"Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" is a 1967 Soul song, originally recorded and made a hit by Jimmy Ruffin on Motown's Soul Label imprint.[1] Ruffin's 1967 original version, from his album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten, reached the Pop Top 30, peaking at #29, and was a Top 20 R&B Hit as well, peaking at #14.[2] It was also a hit in Britain, reaching #26 on the UK Singles Chart. The song has a social context: it depicts a man anticipating his release from prison on the morrow, when he'll return home on a train to "the girl that I left behind," promising himself that he will reward her steadfast love for him by "giv[ing] her all the love [he's] got." The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and produced by Whitfield.
| "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover of the single released in the Netherlands | ||||
| Single by Jimmy Ruffin | ||||
| from the album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten | ||||
| B-side | "World So Wide Nowhere to Hide (From Your Heart)" | |||
| Released | February 23, 1967 | |||
| Recorded | August 1966 | |||
| Studio | Hitsville USA | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Label | Soul S 35032 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Norman Whitfield Barrett Strong | |||
| Producer(s) | Norman Whitfield | |||
| Jimmy Ruffin singles chronology | ||||
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| "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Marvin Gaye | ||||
| from the album That's the Way Love Is | ||||
| A-side | "How Can I Forget" | |||
| Released | December 16, 1969 | |||
| Recorded | Hitsville USA; 1969 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 3:21 | |||
| Label | Tamla T 54190 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Norman Whitfield Barrett Strong | |||
| Producer(s) | Norman Whitfield | |||
| Marvin Gaye singles chronology | ||||
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In August 1968 Benny Gordon released his version on Wand 1188. Benny Gordon Born 1932 Died 24 December 2008 Genres Soul Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter and bandleader Instruments Vocals Years active 1962 - 70s Labels RCA, Estill, Capitol, Wand. Benny Gordon (1932–2008) was a soul and r&b singer who recorded from the early 1960s up to the 1970s. Some of his early efforts were as a member of Christian Harmonizers. Their recordings were credited to The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon). Later recordings were as Bennie Gordon And The Soul Brothers.[
In 1970, Jimmy Ruffin's Motown labelmate Marvin Gaye, released the song on the Tamla label.[3] released from his album, That's the Way Love Is. Gaye's cover version of the song was a modest hit when Gaye released it in early 1970, peaking at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #26 on the Hot Selling Soul Singles chart. For Gaye the single was a double sided hit, as its flip side, "How Can I Forget" also charted (#41 US Pop, #18 US R&B).
Still another Motown act, The Temptations, recorded the tune as part of their album "The Temptations Wish It Would Rain.[4][5] However, it was The Temptations' baritone lead singer, Paul Williams, that sang lead vocals on the song, rather than Jimmy's brother, Temptations member David Ruffin. Their version was also released as a B-side to their hit single, "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)",[6] which turned out to be Ruffin's last lead released before he left the group.
Tony Tribe did a single cover of the song with Trojan Records, before dying in a car accident in Canada in 1970.[7]
Credits
editJimmy Ruffin version
edit- Lead vocals by Jimmy Ruffin
- Background vocals by The Originals and The Andantes
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Produced by Norman Whitfield
Marvin Gaye version
edit- Lead (and additional background) vocals by Marvin Gaye
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Produced by Norman Whitfield
Temptations version
edit- Lead vocals by Paul Williams
- Background vocals by Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, and Otis Williams
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Produced By Norman Whitfield
References
edit- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7: 1967 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research.
- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9: 1969 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
- ^ Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got at AllMusic
- ^ Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN 0-8154-1218-5.
- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8: 1968 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records
- ^ "Tony Tribe". Discogs.