying: Stop drinking! Come with us and build a happy tomorrow. ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ...

Credits

• Lead vocals by Paul Williams
• Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
• Written by William "Smokey" Robinson and Ronald White
• Produced by Smokey Robinson
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Paul WIlliams (far right), with the Temptations in 1967. ... Eddie Kendricks, on the cover of his 1981 album Love Keys. ... Melvin Franklin (far left), with the Temptations in 1967. ... David Ruffin. ... Otis Williams (second from right), with the Temptations in 1967. ... William Smokey Robinson (born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter. ... Ronald Ronnie White (April 5, 1939 - August 26, 1995) was an African American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a founding member of The Miracles, and the only member to survive all of that groups lineup changes. ... The Funk Brothers were the house band at Detroits Motown Records from 1959 to 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. ...

References

• Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN 081-541218-5.
• Williams, Otis and Weigner, Harry (2002). My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations (Compact disc liner notes). New York: Motown/Universal Records.