THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

777-The Temptations-Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)

1971-Number 8 single.

Best Bit-At 2.34. Nothing wrong with some healthy fantasising.

The Temptations (see also best songs 1031-1001 and 569) were formed in 1960, in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in total there have been 27 different members come and go, and at the time of writing they remain active, with only one of the founding members, Otis Williams, remaining as the groups one constant. The extensive discography of The Temptations includes 43 studio Albums released between 1964-2022, and 109 singles released between 1961-1994, there are also 15 official compilation Albums, and four live Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, 38 of their tracks have reached the top 40, with four of those songs making Number 1, including ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me,’) while in the UK, they have reached the top 40 on 19 occasions with the 1992 re-issue of ‘My Girl’ peaking the highest at Number 2.

‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me’) was the second of two singles issued from The Temptations 14th studio Album ‘Sky’s the Limit’ from April 1971. The song was written by Norman Whitfield, (1940-2008) (see also best songs 911-569-533-480-346 and 233) and Barrett Strong, (1941-2023) (see also best songs 569) with the production by Whitfield. ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me’) had originally been written in 1969, but purposely kept in the vaults due to The Temptations change in musical styles. In the early 1960’s, the group had been very successful recording ‘Soul,’ and ‘R&B,’ but when Norman Whitfield took charge in 1968, he wanted to experiment with ‘Psychedelic Soul,’ inspired by contemporary groups such as ‘Sly and the Family Stone,’ (see also best songs 589 ) and ‘Funkadelic’ (see also best songs 340 and 26.) At first this new style proved very successful, with hits such as ‘Cloud Nine,’ and ‘Psychedelic Shack,’ but by 1971 sales were starting to decline, with the single ‘Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World,’) stalling at Number 33 on Billboard, which was well below the previous standards set by the group. Things had reached the stage where both The Temptations themselves, and many of their fan base were crying out for a return to the more ‘Soulful’ days. It was at this point that Norman Whitfield relented, and got the group to record ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me,’) to appease the majority, and see a return to the good old days.

‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me,’) certainly satisfied the fan base, giving The Temptations the third of what would eventually be four Billboard Number 1 singles. It was the last song on which Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992) (see also best songs 491) sang lead vocal, as he left shortly afterwards to start his solo career. It was also the last performance for fellow group member Paul Williams, (1939-1973) who sang the ‘Every night on my knees I pray,’ line, as he was suffering from ill health, and would pass away at the age of 34. Paul Williams who was a founding member of The Temptations was born on July 2nd, 1939, in Ensley, Alabama, United States, he suffered from ‘sickle-cell anemia,’ which caused him constant pain, which in turn led to him developing alcoholism, and depression. He died on August 17th, 1973, from an apparent suicide. According to his fellow band mate Otis Williams, Paul had expressed suicidal thoughts to him and Melvin Franklin (1942-1995) months before his death.

‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me,’) is not your conventional love song in any shape or form. The narrator imagines a relationship with a woman he sees walking past his window everyday, but he is clever enough to realise that his fantasy’s are fiction, in fact the woman doesn’t even know that he exists. Norman Whitfield has said,’It was anything but romantic, but it did pretty good in the dollars and cents category.’

‘Every night on my knees I pray, dear Lord hear my plea. Don’t ever let another take her away from me, for I would surely die, her love is heavenly. When her arms enfold me I hear a tender rhapsody, but in reality, she doesn’t even know me, ’cause it was, but it was, just my imagination runnin’ away with me-once again.’