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"Keep On Truckin'" is a 1973 hit song recorded by Eddie Kendricks for Motown Records' Tamla label. The clavinet-featuring song was Kendricks' first major hit as a solo artist, coming two years after his departure from The Temptations. "Keep On Truckin'" reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles Chart upon its release, and was Kendricks' only number-one solo hit.[3] It also reached #18 on the UK Charts.[4] Vibes are played by Gary Coleman.
| "Keep On Truckin', Pt. 1" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Eddie Kendricks | ||||
| from the album Eddie Kendricks | ||||
| B-side | "Keep On Truckin', Pt. 2" | |||
| Released | August 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1973 | |||
| Studio | Motown studios in Los Angeles with Crystal Sound Recording Players[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:21 (single edit) 8:00 (album version) | |||
| Label | Tamla (T 54238) | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Frank Wilson | |||
| Eddie Kendricks singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Official audio | ||||
| "Keep On Truckin'" on YouTube | ||||
Background edit
By 1973 Eddie Kendricks was two years into a solo career following his bitter split from The Temptations. While his former bandmates went on to record hits such as "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" (which was a reported jab at Kendricks and fellow ex-Temptation David Ruffin), and their seven-minute opus, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", Kendricks had begun to reach a cult R&B fan base following his most recent two albums.
Working closely with Frank Wilson, who was the main producer in most of Kendricks' solo efforts, the duo worked on a song that would aim at the dance floor rather than the serene ballads that Kendricks was used to recording. His earlier single, "Girl You Need a Change of Mind", was a cult favorite for club fans. With co-writers Anita Poree (1939–2018) and Leonard Caston Jr., Wilson created a song rivaling that of the Temptations' Norman Whitfield-produced cinematic soul that had become commonplace among the group's recordings, but instead of instigating drama, the song's grooves were clearly aimed at the dance floor.[4]
Upon its release in the summer of 1973, the song would finally bring Kendricks out of the shadow of his former band as the song's catchy beats and melody became a crossover hit. By late fall, the song had reached number one on the US pop and R&B singles chart, matching the performance of the biggest singles released by his former group. When "...Truckin'" became a hit, the Temptations' hit luster was waning, with "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" barely reaching the Top 40, and the follow-up funk song, "Let Your Hair Down", becoming only a modest hit (although an R&B #1). Much like their "Superstar", which would notably be covered by David Ruffin, Kendricks included a jab at his former bandmates with the lyric:
In old Temptations' rain, I'm duckin'
For your love through sleet or snow, I'm truckin'
Personnel edit
Credits adapted from The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits.[1]
- Leonard Caston – clavinet,[5] piano, writer, producer
- James Jamerson – bass
- Ed Greene – drums
- Gary Coleman – percussion, vibes
- King Errisson – congas
- Dean Parks – guitar
- Greg Poree – guitar
- Jerry Peters – organ
- Anita Poree – writer
- Frank Wilson – writer, producer
Chart performance edit
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[6] | 11 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[8] | 1 |
References edit
- ^ a b Adam White; Fred Bronson (1993). The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits. Billboard Books. pp. 122–123. ISBN 9780823082858. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (April 25, 2019). "The Number Ones: Eddie Kendricks' "Keep On Truckin'"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
That's how we got "Keep On Truckin'," arguably the first disco record ever to hit #1...As much as Kendricks didn't like that Norman Whitfield psychedelic-soul sound, "Keep On Truckin'" is basically a weaponized version of that...
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 319.
- ^ a b Graham Betts (2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. pp. 313–319. ISBN 9781311441546. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ History of the Calvinet Retrieved 15 February 2021
- ^ "Eddie Kendricks songs and albums | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ "Eddie Kendricks Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ "Eddie Kendricks Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2023.